Tiffany Brooks on the ‘Adventure’ of Designing Her Illinois Home — See the Dramatic Renovation! (Exclusive)

“Until now, I’ve never done a house tour,” the designer reveals in HGTV Magazine’s October issue

Tiffany Brooks is showing off her Illinois home for the first time ever!

Following a year of renovations, the Barbie Dreamhouse Challenge judge is finally ready to unveil her remodeled space in HGTV Magazine’s October issue — for which Brooks took on the role of guest editor.

Her reimagined abode marks a new beginning for the design star in more ways than one. For starters, she closed on the home “just four days after my divorce became final,” she pens in the magazine. Brooks also explains in her editor’s letter that the house symbolizes a special first for her.

“Until now, I’ve never done a house tour — not because I didn’t want to, but because between my work for HGTV and my design clients, I hadn’t had time to finish my own space. But over the past year, I’ve been making a new home my own,” she writes.

Related: Chip and Joanna Gaines Cover HGTV Magazine's Special' Fixer Upper' Issue: Get a First Look Inside

While the basement was converted into an apartment for her 20-year-old son Ayden, the renovation expert had free rein to design the rest of the home just for her (and her dog, Puff).

Referring to the renovation process as “an adventure in independence,” Tiffany says her new pad has “traditional bones” that inspired “lots of molding and crystal chandeliers.” She adds, “I also stayed true to my bold, contemporary style by choosing out-of-the-box colors and fun, graphic art.”

The first example of this can be seen in Brooks’ kitchen. To avoid an all-white space but still reflect a modern aesthetic, the designer went with a unique “icy blue” color palette. She added gold fixtures to the cabinetry and a center island with a quartz waterfall countertop to “elevate the room even more.”

Related: Chrissy Teigen Shows Off Her Stunning Newly-Renovated Kitchen: 'Work in Progress'

In the living room, the HGTV designer focused on molding and navy blue paint to outfit the walls. She put her Smart Home expertise to use when it came to choosing the rug, as it consists of tiles that can be taken out individually for easier cleaning. On the TV, artwork made by her fiancé, Danny Blvck, is displayed.

Brooks surprised herself when designing the primary bedroom, as she opted for neutrals instead of her go-to bold colors. She personalized the space even more with panels of hand-painted wallpaper placed behind her bed and a crystal chandelier that hangs from the ceiling.

An extra bedroom was transformed into the designer’s closet which features a center island and plenty of storage for her color-coordinated wardrobe.

Related: See Teddi Mellencamp's Stylish Walk-In Closet, Plus More Celebs' Hyper-Organized Homes

As for the exterior of her home, Brooks painted it “Tricorn Black” by Sherwin-Williams before moving in with her son. She played off the dark color when outfitting her deck, which ended up being more work than she had anticipated.

“The biggest undertaking has been rebuilding the deck from scratch,” Brooks explains, “the old one was near collapsing!”

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Once the structure was ready to go, she added a black-and-white rug, accent pillows and furniture to tie everything together.

Read the full article about Tiffany Brooks’ newly renovated home on hgtv.com and on newsstands Sept. 19.

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