HGTV Announces ‘A Very Brady Renovation’ Premiere — Get Your First Look (PHOTOS)
Modern Addition
The Brady dad, kind, patient Mike (Robert Reed) was an architect by trade. We think he’d approve of this scale model. All the rooms beyond the second floor landing are an addition to the original house so HGTV could recreate the Brady family’s upstairs bedrooms. (Six kids shared a bathroom!)
“Drew and Jonathan watched every single episode and figured out how to design the house — that took a lot of figuring out,” says Eve Plumb who had the role of insecure but earnest and sweet middle daughter Jan.
Welcome Home
Each Brady cast member concentrated on a specific area or room with an HGTV team. Christopher Knight, who as fun-loving middle son Peter famously had a personality crisis, worked on the front of the house. “We painted, landscaped, demo’ed the wall (that had been built by the previous owners) and set the window in the master bedroom,” Knight says.
The tree beside the front door came from a neighbor’s yard. Drew Scott saw it during a walk around the block and knocked asked if they were willing to part with it. “They dug it up and gave it to us,” Drew Scott says. Voila – housewarming gift.
Sunken Treasure
“We just walked into the (completed) living room (for the first time), and my mind was blown. I felt like I was back on Stage 5 at Paramount Studios,” says Maureen McCormick who was crush-worthy as popular, pretty eldest sister Marcia. “We were looking down upon the (sunken) living room, and I felt that Florence (Henderson, who played loving homemaker mom Carol) and Bob (Reed) were sitting in those two chairs, and Ann (Davis, who played Alice, housekeeper and member of the family) coming in. It was crazy!”
The sunken living room and floating staircase were made possible by actors’ sweat equity — everyone did demo!
Doubling Down
Looking back at the double-door entry and foyer. “Both me and Mike (Lookinland) were fans of the style of the house because at that time, it was cool, modern, like a martini party,” says Susan Olsen of her cast-mate; they played the youngest kids, small-but-mighty Cindy and adventurous dreamer Bobby.
The sofa upholstery, like many of the fabrics, was no longer in production and was reproduced just for the show.
All in the Details
An entry table styled for the ’70s. “One of our biggest challenges was finding (décor furniture, appliances) identical to the real pieces,” Jonathan Scott says. “We started crowd-sourcing, posting pictures of things we needed, and asking, ‘Has anybody seen this piece?’ Fans came forward in droves with lamps, clothes, hardware and said — just have it. They wanted to be a part of it.”
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Go Ahead and Stair
Those iconic floating steps had the cast in wide-eyed awe. To maintain the original angle of the staircase in a slightly smaller space, the Scotts removed a step. Nobody noticed. They may have been distracted by the fun, colorful wall-treatment, recreated by McCormick and HGTV.
Mom’s Favorite Vase!
The custom-made replica of the original Brady credenza displays a “vintage” horse sculpture that is actually a recreation made with a 3-D printing technique.
Note the infamous vase (mom’s favorite!) the boys broke while playing basketball in the house. “Somehow it doesn’t have any holes in it, cracks or glue,” says Williams with a chuckle.
Table for Eight
McCormick tracked down a vintage table that was the exact brand and model used in the show.
“We honestly could not have done what we did without the help of the Brady kids because they’re the ones who were there 50 years ago. They remember what the set looked like,” Drew Scott says.
Go Play Outside
Tiger’s doghouse! The teeter-totter where Cindy tried to break a world seesawing record! True to the original Brady backyard, this grass is all artificial. But that’s a real Southern California blue sky!
Marcia, Marcia, Marcia!
The lovely Maureen McCormick gives our TV Insider reporter a hug in a staging area at the house next door to the Brady home. In the background are hula-hoops and a rack of 70s fashions. The closets are fully stocked with vintage clothes. “You should see my ’70s outfit that I’m wearing for the promos,” Jonathan Scott says.
We can’t wait! Miniskirts, bell-bottoms and the Brady house forever!
We are beyond excited to share our sneak peek inside HGTV’s groovalicous renovation of the iconic ’70s home used in the opening credits of classic TV family sitcom, The Brady Bunch (1969-74, ABC).
Although the interior scenes were originally shot on soundstage sets, now, thanks to the hard work of all six Brady kid actors and teams from HGTV including the Property Brothers Drew and Jonathan Scott, a re-boot could be filmed right here! You can see the whole process on A Very Brady Renovation, premiering in September 9th on HGTV.
We toured the house, in the San Fernando Valley suburbs of Los Angeles, after it was completely gutted and each room from the show perfectly recreated in full 1970s splendor. “It’s retro, retro, retro. It’s awesome,” says Barry Williams who played confident, athletic eldest son, Greg. “But probably the thing that is the most enjoyable is it’s an excuse for us to be together.”
Check out our gallery above, with the “Bradys” and the”Brothers” as guides. We’ll have more pics (The orange and avocado kitchen! The girls’ pink bedroom!), and insight from this hardworking crew closer to the premiere.
A Very Brady Renovation, Series Premiere, Monday, September 9, 9/8c, HGTV
