HGTV Kristina Crestin and Jonathan Knight star in HGTV’s “Farmhouse Fixer.”
Jonathan Knight is no longer the “New Kid” on HGTV. He and designer Kristina Crestin are back with new episodes of “Farmhouse Fixer.” They spoke with Heavy ahead of the premiere, teasing an even better season 2.
“It is so amazing,” the New Kids on the Block star said. “I mean, season 1 was amazing. Season 2 is twice the fun. You know, we got to do a lot more houses this season. You know, me and Kristina just built our TV rapport a lot better.”
“Farmhouse Fixer,” which debuted in March 2021, follows Knight and his longtime friend as they revive “centuries-old New England farmhouses.” According to HGTV, this season, the duo will “renovate old properties into exquisite modern homes, all while keeping the original charm.”
Season 2 Will Feature a ‘Variety’ of Projects
This season will feature “so much variety,” Crestin told heavy. As she explained, “It’s kind of interesting that like these are all old homes that people, for some reason we appeal to them so they apply, but that we end up with just such a difference of projects.”
Knight could not pick a season favorite, declaring, “They’re all standouts. They’re all amazing.” But, according to Crestin, the real “knock-out” this season hits close to home.
“One of the projects is a family house Jon was working on for his family that he actually moved down the street,” she told Heavy. “And to me, it’s like the knock-out design project because it was like more risks taken and just everything about it is totally beautiful and practical.”
She quipped, “There was a big fight at the reveal with Jon’s family, like who wanted to move in. And everybody raised their hand, including me.”
Crestin & Knight Found Their ‘Groove’
Crestin and Knight were just finding their “groove” when production on season 1 ended.
“Season 1, you don’t know how professionally you need to be or you’re learning, like, what the TV show wants,” Crestin told Heavy. She added, “So this season with a lot more houses, being way busier, more filming, more geography, you know, certainly made things a challenge. But I think that we have so much fun this year and I think that’s going to translate on TV because we really realized like, ‘Great, let’s just be us. Let’s let people see our playfulness. Let’s let people see everything.’ And that made like, that made all the difference.”
As the pair explained, they also came into the second season more knowledgeable about construction schedules. Crestin said they learned to question the timelines for projects and how that translates to television production.
“I think the benefit of season 1 was learning to be like, ‘No, we really need to push back on some of these. We need way more weeks to do these,’” the designer added. “So I think timeline was a good learning process and educating homeowners to just how long they’re going to be out of their house and giving them those expectations.”
Knight Admits to Butting Heads When He Cannot See the Vision
Before starting her firm Kristina Crestin Design in 2009, Crestin worked with Knight on his home and became fast friends.
“I fell in love with Kristina the first day I met her because her style is just impeccable,” Knight told Heavy.
Despite their history, he admits, “I headbutt a little bit on maybe one or two things. I’m just like, ‘Ew, like, I can’t picture that.’”
But, Crestin says their partnership comes in handy during these moments. “You just work through the pros, cons of each and what the ideal outcome is, and then we usually end up with a solution. So, there really isn’t many things that we disagree on.”
In the end, Knight says, “All right, you know what? I trust you, do it.’ And then I walk in the room and I’m just like, ‘Wow, you were right.’”
Season 2 of “Farmhouse Fixer” premieres Wednesday, August 24, 2022, at 9 p.m. Eastern and Pacific times on HGTV. The episode will also be available to stream on discovery+.