Jessica Alba and Lizzy Mathis Talk with Danie B.
The hosts of 'Honest Renovations' sit down with Danie B. at V-103 in Atlanta.
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00:00It's V103, the ATL's number one for hip hop, R&B, and throwbacks.
00:07I'm Dannie B here with some very, very, very special guests.
00:11They're here to talk about the season two of their show that you can check out on Roku.
00:15It's called Honest Renovations.
00:17We have Jessica Alba here and Lizzie Mathis.
00:19How are y'all?
00:20We are great.
00:21We're good.
00:22So I checked out the show and I'm like, okay, this is like your typical like home renovation
00:29show where you're helping out these families.
00:32The first question that I had was, where do you find these families?
00:36Yeah, we do a big casting process.
00:40And it's actually, it's interesting.
00:43It's kind of an art because we want to find families that are relatable.
00:49Diversity is really important to us.
00:51We wanted to not only have, you know, the obvious ethnic diversity, but also just diversity
00:56in the types of families that we are showing.
01:00So we have a single mom with a baby.
01:02We have a family with seven kids, three are out of the house.
01:07We have another family that has four kids.
01:11And so just showing different ages and stages of families, going through different things.
01:16We have a family dealing with illness, another family dealing with loss, another one that
01:20has a child that has different needs.
01:23And so for us, it's diversity in every aspect of what that looks like.
01:29But we really strive, Dani, to not be typical.
01:31That's funny.
01:32So when you say like a typical home renovation show, it's like we thought about it.
01:36And when we think of typical, when we think of it, we thought about cookie cutter home
01:39renovation shows.
01:40You see the before, you see the after, you see a couple things in between.
01:44For us, the heart of our show is the families.
01:47So we want to be like different.
01:49We thought about how do we make a show that still gives the love of interior design and
01:54the love of, like you said, a home renovation show, but flip it on its head and make it
01:58more relatable, where people can really have takeaways that feel a little bit more special,
02:03you know what I mean, than just the house.
02:05Right, right, right.
02:06So here's a question, because the families, I watched some of the episodes, and the families
02:10that you guys are helping, they're, like you said, they're ordinary families.
02:14How do y'all pay for this?
02:16How do y'all get in the stuff with the new refrigerator and the new couches?
02:20How does that happen?
02:21We have a lot of amazing partners and partners and sponsors to bring it to life.
02:26But we do only have one budget.
02:28We have one master budget to work with.
02:30And we have to split it up between all the houses.
02:33All six.
02:34It all kind of depends on what house needs what, what we're able to do in every house,
02:39you know, but we can't do the everything in every house.
02:42Right.
02:43So that's where it gets selective.
02:44We have to choose two to three rooms per house.
02:47And then different levels of renovation.
02:49You know, you have to do a ton of like plumbing and moving walls and things.
02:53And you can't do that with every house, right?
02:55You have to pick and choose.
02:57Got you, got you.
02:58So when it comes to the families, I feel like the stories are so beautiful.
03:03I saw the show where you had the family that had, what was it, four kids under the age
03:09of six.
03:10How did you guys start doing this?
03:12Because, you know, home renovation and acting and modeling, that is so different.
03:19So how did you even start?
03:20How did this idea even formulate?
03:22Like where did this come from?
03:24Well, Jess and I have been friends for a long time, you know, and one thing that we always
03:29said when we first met was that we wanted to do something together.
03:32We didn't know what it was going to be, but we wanted to do something together because
03:35we always have fun together.
03:36And we were like, we have to do something where we can have a job and have fun because
03:41that's the ultimate goal, right?
03:43And then during the pandemic, we leaned in.
03:46We leaned into home design and content and we created like a little like studio, which
03:52was one of her first houses.
03:54We redid that.
03:55We redid her parents' home.
03:57So we kind of went and we renovated a couple of spaces and we enjoyed the process.
04:01Yeah.
04:02And we put it on YouTube.
04:03So we're dropping my parents' renovation now.
04:07Next week?
04:08Soon.
04:09Now.
04:10Next week.
04:11Tomorrow.
04:12Tomorrow.
04:13We're being told.
04:14It's coming.
