The most recent spherical of HGTV’s hit sequence “Rock the Block” will be offering essentially the most “insane” motion but, in line with host Ty Pennington, who has advised audience to organize for some never-before-seen antics as his staff—and a star-studded forged of would-be renovators—heads to Las Vegas.
With Pennington, 61, on the helm, Season 7 of the display will see all kinds of celebrities showcasing their renovation talents, with a number of showcasing unexpected abilities with the intention to end up themselves to be without equal Sin Town wild playing cards.
Past due wrestler Hulk Hogan‘s daughter, Brooke Hogan, former boy band big name Drew Lachey—brother of Netflix host Nick Lachey—Tremendous Bowl champion Vernon Davis, and “Southern Appeal” alum Chelsea Meissner will cross head-to-head within the seven-week pageant, which can see them each and every overhauling their very own “clean slate” house on a cul-de-sac within the Nevada locale.
Alternatively, the celebs are not going it on my own of their effort to end up they have got essentially the most renovation chops. Each and every superstar shall be paired with their very own HGTV mentor: Scott McGillivray of “Renovation Hotel Showdown,” Taniya Nayak of “Struggle at the Seaside,” Mina Starsiak Hawk of “Excellent Bones,” and Kim Wolfe of “Why the Heck Did I Purchase This Area?”
Talking to Realtor.com® forward of the display’s premiere on April 13, Pennington put his cash in this season being essentially the most intriguing but, revealing how the fame contestants considerably upped the ante via appearing off some unexpected design and renovation talents proper from the off.
Past elevating the stakes with their sudden talents, Pennington highlights the fame contestants’ willingness to exhibit an aspect of themselves they’ve in the past saved personal because the display’s actual ace within the hollow.
Particularly, he issues to the vulnerability Hogan, 37, delivered to the desk. For the closing 8 years, the previous singer has quietly made a residing as the landlord of a design company in Nashville, TN.
She used to be readying to make her go back to truth TV as a contestant in this display when she used to be upfront push back into the highlight following the dying of her well-known father in July 2025.
“Who knew Brooke Hogan can be—now not simplest so lovely within the sense it is hilarious—however then additionally undergo such an emotional curler coaster as a result of the loss she’s long gone via together with her dad, after which actually percentage what her lifestyles has been like together with her [show] spouse, Scott, on this complete design procedure,” displays Pennington.
“That actually presentations what this display is set, which is what I really like,” he provides. “This season, you actually noticed what it is like for any person to turn their unique self, like, ‘Glance, chances are you’ll know me as this, however I’m in reality this one who does greater than sing. I in reality renovate and design and [it’s] one thing I am very enthusiastic about.’”
Getting to grasp Season 7’s superstar contestants in a brand new gentle is one thing the seasoned HGTV execs needed to do temporarily.
Whilst some will have been conversant in their companions from afar, just one pair—Wolfe and Meissner—had authentic ties to one another earlier than the display. The inevitable studying curve, Pennington notes, is but one more reason this season sticks out.
“The rationale this actual season is so insane is since you’re operating with a stranger you will have by no means labored with earlier than,” explains Pennington.
“Any one who is ever needed to paintings with any person earlier than, whether or not or not it’s a partner or a pal, that is tough sufficient. However a stranger you will have simply met, even supposing they is also a star, you might be like, ‘Is that this gonna paintings?’ You might be form of observing those 4 other educate wrecks in design. It makes people who find themselves just right need to be nice.”
Including to the drive of operating with a stranger is the “compressed” timeline of the contest. Over the process simply seven weeks, groups are tasked with utterly overhauling their three-bedroom, four-bathroom, roughly 5,000 square-foot area the use of a beneficiant $275,000 finances.
Each and every week visitor judges together with Lisa Vanderpump and “Assets Brothers” Drew and Jonathan Scott will imagine the full design, creativity, and naturally, added worth to resolve a winner.
In a brand new twist, the workforce that comes out on peak each and every week may have the selection of $3,000 to place towards the following renovation problem or upload $1,000 to the general appraisal worth.
