Jennifer Jason Leigh’s Surprise Home Reno for Soul Sister Nori

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Jennifer Jason Leigh has played many different characters on the big screen, but this week she’s coming over to Celebrity IOU to gift someone very special with a life-changing home reno. Jennifer’s mother hired Nori as a housekeeper while Jennifer was just in high school, but Nori has stayed a pillar in their lives ever since. She cared and cooked meals for Jennifer’s mother through hospice, and she and Jennifer have raised their families together.

Nori has seen three generations of Jennifer’s family grow, and she’s played a critical role in all of them. Likewise, so has Jennifer in Nori’s family. When Nori’s son Joshua was born, they were told he had just two days to live—but those two days turned into 26 beautiful years of life. Ever since Joshua passed away a few years ago, Jennifer’s been there to help her through that deep grief.

Nori takes such great pride in her home, and so many renovations done throughout the years were for Joshua’s needs. Jennifer wants to gift her with a renovation that will honor Joshua and their family while also prioritizing Nori’s needs and wants as she enters retirement. Jennifer says Nori has always been one to refuse gifts and favors. But Jennifer wants to show her how much she matters to her, and with Nori out of the house, she won’t be able to say no to this one-of-a-kind gift! “I’ve always wanted to give her the moon, and now I get to give her something that she can’t return,” jokes Jennifer.

Jennifer and Nori have been by each other’s side for over 40 years. Through it, they’ve seen it all—from Nori’s son beating the odds to Jennifer and Nori sharing big family meals together and being a rock for one another when times got hard. Now, Jennifer Jason Leigh is joining forces with the Bros on Celebrity IOU to surprise one of the hardest working and loving people she knows with a well-deserved, gorgeous home renovation that she can retire in comfortably.

Before and Afters

Smarter TV Space

Drew and Jonathan made use of the blank wall space here and installed built-ins to help give the wall some personality and function. Now, Nori has room to organize all her family games and memorabilia, with discreet closed storage underneath for cords and wires.

The Perfect Conversation Setup

Before, the living room was missing something. With such a large space, it’s easy for the room to feel incomplete without the right furniture. The Bros recommended carving out the center of it with more seating to better round out the area, and it instantly made the space feel cozier and more intimate.

Expanding the Area

The Bros expanded the unused back area to make a second seating and lounge zone. They made a couple comfortable chairs the focal point, and hung artwork to grab your eye from across the room. Creating a second vignette in the space makes the room look and feel more dynamic.

Widening the Window

Jennifer, Drew, and Jonathan widened the kitchen window to allow more light in the kitchen, and wow—it made all the difference! The natural light fills the space and makes the kitchen feel more open and airy. They moved the sink in front of the window so Nori could have a nice view of her garden while doing dishes or washing her vegetables.

Organized and Chic

By rearranging the layout of the kitchen cabinets and better utilizing the top and bottom cupboards for storage, Nori now has a more functional cooking space. The room wasn’t drastically rearranged, but the intuitive redesign made a huge impact!

Click here to see all of the items featured in this episode!

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