Sisters Bring Rustic and Nautical Style to Renovation Resort Competition
For sisters Marcy and Melissa Mussari, a childhood filled with home renovations sparked a lifelong passion for design and transformation. Now, they are channeling that expertise into a high-stakes competition on Renovation Resort Season Three, airing on Home Network. The duo is part of a field of four contractor-designer teams vying to revive a neglected lakeside resort in the Kawarthas, turning it into an opulent waterfront escape.
Childhood Foundations in Renovation
Growing up in Niagara-on-the-Lake, the Mussari sisters were immersed in a world of constant home improvement. "Renovation was just a part of our childhood," Marcy recalls. "We were used to my dad renovating our kitchen, renovating our deck, redoing our bedrooms so our parents really let us get creative with things. I fell in love with design at a really young age." Her early experiences included fabric shopping, antiquing, and attending open houses with her mother, which led her to study interior decorating and run her own design company for over a decade.
Melissa, on the other hand, developed hands-on skills by assisting their father with renovations as soon as she could handle tools. "I loved comparing the before and after and knowing that what I did was such an accomplishment," she says. Today, she works for a Niagara-on-the-Lake company that builds custom luxury homes, ensuring every detail is flawless before homeowners take possession.
The Renovation Resort Challenge
Hosted by Scott McGillivray and Bryan Baeumler, Renovation Resort Season Three premiered on April 5, 2026. The competition spans eight weeks, with teams tasked with designing and renovating one of four waterfront cabins at the lakeside resort. The winning team will receive $100,000 and the coveted title of Renovation Resort champions. For Marcy and Melissa, this marks their first full-scale renovation collaboration, despite having worked together on smaller projects in the past.
The experience has been transformative for both sisters. Marcy notes a significant boost in her confidence and problem-solving abilities, while Melissa emphasizes the emotional support they provided each other during challenging moments. "There were lots of times when we were scared and nervous, but it was good to have someone like Marcy to pick you back up in those moments or for me to pick her up," Melissa explains. "It was good that we could lean on each other, help each other out and really bond."
Blending Rustic and Nautical Design Styles
Drawing inspiration from their Niagara-on-the-Lake upbringing, the sisters have developed a distinctive design aesthetic that blends rustic, traditional, and nautical elements. Melissa leans toward a more rustic approach, while Marcy favors traditional and nautical themes, often inspired by the Hamptons and Cape Cod. "We love natural finishes, lighter tones, neutral spaces like incorporating soft blues and the feeling of the nautical – not in a cheesy way but in a timeless, more appealing way," Marcy says.
They are particularly enthusiastic about incorporating natural materials and textures. Marcy highlights her current fascination with vertical wood paneling, especially white oak, which adds warmth to spaces like foyers or libraries. "I just love the warmth of the wood and incorporating linens and soft textures with it," she adds. The sisters also enjoy bringing the outdoors inside, using elements such as beach pebbles, sandalwood, and driftwood to create serene, inviting environments.
As the competition progresses, Marcy and Melissa are thrilled with how their styles have harmoniously merged. Their shared history and complementary skills position them as strong contenders in the quest to transform the lakeside resort into a luxurious retreat, showcasing the power of sibling collaboration in the world of high-stakes renovation.