04:15It's coming.
04:16Yay.
04:17We're going to drop it on our socials, on YouTube.
04:18But it took us two years to do.
04:20Yeah.
04:21That one was intense.
04:22That's a long time in our renovation process.
04:23Because it was like taking the house down to the studs, which is different than what
04:25we do with these families.
04:26With these families, we're choosing different spaces and we're doing different levels of
04:31remodeling, renovation, updating the space.
04:35So to answer your question, when we started doing that, we thought, how do we make this
04:38into a show?
04:39How do we include families?
04:41Got you.
04:42What's the hardest thing about doing the show?
04:45What would you say is the most challenging aspect of it?
04:47I think we always want to do more than we can because of budget and time.
04:51That's what I was going to say too.
04:52It's not just budget.
04:53It is also timing.
04:54What's the time limit?
04:55We moved them out of their house for like two and a half months.
04:57Yeah.
04:58Oh, wow.
05:00So they can't all be back in because we do all the reveals around the same time.
05:05And so there's a time that we got to move them out and bring them back in.
05:08And they don't want to be out of their house forever, nor do we want.
05:12And I think in season two, we understood that efficiency is super important on a show like
05:17this.
05:18And so all the lessons we learned from season one, we were able to bring in to season two.
05:23So I think that's a really good aspect to kind of point out is that these homes, it's
05:28two months because on the show, it looks like this.
05:30It's like, oh, they came back yesterday and everything was all put together and they knocked
05:34out the wall the day before.
05:35So it's a whole two month process.
05:36It takes time.
05:37And we're doing all the homes at one time.
05:38That's literally what I was going to ask.
05:39So we are figuring out before we walk into every house, we have a download.
05:43We're like, okay, this house we're doing kitchen, living room, bathroom, you know,
05:47it's like we have to map it out and remember because all at one time, you know, you're
05:52just everything.
05:53You can mix them up.
05:54Everything is happening.
05:55You don't want to mix anything up.
05:56Absolutely.
05:57Um, what is, I guess, what, what family, I guess, sticks out to you the most?
06:04Because I've already seen, I want to say like four episodes and you went in, no, because
06:09I got, you know, like when you start watching and then you're like, and then the way that
06:13y'all do this, it's so tricky the way that y'all do the first episode, I got so bad because
06:18I got to the end and I was like, what, they're going to show us how we do the house, like
06:22show us the reaction.
06:23Like, I want to see what they did.
06:24And then you go to the next episode.
06:25And I was like, Oh, I'm like, we wanted it to really be a binge worthy show.
06:36Yeah.
06:37We wanted you to sit down and be able to go run all the way through it, you know, because
06:42we wanted you to feel good and then we want you to kind of cry and then we want you to
06:45have some takeaways and we want you to feel inspired.
06:47And that's the type of show.
06:48We just want to make feel good content.
06:50So the fact that you've already watched four, we have done our job, we have done our job.
06:54It's definitely binge worthy, especially, like I said, the way you guys edit it, because
06:57it ends and it's like, well, what happened?
06:59And then you go to the next episode and that's where you get your payoffs.
07:02So I was like, Oh, yeah, I was literally about to be mad.
07:05I was like, I know this show does not end like this, I know it doesn't, I know they're
07:10not going to show us the house, I know that's not happening.
07:13So, but um, question, what is, have y'all ever had a family that didn't like what you
07:22guys, because I know that viral clip.
07:23I don't know if you guys have seen that viral clip that went viral.
07:26I think it was from the show Clean House years ago where the lady was like, no, I don't like
07:32this.
07:33I don't like this.
07:34I did not ask for that.
07:35Have y'all had anything like that where the family were like, was like, we usually have
07:39pretty positive reactions because we spend so much time with them and trying to get it
07:45right.
07:46Get it right.
07:47Yeah.
07:48So we, yeah, we actually asked them, what colors do you like?
07:52What don't you like?
07:53What is it?
07:54How do the colors that you don't like make you feel and how do the ones that you do like
07:58make you feel?
07:59And so we consider all those things.
08:01What aesthetic do you like?
