Resort Ready: Meet The Power Duos Competing For The Title of Renovation Resort Champions

The stakes are higher than ever as Home Network’s Renovation Resort returns for its third season on Sunday, April 5 at 9 p.m. ET/PT on Home Network and streams on STACKTV. This year, real estate expert Scott McGillivray and builder Bryan Baeumler are heading to the lake to oversee the transformation of a long-neglected resort into a premier vacation destination. Four elite contractor-designer duos are moving in for an eight-week battle, competing for a life-changing $100,000 prize and the ultimate bragging rights.

We’re sitting down with this season’s competitors to go behind the scenes of the build. From blending Japanese Minimalism with entrepreneurial grit to bringing a “Modern-Funk” Bahamian flair to the Canadian lakeside, these teams are sharing what they learned about themselves under pressure and why they’re obsessed with the art of the renovation.

• Tatianna and Thomas (Vancouver): Co-workers who merge Red Seal craftsmanship with a “Modern-Organic” aesthetic.
• Marcy and Melissa (Niagara): Sisters who pair design finesse with hands-on execution in a “Rustic Coastal” style.
• Chalon and Liz (Texas): Friends bringing “Modern-Funk” design and sharp business acumen to the competition.
• Taylor and Mehrdad (Vancouver): A duo pairing “Japanese-inspired Minimalism” with serious grit.

Our interview with Tatiana and Thomas below! —Noa Nichol

The Shoreline Signature: This season, you’re tasked with transforming a neglected resort into a premier vacation destination. How did you translate your specific design aesthetic—whether it be Modern-Organic, Rustic Coastal, Modern-Funk, or Japanese-inspired Minimalism—into a lakeside retreat that feels both luxury and functional?

Modern-Organic felt like a natural extension of who we both are, it wasn’t a style we had to reach for, it was one we already live in. But what really shaped how we approached this space wasn’t just the design, it was the lens we brought to it.

Between my (Tatianna) background in short-term rental design and Thomas’s expertise as a Red Seal carpenter, we think about spaces differently. We’re not just asking does this look beautiful, we’re asking does this perform? A premier vacation destination must do both. Guests need to feel something the moment they walk in, and owners need to see that reflected in their bookings, their reviews, and their returns. That intersection is where we live.

So every decision we made was intentional on both levels. The material choices weren’t just about warmth and texture, they were about durability, longevity, and the kind of quality that photographs well, holds up to real guest use, and justifies a premium nightly rate. Thomas’s understanding of craft and construction meant we never had to sacrifice one for the other. When you have someone who understands materials at that depth, beauty and function stop being a trade-off.

For me, it always comes back to the psychology of the space and how it makes a guest feel, and how that feeling translates into a five-star review, a return booking, a share on social media, etc. Luxury at a lakeside retreat isn’t just about how it looks. It’s about the experience it creates, and whether that experience is worth coming back for.

The Duo Dynamic: From co-workers and sisters to long-time friends, every team brings a unique personal history to the construction site. What was the most surprising thing you learned about your partner’s “entrepreneurial grit” or “design finesse” while working under the eight-week pressure cooker?

We went into this knowing we were both passionate. We both have a lot of opinions and zero shortage of them. So, the real surprise wasn’t that we clashed, it was that we didn’t. Or at least, not in the ways we expected.

What caught us both off guard was how deeply committed the other person was to the craft and to the end result. Like, genuinely, stubbornly, won’t-sleep-until-it’s-right committed. Turns out when you put two workaholics in a pressure cooker for eight weeks, instead of imploding we just… keep working. Chaos and all. THE CHAOS WAS REAL. But somewhere along the way we stopped fighting it and just fully leaned in. There’s something kind of beautiful and slightly unhinged about two people who thrive in that energy finding each other in a competition like this. We embraced the mayhem, we made it work, and definitely surprised ourselves along the way.

The “McGillivray & Baeumler” Factor: Scott McGillivray and Bryan Baeumler are titans of the renovation world. Without giving away any spoilers, what was the most valuable piece of “tough love” or expert advice you received from them that completely changed how you approached a specific challenge?

One of the most grounding pieces of advice we received from both Scott and Bryan was simply this: don’t take on more than you can handle.

For us, that hit differently in the context of the competition. When you’re in it, you want to give everything, you want to show up with your biggest, boldest vision and execute it flawlessly. But the timelines are tight, the resources are limited, and at the end of the day, every single thing you put on the board has to be fully executed by you. There’s no calling in a trade, no extra set of hands waiting in the wings. It’s just you and your partner, making it happen.

What we appreciated most was that it never felt like criticism, it felt like they genuinely wanted to see every team succeed. Scott and Bryan were invested in the process, and that advice came from a place of real-world experience. Setting realistic expectations isn’t about dreaming smaller, it’s about being strategic enough to deliver on what you promise. That’s a lesson that translates directly back into how we run our businesses, and one we’ll continue to carry with us.

The Resort Evolution: Renovating a resort is a different beast than a standard home flip. What do you love most about the “vacation destination” aspect of home renovation, and how did you ensure your space offered that “wow factor” needed to compete for the $100,000 prize?

What we love most about vacation rental design is that you’re not just renovating a space, you’re creating an experience and guest journey. It’s really all about hospitality. Every decision must work on two levels: it has to feel special and memorable for the guests walking in, and it has to make sense as a business investment for the owner. Beautiful and functional, emotional and practical, both, always.

There’s a real science to it. It’s the design, yes, but it’s also the feeling a guest gets from the moment they find the listing, to checking in, to that last morning before they leave. We wanted every part of our space to tell a story and make people feel something.

As for the wow factor… you’ll have to be the judge of that and tune in to see if we pulled it off.

The DIY Takeaway: For the Vita Daily readers currently staring at their own “neglected” spaces at home, what is one professional secret or mindset shift you gained on the show that every DIYer should adopt before picking up a sledgehammer?

First and most important piece of advice, it’s a lot of work, so you should probably just hire us.

Jokes aside, if you’re about to pick up a sledgehammer, here’s what we’d tell you: start with a plan. Not a “rough idea” an actual plan. Know what you want the space to feel like before you touch a single wall, because decisions made on the fly almost always cost you more time and money than if you’d just slowed down at the start. Educate yourself on the real cost of materials and furniture before you fall in love with something you saw on Pinterest. Budgets have feelings too, and they will humble you fast. Respect the tools. They are not toys… Thomas cannot stress this enough as a Red Seal carpenter, and we’re choosing not to elaborate on why.

But MOST IMPORTANT of all… If you’re going to do anything, measure twice and cut once.