Heavy A friendly toast
Two popular HGTV couples are in Los Angeles for work and play, taking part in design and renovation challenges for the network’s upcoming summer series, “Barbie Dreamhouse Challenge.”
On social media, Brian and Mika Kleinschmidt of “100 Day Dream Home,” and “Bargain Block” hosts Keith Bynum and Evan Thomas have shared glimpses of their trips to LA, including time spent together. Here’s what you need to know:
HGTV Couples Post Updates From Their Trip to Los Angeles
In partnership with the July live-action “Barbie” movie starring Ryan Gosling, Margot Robbie and Will Ferrell, HGTV announced on March 21 that 15 HGTV stars will appear in a special four-episode series, “Barbie Dreamhouse Challenge,” this summer. At the end of the competition, hosted by supermodel Ashley Graham, one “passionate Barbie fan” will have the chance to win a “once-in-a-lifetime stay” in the home.
According to Deadline, the HGTV stars are turning a house in Santa Clarita, California — about a 40 minute drive from Los Angeles — into a life-sized version of Barbie’s iconic, pink dreamhouse.
On April 4, 2023, Brian Kleinschmidt posted a selfie with Mika in his Instagram Stories, showing that they were on a Delta flight, likely traveling from their home in Tampa, Florida. He captioned the photo, “HEADING TO A PLAYDATE WITH BARBIE 💅.”
On the same day, Thomas posted on Instagram that he and Bynum — who live in Detroit — were also in California for the Barbie series. He shared two photos from a hike with Bynum and their dog, Belle.
He wrote, “We are back in LA for some #barbie action! We landed today and had a few hours to burn so we went for a beautiful hike at #elsmerecanyon! Belle even got to go and get some exercise 🐶❤️❤️. Great hike, highly recommend 👍.”
Several days later, on April 7, Bynum posted a series of photos from the California trip, including soaking up some sun poolside and images of the foursome having fun together.
He captioned the post, “Definitely enjoying the California sun!!! And getting to hang out with all our @hgtv buddies! @emuralit @mikamakesmoves @mrbreakinground.”
One person reminded him to wear sunscreen, to which Bynum replied, “evan hosed me down with spf 5k don’t worry!!”
When a friend commented that they should meet up, Bynum responded that they had the weekend off and would love to connect. When another friend offered to have them come visit Long Beach, Bynum replied, “may take you up on that! We got a few beach days comin up.”
That night, he posted a photo of Thomas in his Instagram Stories, sitting at a table at Black Market Liquor Bar in Studio City, which he called a “fun place!”
Meanwhile, Beverly Hills landscaper Matthew Lang — known as “The Plant Guy” — posted his own Instagram photo of himself with the “Bargain Block” hosts, implying that he may be helping with the “Barbie Dreamhouse Challenge.”
He wrote, “I had the honor to meet these two amazing HGTV stars Keith @keithbynum_ Evan @emuralit with their hit show @bargainblock … I can’t tell you what set we were on but you will find out some time in July… What an amazing experience… I can’t wait to work with you guys on a future project!!!”
Ty Pennington, Jonathan Knight, Christina Hall & Other HGTV Stars Will Compete in the ‘Barbie Dreamhouse Challenge’
With “Barbie Dreamhouse Challenge,” Deadline reported in January, HGTV hopes to repeat the enormous success it had with its 2019 limited series “A Very Brady Renovation.” During that limited series, HGTV personalities recreated the retro “Brady Bunch” set in a California house and had members of the iconic series help them along the way.
With the new show, likely to air leading up to the July 21 release of the “Barbie” movie, 15 HGTV personalities and one Food Network chef, Antonia Lofaso, will be paired up in teams, the network said, to “overhaul areas of the home with an era-specific style, such as an early 1960s atomic age kitchen, a ’70s disco vibe for Ken’s Den and a main bedroom decked out in ’80s glam.”
In addition to the Kleinschmidts and Thomas and Bynum, the other duos teaming up for competitions are:
- Egypt Sherrod and Mike Jackson from “Married to Real Estate”
- Jasmine Roth of “Help! I Wrecked My House” and Food Network’s Lofaso
- Ty Pennington, host of “Rock the Block,” and Alison Victoria of “Windy City Rehab”
- Jonathan Knight and Kristina Crestin of “Farmhouse Fixer”
- Christina Hall and James Bender of “Christina on the Coast”
- Michel Smith Boyd and Anthony Elle Williams from “Luxe for Less”
HGTV and Warner Bros. Pictures, which is behind the new “Barbie” movie, are both part of parent company Warner Bros. Discovery. The movie, directed by Greta Gerwig, has been in the works for several years and stars Robbie as Barbie and Gosling as Ken.