Luke Macfarlane’s Home Renovation Series Sets March Premiere on Hallmark+ (EXCLUSIVE)
Luke Macfarlane is trading out his actor hat for a hard hat in Hallmark+’s upcoming reality series, “Home Is Where the Heart Is.” The new series, on which he serves as both host and executive produce, will debut with two episodes on the streaming service on Thursday, March 20.
Though best known as an actor, Macfarlane has been a woodworker for many years. In each episode of the new reality show, he’s invited inside a family’s “once-glorious house that has either been inherited or holds special meaning to them, but is long overdue for some TLC.” Led by Macfarlane and designer Olivia Westbrooks, their team works to “seamlessly blend the past and the present, creating a beautiful family dream home that feels refreshed and welcoming, but maintains the heart, love, and charm that has been present inside its walls for decades. ”
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This isn’t like other home renovation shows, Macfarlane and creator and executive producer Jessica Sebastian-Dayeh tell Variety. First, because he’s not just another host.
“I’ve always been a builder and a maker, and woodworking is my sort of material, but a very articulate, well-dressed man telling you what’s good and bad is not something that I am interested in. I think we have a lot of wonderful examples on television of that,” Macfarlane says, referring to some of the other hosts on TV as “renovation drag performance.”
“I understand why it happens — making TV is hard and there’s not a lot of time,” he adds with a laugh. “To get really sweaty is not always the cutest thing, but I was committed to that, especially knowing that this was the space that I wanted to sort of introduce myself into.”
In the series, the actor is getting his hands dirty, quite literally, helping with each renovation and crafting a specific item out of wood for all of the six families. “The process of getting to know somebody by drawing them out is always so much deeper and so much more satisfying than the process of telling somebody what they should or shouldn’t know.”
“Home Is Where the Heart Is” stands out because it’s “emotionally driven,” Sebastian-Dayeh says.
“I would say it’s that unique piece of it that makes the format different, and really is the driving factor,” she explains. “I think what differentiates this one and makes it work for Hallmark is that key piece. We’re not just putting wallpaper up — that wallpaper has a certain significance. Maybe it was similar to the era of the house when their mother was living in it, which actually, as history nerds, which Luke and I both are, makes it more exciting. I think you’re kind of learning as you go.”
She’s hopeful that those watching will be inspired to think of ways to honor their own families inside the home. It’s something she’s had to think about a lot lately. Sebastian-Dayeh was one of thousands who lost their home in the L.A. wildfires. She still wanted to promote the show — especially now — Zooming in from a friend’s home.
“It made me realize so much about the experience of creating this show, and also the value of a home. It’s devastating, and it’s every day is very surreal. What it makes you think about is the emotional attachment to a house, the memories that you have in it, the story that it tells about you and your identity in that home,” she says. “It’s so emotional because your home really is where your heart is, because of the memories that are attached to it. With Luke, we created a series that was about helping people tell their stories through design, and I’m really proud of that. I’m really proud that we helped people in need and it’s about thinking about the things that are important in your life.”
While Macfarlane admits it was “definitely scary” dipping into the unscripted world, he’s grateful it was with Sebastian-Dayeh, and hopeful to do more in the future.
“It feels comfortable. I’m also interested in showing some of the other aspects of fine woodworking that I’m excited about,” he says. “I want to show people, more specifically, how things are actually built, because I think we’re entering into a time where people are really interested in how furniture is built and constructed, and understanding value.”
The series will launch with two episodes, followed by weekly releases afterward on Hallmark+. The finale will drop on April 17.
“Home is Where the Heart Is” is from Maven Creative Media with Nikki Ray Media as a production partner. Executive producers are Sebastian-Dayeh, Macfarlane, Mike Sheerin, Tanya Linto and Megan Bidner.
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