Despite such cinematic cautionary tales as Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House (1948) and The Money Pit (1986), Hollywood legends, captains of industry, and the rest of us still fantasize about breathing life into broken-down old properties. To investigate the realities of the wearisome and even, on occasion, uniquely gratifying process, the Inquisitive Guest asked celebrities and socials about restoration projects they had survived, and about the things they found—some treasures, others just junk—in their homes and in themselves during the process. Commence operation renovation!

Click here to see the slide show of Julianne Moore, Tom Hanks, and others sharing their restoration woes and triumphs.