08:02Some of them are like, I really like modern farmhouse and others are like, I hate modern
08:07farmhouse.
08:08I really like, you know, traditional kind of Spanish, you know, style or coastal or
08:13modern.
08:14And so depending on their aesthetic, every house is really tailored to the family.
08:19And I think that's another difference in our show.
08:21A lot of the renovation shows, it kind of has the same, I would say vibe and it's usually
08:29the interior designers preference.
08:31But for us, because we're not professional interior designers, we don't feel like we
08:35need to brand an aesthetic.
08:37We just want to meet the families where they are and give them what they love the most.
08:42Also we think it would be nuts if like three rooms look totally different to the rest of
08:47the house.
08:48And so we try to also.
08:49Or the same at every house.
08:50Like it's not, you know, it's not a cookie cutter, step and repeat, right?
08:54But I will say in full transparency, I do get very nervous before reveal day.
08:58Yeah, you never know.
08:59I mean, I get very nervous, palms sweaty, heart beating, palpating.
09:05That is your biggest fear.
09:07It is our biggest fear.
09:08For them to walk in and be like, uh uh.
09:09Especially because we spend so much time on it.
09:10Then it's their home.
09:11Yes.
09:12And we make sometimes bold choices like, you know, when you watch the reveals, like sometimes
09:17we pick a floor that is a bold choice or a wall color that is a bold choice.
09:22Or if we knock something down and we switch stuff up.
09:25Open things up.
09:26Are they going to like this?
09:27This new layout.
09:28So there's bold moves that is happening in this show.
09:31So I get, I get very nervous.
09:32I'm always like, okay, okay.
09:34Just say a little prayer.
09:35Hopefully we did good, you know, and we've had some good payoffs.
09:39Yeah.
09:40I'll say that.
09:41Thank goodness.
09:42That's dope.
09:43So one of the things that stood out to me because I'm not a first time home owner, but this
09:46is my first time in a home that's not like an apartment or like a townhouse.
09:51So literally just moved in in May and there are some like little things around the house.
09:56So what are like some, I guess maybe your top three, just DIY things that you can do
10:01to make your home feel a little bit more like home as opposed to this fortress that we're
10:07in with like all this space, like what are some things that you can suggest for people
10:12in that space?
10:14Indoor plants.
10:16It's major.
10:17It's such an upgrade to a space.
10:19It also cleans the air naturally.
10:22And it brings it like there's something that it does for your nervous system and it actually
10:25brings you peace.
10:28So indoor plants are, if you can keep them alive, there's a place actually called the
10:39sill.
10:40It's online.
10:41It's female founded.
10:43You can order plants that are like pretty foolproof, really low maintenance.
10:50Like a snake plant is amazing.
10:54Like you can't really mess up a snake plant.
10:58If you are allowed to paint in your space, I think painting is a game changer, you know,
11:03huge game because it just allows you to personalize the space, especially what you're talking
11:07about when it's not necessarily like you don't own it, but you still want to make it yours.
11:11You still want to feel good when you walk into it, personalize it as much as you can.
11:16One of those ways is painting, adding pictures and art to the wall.
11:20You walk into a space that you feel like is your art and your vibe and your pictures.
11:24You're always like, oh yeah, that makes me feel really good.
11:26You know what I mean?
11:27Like this is my home because it's you.
11:30It's a part of you.
11:31Right.
11:32So I would say stay away from big, bulky, dark furniture.
11:36If you can have lighter woods, it feels more airy.
11:40It feels more breezy.
11:41And I do recommend having places where you can put things away, not having everything
11:46out that you have.
11:48Organize.
11:49You know, organizing, putting things away, having a place for everything.
11:53That was a theme I saw in the show, like, okay, we have some storage for you.
11:57This is storage back here for you guys.
11:58You know why?
11:59Because when you talk about parents, there's never enough storage, period, dot dash, like
12:04kids and people.
12:05I have a 14 year old and it's like, where is all this stuff?
12:10And then they don't want to get rid of the stuff that they're so attached to stuff.
12:15Like, I'm like, what is this?
12:17It's like this eraser thing.
12:18And I'm like, he's like, well, I want to keep it because in third grade, I'm like, you found
12:22this eraser thing?
