If you spent any time flipping through HGTV between 2016 and 2019, you definitely saw them. Leanne Ford, with her signature oversized hats and "white paint on everything" mantra, and her brother Steve, the contractor who somehow managed to look relaxed while tearing down structural walls. Restored by the Fords wasn't just another home renovation show. It was a vibe. It was Pittsburgh cool.
Most home shows feel like they’re filmed in a beige vacuum in suburban Texas or California. This was different. It felt like walking into a dimly lit, high-end thrift store where everything smelled like expensive cedar and fresh primer. But then, it just... stopped. Fans were left wondering if the siblings had a falling out, if the ratings cratered, or if Leanne simply ran out of shades of white paint to recommend.
The truth is a bit more nuanced than a simple cancellation.
The Aesthetic That Defined an Era
Leanne Ford basically became the patron saint of the "modern organic" look. Before her, everyone was obsessed with the farmhouse chic movement—think shiplap and "Live Laugh Love" signs. Leanne blew that up. She brought in floor-to-ceiling white, textured plaster, and "found objects" that actually looked cool instead of cluttered. Restored by the Fords succeeded because it didn't feel like a cookie-cutter renovation. Steve’s ability to execute Leanne's sometimes chaotic creative visions made for great TV.
They focused on old, weird houses in Pennsylvania. They weren't flipping mansions; they were saving drafty mid-century gems and Victorian cottages that had been butchered by 1980s DIY projects.
Honestly, the chemistry was the real sell. Most TV siblings feel forced, but Steve and Leanne actually seemed like they liked each other. They bickered like real people. Steve would look at a sketch Leanne drew on a napkin and basically say, "That's physically impossible," and then he’d go find a way to weld a steel beam to make it happen anyway. It felt authentic in a way Property Brothers sometimes doesn't.
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Why Restored by the Fords Rebranded
You might have noticed that the show didn't exactly die; it evolved. It’s a common move in the HGTV world. After two successful seasons of Restored by the Fords, the network shifted gears. They launched Home Again with the Fords in early 2021.
Why change the name?
It’s mostly about the narrative. "Restored" implies a very specific type of work—taking something old and bringing it back to life. "Home Again" allowed them to lean more into the emotional side of people moving back to their hometowns. It was a pivot toward the "slow living" movement that exploded during the pandemic. People weren't just looking for renovations; they were looking for a sense of place.
Leanne herself has been pretty vocal about the grueling pace of production. Making a TV show while running a design firm and raising a kid is a lot. She moved back to Pennsylvania from Los Angeles to find a slower pace, which ironically led to more filming. But the transition between shows allowed for a fresh start and a slightly different production style.
The "Leanne Ford White" Obsession
Let’s talk about the paint. If you search for Restored by the Fords, the top results are almost always people asking what white paint she uses. It’s a thing. A huge thing.
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She famously uses "Shoji White" and "Pure White" by Sherwin-Williams. She’s even done collaborations with Behr. Some critics argued that her style was one-note. "Oh, look, another white room," they’d say. But if you look closer at the episodes, it wasn't about the color; it was about the texture. She’d put white paint on brick, wood, stone, and plaster all in one room. It created a depth that most people can't pull off without it looking like a hospital wing.
Steve, on the other hand, was the king of the "creative solve." In one episode of Restored by the Fords, he had to figure out how to turn a giant, heavy salvaged door into a sliding partition without it falling and crushing someone. He wasn't just a guy with a hammer; he was an artist in his own right, often bringing in local Pittsburgh craftsmen to do custom metalwork or lighting.
Did the Show Get Cancelled?
Technically, no. But it is currently in a state of "on hiatus" or "legacy" status.
In the world of streaming, the lines get blurry. All the episodes of Restored by the Fords are currently living on Discovery+ and Max. They continue to pull in views because the design advice is surprisingly timeless. Unlike the "Tuscan Kitchen" trend of the early 2000s, the Ford aesthetic—natural wood, white walls, vintage furniture—has aged incredibly well.
Leanne has branched out significantly. She has a magazine (feel free to call it a "book-azine") called Feel Free. She has furniture lines with Crate & Barrel. She’s become a brand that exists far outside the confines of a 30-minute cable time slot. Steve has his own projects, too, including a massive renovation of an old warehouse into a personal home and event space.
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Realities of HGTV Fame
People think these shows pay for the renovations. They don't. The homeowners pay for the materials and the labor. The "magic" of Restored by the Fords was that the production company provided the design expertise and the "TV-ready" speed.
There’s always a catch with these shows, though. The timelines are insane. If a normal contractor says a kitchen will take three months, HGTV wants it in six weeks. That puts an incredible amount of stress on Steve’s crew. You could sometimes see the exhaustion in his eyes during the later episodes. That’s likely why the show hasn't returned in its original format. It’s an exhausting way to live.
What You Can Learn from the Ford Style
If you're looking to replicate the look of Restored by the Fords in your own house, you don't need a TV crew. You just need to be brave with a paintbrush and a sledgehammer.
- Don't over-finish everything. Leanne loves a bit of "soul." If a floor is scuffed, maybe don't sand it down to perfection. If a brick wall is a weird color, paint it white instead of tearing it out.
- Scale matters more than color. One giant, oversized pendant light looks better than six small recessed lights.
- Mix the eras. Don't buy a "set" of furniture. Buy a weird chair from the 70s and put it next to a modern sofa.
- Lighting is everything. Use warm bulbs. Always.
The legacy of the show isn't just about the houses they fixed. It’s about the fact that they made "weird" okay. They showed that you could live in a house that didn't look like everyone else's and it could still feel like home.
Bringing the Ford Aesthetic to Your Project
If you’re planning a renovation, start by stripping back. That was always the first step in Restored by the Fords. See what the house is trying to tell you before you start adding new stuff.
Check out Leanne’s curated collections if you want the specific look without the guesswork. She’s done the hard work of narrowing down the thousands of options to a few "curated" choices. And if you really miss the show, the reruns are basically a masterclass in interior photography and spatial awareness. Just don't blame me when you find yourself at the hardware store at 9:00 PM buying five gallons of "Extra White" primer.
Next Steps for Your Home:
- Audit your lighting: Replace any "daylight" or "cool white" LED bulbs with 2700K "warm white" bulbs to immediately get that moody Ford vibe.
- Texture over color: Instead of a bold accent wall, try a lime-wash or a heavy-texture plaster finish in a neutral tone to add depth without clutter.
- Source vintage first: Before hitting a big-box furniture store, check local estate sales for one "hero" piece of furniture that has actual history.