Leanne Ford and Friends “Rock the Block” on HGTV

Block pits four of HGTVamp8217s top creative talents against each other in a race to transform identical suburban homes into extraordinary spacesamp160 Ford Jasmine Roth Hidden Potential Mina Starsiak Hawk Good Bones and Alison Victoria Windy City Rehab are each given a 175000 budget and just seven days to remodel and boost the value of the housesamp160 While there is no actual prize for the winner whoever adds the most value to their home claims bragging rights and gets a street named after themamp160 Pictured below left to right Starsiak Hawk Roth Victoria and Fordamp8220On Restored we fix older homes and find the homesamp8217 characteramp8221 she told MediaVillage in an exclusive interview amp160amp8220For Block we had to bring in the character and warmth which was a whole new challenge and a lot of funamp8220I actually laughed when I first heard the premise of the show and was like amp8216You guys know I am not competitive rightamp8217amp8221 she continuedamp160 amp8220No one ever wants to play Monopoly with me as I39m like amp8216Here just take itamp8217amp160 I said I would do it but I wasn39t going in trying to win amp160I just wanted to concentrate on making a beautiful home so that39s exactly what I didamp8220The funniest thing is the other girls were all so competitive and they thought that acting like I didn39t care that was my strategy just to scare them amp160It actually worked to my benefit amp160As a designer I always make it my goal to make something that I don39t want to leave amp160I can say we did not want to leave that house because it was so dreamyamp160 The concept of getting a blank canvas was something specialamp8221For the series each contestant is afforded a contractor to work with and assisting Ford on her challenge is of course her brother Steve with whom she stars on Restoredamp160 Given how much time the siblings spend together you might think sheamp8217d want a change of pace but that isnamp8217t so amp160amp8220As much as I hate to admit it I couldn39t have done this without Steveamp8221 she laughed amp160amp8220There is a way I like to work and I have this artisanal value to how I like to design amp160I believe you are only as good as your team amp160We do things unconventionally and often in what some would say is the wrong way so finding a contractor to do something the wrong way is a challenge amp160It was good having my Ateam and Steve is definitely a part of thatamp8221Leanne and Steve also recently participated in HGTVamp8217s blockbuster hit A Very Brady Renovation something Ford is still glowing about amp160amp8220I was totally blown away by how it was receivedamp8221 she said amp160amp8220The whole thing was surreal from start to finish from getting the house to getting the call to help learning what the brand was and then working with the Bradys it was wildamp160 It was one of the best perks of being a part of the HGTV family amp160We all love the Bradys amp160I couldn39t believe we got to do the kitchen photo belowamp160 I grew up with it so it was just a magical experienceamp8221amp160 See more photos of the renovated Brady home hereThe midcentury vibe of The Brady Bunch home is something Ford admits leaning towards as she describes her style as amp8220minimalistmaximalistamp8221 amp160While a contradiction in terms it was a major influence in creating her dream home on Rock the Block amp160amp8220Eclectic is a goto adjective for a lot of peopleamp8221 she explained amp160amp8220My style is a mix of my unique flow and having a lot of stuff that clings to your eye amp160I tend to stay with neutral colors with a lot of stuff amp160I mix and match things like chairs so keeping the colors cooler makes everything feel a lot cleaner amp160So it is minimalist and then it39s maximalist amp160Even with a minimalist concept a home should be welcoming always warm and cozy even when it39s cleanamp8221While some of Rock the Blockamp8217s participants chose to spy on their competitors Ford preferred to keep focus amp160amp8220Steve actually spiedamp8221 she shared amp160amp8220I wouldn39t let him tell me what the others were doing amp160I put my blinders on and minded my own businessamp160 Eventually we did get to see each other39s spaces and I couldn39t believe how different they all looked amp160I only ever saw my house in one way as soon as I walked in I knew exactly what I wanted it to look likeamp8221Ford wouldnamp8217t reveal the winner of Rock the Block but she did tell me amp8220bragging rightsamp8221 were more important than having a street named after her amp160Sheamp8217d love a rematch as she loved working with the other ladiesamp160 She has a new book with Steve called Work in Progress Unconventional Thoughts on Designing an Extraordinary Life that will be published later this month amp160amp8220The book is about our path that led to HGTVamp8221 she said amp160amp8220I hope the big takeaway for people is to not be afraid to fail amp160The failures in life create your successes and propel you forward amp160I think creativity is everything and people need to stay loose and relaxed be creative because it39s funamp8221Rock the Block is telecast Mondays at 9 pm on HGTVPhotos courtesy of HGTVClick the social buttons above or below to share this content with your friends and colleaguesThe opinions and points of view expressed in this content are exclusively the views of the author andor subjects and do not necessarily represent the views of MediaVillagecomMyersBizNet Inc management or associated writers

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Leanne Ford and Friends “Rock the Block” on HGTV

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