HGTV’s Ugliest House in America has named a season six winner: a row house in Upper Darby, Pennsylvania. During the season finale, the home full of artistic weirdness was awarded a $150,000 makeover by Rock the Block champion Alison Victoria.
The drastic before-and-after transformation features a brand-new kitchen and pink speakeasy with a unique hidden door—and we’re taking a closer look with exclusive photos and clips. Nicknamed the “Collage Barrage” and featured in episode three, the house was a “complete disasterpiece,” as series host Retta called it during the finale.
Here's a look at all the home's details, both before and after its incredible makeover.
Before:
Located just outside of Philadelphia, this house had previous owners who took heavy artistic license with their design choices. Throughout the space, mirrors and trinkets were embedded into the walls. In the kitchen stood a 42-square-foot laminated island showcasing money and coins. The nearby sunroom was darkened by cigar boxes adorning every inch of wall space. Not to mention, the foyer featured a janky powder room and separate sink—not exactly a warm welcome into the house.
The current owner, Justina, purchased the sizable property for $184,000, intending to eventually renovate the place. Luckily, her home was crowned the ugliest in the country, and she won that makeover.
After:
For the upgrade, Victoria boosted the home’s curb appeal by painting the exterior white with black trim. She upgraded the small outdoor space with a tall pergola and grill with a fridge for hosting.
Inside, Victoria created a proper foyer by removing the powder bathroom and sink. She installed patterned tile flooring and painted the drywall white to make the entry feel fresh. Beyond the foyer, Victoria whitewashed some of the brick walls and added a living area with seating anchored by an antique mantel. Nearby, she designed a dark, moody powder room. The functional space boasts a vanity made from the homeowner’s existing dresser, which Victoria had painted black, and Mona Lisa wallpaper.
To center the kitchen in the home, Victoria rejiggered the layout by swapping the former kitchen and living spaces. Since the homeowner loves all things pink, Victoria incorporated brand-new pink appliances—a range, hood, and refrigerator—into the kitchen. Warm wood cabinetry, a properly sized island, and fresh flooring complete the look. Victoria also made space for a walk-in pantry, enveloped in pink crane wallpaper. Nearby, a casual dining nook features a Murano glass chandelier for another charming, pink accent in the space. Watch the full kitchen reveal below:
Off the kitchen, Victoria created another hangout zone—but with a twist. On one wall of the room, there’s a hidden door. Victoria had a local maker build the door, which has a console table attached to it for true trickery. With the press of a button—framed to look like a sign that reads “press for pink”—the door opens to reveal a pink speakeasy where the home’s sad sunroom once existed. “That’s probably the greatest hidden door I’ve ever seen,” Victoria said of the door, which features shelving on the back of it for storing bar cart necessities.
The speakeasy is covered in pink flamingo wallpaper, has three pink hanging disco balls, and features pink terrazzo tile flooring that's perfect for both endless dance parties and easy cleaning. Victoria even had a custom 24-foot banquette made for the space. Of course, the piece was upholstered in pink fabric to drive home the theme. (See the full speakeasy reveal in the above video.)
In the less-glamorous category of the renovation, the home also had dangerous details that needed correcting. The kitchen, an add-on to the house, had a service cable inside of it that was originally on the home’s exterior. So, the electrical system needed to be rewired. Another egregious code violation was that the outdoor grill was somehow secured to the wall/roof of the house and only accessible via a window in the sunroom. Naturally, that had to go!
Now, the home is far from the ugliest house in the country. Although some parts of it, like the basement, still need serious design love, the main floor is truly a sight for sore eyes.