W Network’s biggest competition s
eries yet, Game of Homes hosted by Emmy® nominated actor Cameron Mathison (All My Children, 54), follows four teams of two amateur home renovators as they compete for the prize of a lifetime – a house and a plot of land to put it on premieres Tuesday, March 17 at 10p.m. ET/PT on W Network.
Disa (Hjordis) Ottosdottir is originally from Reykjavik, Iceland and Russell Schaper-Kotter was born and raised in Vancouver. Putting the “U’R” in Quirky is Disa and Russell. They may look all business but these two are young, playful and full of idiosyncrasies. Recently engaged they are SO excited to begin their lives together.
Disa is a commercial designer who admits she can be too structured and too focused on the tiny details. That’s where Russell comes in! Loud, gregarious and full of gusto he has no problem telling Disa to start having fun! He’s the hard working muscle of the duo and will binge watch YouTube DIY Videos all night long if that’s what it takes to get the job done!
You can’t help but root for these two and you become emotionally invested in the pair from the very moment they introduce themselves and their Rhyme Time last names. It’s cuteness overload but without the sugar coma, proving that you can be sweet but still possess the drive to destroy the competition!
What attracted you to apply to be on Game of Homes?
It was honestly at the suggestion of one of Disa’s coworkers to apply. Supposedly we were the perfect couple for the job! I ended up pushing Disa to apply because I thought we might have a chance to get on with our combined skills. We have always wanted to take on a project together but hadn’t found the time to. This was the perfect opportunity!
How was living in the home while it was under renovation?
It was like camping! We slept on air mattresses, used flashlights and portable heaters. Haha, it was kind of eerie in the beginning, being in a very empty, dirty and smelly house that was scheduled for demolition.
What did you miss the most when you were on set for the month?
We definitely missed having some personal space. It can be quite exhausting having cameras and crew constantly around, in our faces, in our spaces. We barely had a minute to just breath. We also really missed our families. We are so close with our families and not being able to speak with them for weeks was really hard. It felt like forever when we finally got to see them!
What room did you enjoy renovating the most?
The kitchen, by far, was the most fun to renovate. We had a lot of limitations to work around so we really needed to tap into our creativity. Those limitations ended up driving our design decisions. We had the most inspired ideas and our creativity really shined through…we never thought late nights and lack of sleep could bring us such creative last minute ideas!
Which room was the most challenging?
The most challenging room was probably the bathroom. We had a very short amount of time to finish it and some large challenges along the way. We will never look at grouting tiles the same again….nor will we ever grout again! Another major challenge was our living room…we had to spend a full day reinforcing our ceiling as it nearly collapsed on Russell. A huge delay we didn’t expect.
What did you learn about home renovation while you were on the show?
Well, neither of us have ever done the actual hands on reno work before. So every part, excluding the design stage and painting, of the renovation was completely new to us. It was sometimes embarrassing to have the cameras on us while we were trying to figure out the most simple task like changing a drill bit! We also learned that you can do anything if you put your mind to it. Especially with a limited budget and time constraint. It truly inspires creativity. Would I renovate a house again, you bet! We’re hooked!
Have you done any home renovations since the show finished production?
Yes, we built a kitchen island and some great counter stools. We are currently in the process of building a wall mounted credenza for our living room…and then we’ll tackle our bedroom!
What would you tell someone considering applying for a renovation show?
Be ready for the curve balls. Be ready for the challenge and don’t be afraid to dive in head first. Being on a reality show is nothing you can prepare for. You just have to take it all in, make good choices, and hope for the best!
Social Media Handles
Website: corusent.com, greatpacifictv.com, Wnetwork.com
Twitter: @russrockvan, @Disa_O, @GameOfHomesTV, @w_network
Facebook: facebook.com/gameofhomes, facebook.com/wnetwork
YouTube: http://youtu.be/2I27ZUr6Kj4
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