Nicole Curtis: The Rehab Addict

Nicole Curtis gives condemned houses a second chance on DIY Network's Rehab Addict — and she looks good doing it! Check out these photos of Nicole doing what she does best.

By: Jennifer Brake

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Nicole Curtis: A Rehab Addict

Nicole Curtis has a serious obsession with historic buildings and home renovation. As the host of DIY Network's Rehab Addict, Nicole returns crumbling houses to their former grandeur.

Large Undertakings

When the city wants to demolish historic homes, Nicole steps in to help make sure that they survive and, once improved, remain a vital part of the neighborhood.

Tough as Nails

Don't let the blonde locks and pretty face fool you. Nicole is genuinely hands-on when it comes to renovations, and she isn't afraid to put some muscle into it.

In the Driver's Seat

...or to operate heavy machinery.

Upcycling Extraordinaire

Nicole prides herself on being a master of salvage picking and repurposing. She uses creative, budget-friendly designs to breath new life into old items.

Jill of All Trades

In addition to her knowledge of interior design and contracting, Nicole is also a licensed realtor.

Behind the Scenes

Nicole recaps the struggles and results of a long home restoration for her viewers.

Splotched and Splattered

One of the first rules of rehabbing is to never wear clothes you don't want to get dirty to the job site. Paint clothes only!

New Heights

Sometimes renovating means working from the top down. Nicole starts her climb to the top of this 1880s home to inspect the condition of the roof.

Rough Roofing

This being the first roof she's ever worked on, Nicole found that roofing is much harder — and more fun — than it looks from ground level.

Battling High Winds

The high altitude meant high winds, making laying the new shingles and tar paper a bit of a challenge.

Visualizing the 'After'

Nicole envisions how beautiful the new roof will look against a freshly painted exterior when this rehab project is finished.

Light It Up

With her interior design background, Nicole knows how to decorate for the holidays while staying on budget.

Second-Chance Structures

Nicole makes these once-neglected houses inhabitable again by meeting city code regulations and avoiding the wrecking ball.

Balancing Act

Juggling multiple renovation projects and being a single mother can be stressful, but Nicole says she wouldn't have it any other way.

Detriot Native

Nicole rehabs houses all over Michigan, but she especially loves taking on projects in her hometown of Detroit.

Self-Taught Rehabber

Nicole actually taught herself how to renovate homes and to use nearly every tool in her toolbelt.

Self-Taught Craftsman

She also hand-builds items, like shelves and tables, to go in the restored homes once they're finished.

New Aesthetic

A fresh coat of paint will gave this dated room the facelift it needed while keeping the original quarter sawn oak features in tact.

Planning for Saint Paul

Nicole looks over some notes on location at her Summit Avenue project in Saint Paul.

Undercover Beauties

For whatever reason, the previous owners of this house decided to cover up gorgeous hardwood floors instead of show them off. Nicole rips up the old carpet padding so she can clean and refinish the original hardwoods.

Construction Zone

Hard hats are no joke. They're a necessity when doing structural rehab work on old houses.

Just Out of Reach

Tall ceilings make inspecting light fixtures a difficult task, but Nicole improvises to finds a way.

Wrecked Electrical

Most of the electrical work had been burned up in a fire in this old home. Nicole had to upgrade the entire system to get the house up to code.

Watchful Eye

While Nicole works, she also keeps an eye on the rest of the crew so the job gets done right and on time.

Finished Product

When the rough work is done, Nicole uses items she's salvaged from other houses and the salvage yard to stage the homes.

Hard Work Pays Off

It takes vision but, at the end of a long day, Nicole knows this house will be beautifully refreshed once the renovation is complete.

Some Serious Demo

In order to fix up a 1920s house in Detroit, Nicole and her crew had to demolish an arson-damaged house nextdoor that was too far gone to save. It was the first time Nicole had ever been involved in tearing down a house rather than fixing it up.

Curb Appeal

Landscaping can be as critical in a remodel as the improvements to the interior.

Ready for Paint

Sometimes all a room needs is a bit of new color, particularly in older homes that have original wood features.

Dark Quarters

This basement looked more like a dungeon before Nicole and her team got started on the renovations.

Rockin' Fireplace

Nicole used rocks from outside on the property to create a mosaic design around the fireplace.

The Garage Stays Too

Homes aren't the only structures Nicole saves. The city wanted her to tear down this decaying garage, but she decided to renovate it along with the house.

Garden Guru

Nicole plants some greenery around a restored home to add life and color to the landscape.

Scrap It

The aluminum encasing these windows was damaged and not in keeping with the historic look of the house. Nicole removed the pieces and sold them to a scrap yard, putting a little extra money in her reno budget.

Take Notes

The film crew catches Nicole as she records written documentation about the renovation. Watching Rehab Addict can give you great ideas for your own home renovations.

Unlikely Art

With the help of a chainsaw artist, Nicole transformed this dying tree into a distinctive and unique piece of yard art.

Final Touch

Nicole added her personal touch by carving a mushroom into the tree. And of course no masterpiece is complete without a signature from the artist.

Satisfaction for a Job Well Done

Each Rehab Addict project takes months to complete but, thanks to Nicole and her team, once-neglected historic houses ultimately become charming, stable homes that can be a source of pride for owners and their community.

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