Mother-Daughter Duo Faces Off with Builder in My Reno Rules Season Premiere
Tensions ran high for the mother and daughter team of Emma and Michelle during the highly anticipated season premiere of My Reno Rules. The brand new Channel 7 series features four teams renovating two 1970s homes located in Bulleen, Melbourne, with the stunning results set to be given away in a massive viewer giveaway. Describing themselves as "Maltese terriers", Emma and Michelle brought their fiery passion to the building site, determined to maintain their luxurious style and stay true to their vision—even if it meant confronting their builder, Harley.
Budget Blowouts and Fiery Exchanges
In an exclusive interview, Emma, 33, firmly stated, "We aren't the villains." On the Tuesday night episode, the Queensland-based duo teamed up with fellow contestants Nathan and Julia from Victoria to divide rooms and budgets for renovating House 1. While Nathan and Julia took on the bathroom and bedroom, Emma and Michelle tackled the living room and an additional bedroom.
The situation escalated when builder Harley returned with a quote for their upscale design that far exceeded their allocated budget. Despite the on-screen clash, Emma emphasized that she and her mother excel under pressure. "We're strong European women, with strong opinions," she explained. "But we really made sure if there was a problem, we sorted it out by leaving the emotion out of it and focusing on finding a solution."
Strategic Negotiations and Family Bonds
True to their word, the pair scaled back their living room design and successfully negotiated with their teammates to secure extra funds. Emma runs an interior design, property development, and creative studio, while her mother Michelle, 56, works in the hair and beauty industry and has hands-on experience with multiple home builds over the years.
Emma expressed pride in their collaboration, saying, "I was really proud that mum and I did this together. When I was asked to come onto the show, my only thought was 'I would only do this with my mum'. She's my best friend and I knew we would do well together." To achieve their rustic look for a feature wall in the living room, they took on the painting themselves despite having no prior experience, working late into the night and testing their patience and relationship.
Thriving Under Pressure and Competition Dynamics
Emma noted, "We thrive under pressure and if there's a little tiff, it's over in five seconds. What mother and daughter doesn't have tiffs here and there?" Confident in their "rock solid" family foundation, she believes it will carry them through the competition. "I wasn't too worried," she added. "It was just heat of the moment stress."
Although Emma is an expert in design and property, she admitted that nothing could have prepared her for renovating under camera scrutiny with such tight deadlines. She also highlighted the need for strategy when working with Nathan and Julia, as they must balance competition for prize money with collaboration to ensure their house comes together seamlessly.
"I feel like it's all about the way that you deliver what you want to achieve," Emma said. "If you're yelling and screaming, that's a whole different ball game. I'm not one to yell and get aggressive, I want to come to a resolution without all of that. There were heated moments, sure, but I'm telling you right now, anyone else in our situation would probably have acted a whole lot worse. I'm very proud with how mum and I were. We aren't the villains."
No Regrets and Future Episodes
Emma stated she has "absolutely no regrets" about taking a risk on the feature wall, but the question remains: will this bold move pay off? My Reno Rules continues with new episodes airing on Wednesday at 7.30pm on Seven and 7plus, available for free streaming.
