"100 Day Dream Home" is back for Season 5, and Brian and Mika Kleinschmidt are working hard to make their latest new build look, um, old?
In the Season 5 premiere, "No Stone Unturned," the Kleinschmidts meet with Mark and Jessica, who have recently bought a 7 acres in Riverview, Florida. Mark is retiring from the military and, after years of living around the world, he and Jessica want to set down roots for their two teenage daughters. They have a $739,000 budget to build their dream home.
Mark and Jessica tell the HGTV stars they loved living in Germany and want their home to feel like it has history. Still, they want to include lots of modern touches in the new build -- including a new feature Brian thinks might become a trend.
Combining old with new can be a tough job, but the Kleinschmidts are up for the challenge.
"The whole theme with Mark and Jessica is old world meets new construction," Mika says. "We have to figure out what that means."
Read on to find out how Mika and Brian combine modern comfort with classic charm. Plus, pick up plenty of tips for creating a forever home.
Mark and Jessica want their home to have an Old World feel. One way the Kleinschmidts accomplish this is with exterior architecture details such as an arched entryway and a peaked roof. Mika explains these features are common throughout Europe. And, to make this home feel like a historic castle, Jessica and Mark want to install stone.
At first, Mika convinces her clients to use manufactured stone -- concrete made to resemble real stone. It's much more affordable than the real stuff, which costs about $10,000 more, Mika says.
However, in the end, the couple decide to splurge on authentic stone.
"I've seen a lot of homes that have the cultured stone -- it's beautiful," Jessica acknowledges. "We didn't even realize that it was not real stone until it was explained to us."
Still, authenticity wins out: "I want that real look," she says.
Ultimately, Mark and Jessica are glad they went with the genuine stone. It's the perfect choice for this Old World-inspired exterior.
While Mark and Jessica want a classic appearance for the home's exterior, they also want to include some new and modern features, including a drive-through garage.
When Mika first talks to the couple about options, Jessica admits that she's had trouble pulling in and out of garages. She asks if it would be possible to build a garage with doors at the front and back, so she could drive right through the parking space.
With plenty of land available for the design, Mika says a drive-through garage is certainly possible. So the team gets to work building this unique three-car garage, with two of the bays being pull-through spaces.
It's a feature Brian and Mika have never done before on the show, but they're happy with how it turned out. Brian is so delighted by the design, he notes that Mark and Jessica might have just started a new garage trend!
The new kitchen includes a large pantry that extends from the side of the kitchen to behind the range wall. This feature is already impressive; but halfway through renovations, Jessica requests a small upgrade to the plans: a pass-through between the pantry and the backsplash to make it easy to transport groceries between the spaces.
"Jessica actually mills her own wheat, and she wants to be able to pass it right through the kitchen," Brian explains. He admits he's never done a pass-through -- another "100 Day Dream Home" first -- but he's willing to try it.
However, this is a difficult change to make because the HGTV stars had already decided to surprise their clients with real stone on the kitchen backsplash. Brian works hard to find a spot for the pass-through and helps install the stone to look natural.
In the end, the pass-through turns out great. The stone wraps around the edges, and a colorful curtain covers it when not in use. It's yet another classic touch to this European-inspired kitchen.
Naturally, Mika and Brian create a luxurious main bedroom with a lovely en suite bath for Mark and Jessica. This space includes a soaking tub, double vanities, and a walk-in shower. But when discussing the design plans, Jessica tells Mika and Brian that she wants to make an addition to the shower.
"As we get older, I think a bench would be really good in there," she notes.
Mark adds: "It's also a good place to put the extra shampoos and conditioners."
The HGTV stars are sure to include a bench, and it turns out to be a great choice. This home blends past and present designs, but this bench helps make this shower accessible for the owners later in life -- a truly timeless addition.
Architectural features and finishes comprise a large part of a home's design, but so do the furnishings.
To finish off this house, Mika and Brian bring in some of their clients' favorite furniture and decor pieces, which they collected while living abroad. Among those treasures are an old artillery shell and a barrel table.
"We're basically taking everything they've collected and put 'em together in one brand-new dream home," Brian explains.
Once in the house, the items give the space a historic feel, adding the character that Mark and Jessica have been craving. It demonstrates that sometimes all a new home needs for a historical feel is the right furniture.