The up to date prize choice might be an important to the general result, as Pennington main points the variation between the appraised worth of the primary and 2d position properties in virtually each and every earlier season has been not up to $10,000.
As such, the real promoting worth of the single-story properties, which each and every have a beginning marketplace worth of $1.9 million earlier than the “Rock the Block” renovations, has turn out to be a contest in and of itself that Pennington and his castmates care very a lot about—in many ways much more so than the real display championship prize, which is having the workforce’s names cemented on a boulevard signal.
“Oh, God, sure,” Pennington admits. “As a result of I am buddies with all of the designers which were on those presentations, I am the primary one to get hit up, like, ‘Wager whose house offered first?’”
“From time to time it is spot directly to what the Realtors® voted on, and once in a while it is one area off, however it is all the time beautiful just about what precisely the realtors judged on,” he provides.
“In an actual property marketplace, the individuals who are living in the market are gonna know what kitchen structure is gonna promote higher, which facilities, which issues within the yard are gonna promote extra. There is a lot that is going into ensuring you installed what’s going to carry that worth.”
With the contest happening in a sprawling desolate tract group in north Las Vegas, contestants had abundant room to include over-the-top added facilities akin to RV garages, personal courtyards, and multigenerational suites, and so they had been granted complete permission to play with the glamorous, attractive, and dramatic design aesthetic Sin Town is understood for.
“The visible stimulation and inspiration that those groups were given from being there actually confirmed up within the rooms and it is simply superior,” experiences Pennington.
“With Vegas, it is metallics. It’s the rest glossy,” he describes. “That may be an vintage brass or it can be a daring replicate. Vegas is set texture. It might be fur. It might be checkerboard. There is such a lot of other subject matters and designs in Vegas.
“Let’s now not overlook Liberace! I imply, it’s good to cross manner excessive, you already know? And I believe that is what it is about. You have got this tremendous swank, fashionable front room vibe that it’s good to cross with, however it’s good to additionally cross tremendous vintage—the whole thing from Cosmopolitan to Caesar’s Palace is conceivable. I believe as a result of Vegas is such an awesome palate, it’s additionally an awesome display.”
Whichever Vegas-inspired decor vibe the contestants rolled the cube with, Pennington says the groups who involved in their house’s first influence performed their playing cards proper.
“I’m a large fan of wow them once they stroll within the entrance door,” he explains. “Any one who is a possible purchaser, no matter they see once they stroll within the entrance door goes to resolve, in truth, I believe it is 75% of the sale.
“In the event you get a sense via strolling within the door, whether or not it is the lobby, whether or not it is the lounge, or whether or not it is you seeing the kitchen to the best, this is going to resolve whether or not you are going again to peer it once more or if it’ll peak the closing position you simply noticed.
“That is what this display does. It’s that wow issue of whilst you stroll right into a room that may in an instant inform you, ‘Oh, this one’s gonna win.’ Till you notice the following room. After which you might be like, ‘Oh my god, that one’s gonna win.’”
Pennington himself has implemented the recommendation to incorporate a wow issue at one among his private properties. Whilst the added function at his Savannah, GA house isn’t situated close to its entrance door, it’s simply as welcoming.
“We constructed this 9-foot pool out of doors that, in Savannah, which is tremendous sizzling and [then] chilly within the iciness, it is so key,” he says. “We had just a bit tiled house earlier than and we had been like, ‘ what this wishes?’
“From time to time simply spending the cash on one thing small like that may alternate the texture of the entire position,” he provides. “Now there may be this nice little carriage condominium proper subsequent to a 9-foot pool, which adjustments the entire vibe. It seems like you might be in Europe. I believe it is the ones issues [that] you might be like, ‘What can I do for $10,000 that is going to actually make stronger the price of this house?’”
It sort of feels the most productive odds of hitting a jackpot within the renovation global, in line with Pennington, is having a bet at the area. Because the announcing is going, the home all the time wins.
Season 7 of “Rock the Block” premieres Monday, April 13 at 8 p.m. on HGTV.