12:23Get rid of it.
12:24That's right.
12:25That's right.
12:26But that's why it's good to start young.
12:27Use like that.
12:28One thing that Jess and I always mention with like little toddlers or young kids is teach
12:33them to put things away, teach them to organize, teach them to declutter now.
12:36So when they get to 14, it doesn't feel as much of a, like a, like a big deal.
12:41They're used to doing it.
12:42They've been doing it for so long.
12:44They're like, okay, you know what?
12:45I'm done.
12:46I've outgrown this.
12:47So now I can give this away or now I can get rid of this.
12:50And if it's something that they really love, then you put it in a storage and call it a
12:53day.
12:54I got you.
12:55Well, give it to them when they go to college.
12:56This is you.
12:57This is you.
12:58Take that with you.
12:59This is what you wanted to keep.
13:00It's so funny you said that because my mom, I've lived away for the past 10 years.
13:04I'm originally from Atlanta.
13:05I've lived away.
13:06My mom, she literally gave me a box of stuff and she's like, this is all your stuff.
13:11I'm like, yo, but my room is still here.
13:13You just leave it in there.
13:14She was like, no, she gave me like, I have like barrels of like stuffed animals, like
13:20memory books.
13:21I'm like, yeah, like, that's right.
13:22What am I going to do with this?
13:23She's like, you have a house now.
13:24It's not my problem.
13:25Boxes showed up on my doorstep one day and I said, excuse me?
13:30She said, there you go, baby girl.
13:32This is what you wanted to keep.
13:33There you go.
13:34That's crazy.
13:36We just emptied all of our storage and literally my husband had like six bins, bins filled
13:43with random trophies from all this, like papers, his school papers from primary school, middle
13:52school.
13:53I was like, you are a hoarder.
13:54He calls me a hoarder.
13:55I'm like, why are you keeping all this stuff?
13:58It is nuts.
14:00Well, tell us when we can watch the show, how we can watch the show, etc.
14:03All right.
14:04So you can watch it on any Roku device or you can watch it on the Roku channel.com,
14:08but just go to Roku, find a Roku.
14:10You can watch it right now.
14:11Any future projects that we can look forward to since you guys have dabbled in other things,
14:16any future projects together that we can look forward to from you guys?
14:19Look, stay tuned.
14:20Yeah.
14:21She got a little twinkle right there.
14:22Something going on with Lizzie.
14:23She got a little twinkle.
14:24I have a movie on Netflix that you can watch.
14:28It's an action movie.
14:29Maybe I think it'll be appropriate for your son.
14:31You can watch it with your son for sure.
14:34It's called Trigger Warning.
14:35Wow.
14:36Oh, okay.
14:37Yeah.
14:38So it was the first movie I produced.
14:39This is the first show I produced.
14:40That was the first movie I produced.
14:41Oh, wow.
14:42How's that been for you?
14:43This is my second show, but this is my first unscripted show I produced.
14:45How's that been for you kind of getting into your production bag?
14:48It's awesome.
14:49I think after I founded a company, it was weird to be on a set and not be a boss.
14:57You're like, I'm used to telling people what to do, now tell me what to do.
15:00This doesn't feel right.
15:01It's also having editing control and having them show up.
15:04When we produced this show, we were able to literally have a say in every piece of it.
15:10I think that's a big deal.
15:11It is a big deal.
15:12I love that.
15:13It is hard to not do that.
15:14I love that.
15:15I love that.
15:16I love that people are going to be able to see you on movies and stuff again because
15:20I went to the new Deadpool movie and I was like, I wonder if...
15:24Because we saw one character from Fantastic Four in the new Deadpool movie.
15:27I can edit that.
15:28I wonder if this is something they're trying to do.
15:30They're trying to bring some things back out of nowhere.
15:33So that's cool that people are going to be able to see you in this space and in another space.
15:37So when does the show air again?
15:38Marrying all of your brands together, both of you.
15:40So this is awesome.
15:42Absolutely.
15:43Again, Lizzie Mathis, Jessica Alba, Honest Renovations.
15:46Definitely make sure you check it out.