All Episodes Talk: French Country in Texas?

[BckpckFullaNinjas]

On 12/20/2017 at 0:55 PM, camom said:

wondered that same thing.  I certainly hope that somehow there was a laundry room and not just a stackable washer/dryer stuck in a closet.

I’m smiling because I remember when houses were high-tone if they had provisions for a washer - and later, for a dryer!  You had *arrived,* baby!!

For a while, my family’s W/D was in a corner of the kitchen. No door! Just there. Mom didn’t run them during meals. We folded clothes on the kitchen table and she set up her ironing board in the kitchen, too. 

I’m not calling for any good ole days, just remembering when lack of a Laundry room wouldn’t even save been a consideration. 

Edited December 23, 2017 by BckpckFullaNinjas

[txvoodoo]

On 12/17/2017 at 6:17 PM, aguabella said:

That's exactly what we'd expect to see, given TX' exploding population.  (The market bottomed around 2012 in all 3 locations, coincidentally when FixUpp was just gearing up / beginning.)

TX' population is currently the fastest growing state in the U.S.  As prices rise in the major cities, RE investors priced out of those markets have to place their $$$ somewhere.  Growth typically moves in concentric circles around population centers.  Given it's location within the state, Waco was bound to explode.

We bought our house in Fort Worth in 2012, at the very bottom of the cycle. We paid under $140k for 3000 sq ft - bigger than we needed, but well under our budget, and we each got our offices/craft rooms/wood-drying room etc. (It's just me and the hub).

Now, homes in our neighborhood with same floor plan are going for $180-200k. The only reason they're not more is that half our square footage is in the (finished) basement. To me, that's a plus. It stays nice and cool in the summer, and makes cooling the whole house cheaper.  

First time in my life that I bought at the right time in a market, lol!

[GaT]

I wonder if that was actually Joanna's sister's furniture in the house, it looked different from what she usually uses.

[Gothish520]

50 minutes ago, GaT said:

I wonder if that was actually Joanna's sister's furniture in the house, it looked different from what she usually uses.

They kept saying she loved retro, so it was either her furniture or Joanna staged it to her taste. Overall, the house was definitely different from Joanna's usual, but there were touches that evoked her style while still staying within the retro vibe. It was interesting to see something different. 

I have to wonder though, what do the designers on these reno shows have against seats with cushions? The dining room chairs and counter stools are rarely padded - all I can think is how uncomfortable they must be.

[StrictTime]

On 1/3/2018 at 2:10 AM, Gothish520 said:

They kept saying she loved retro, so it was either her furniture or Joanna staged it to her taste. Overall, the house was definitely different from Joanna's usual, but there were touches that evoked her style while still staying within the retro vibe. It was interesting to see something different. 

I have to wonder though, what do the designers on these reno shows have against seats with cushions? The dining room chairs and counter stools are rarely padded - all I can think is how uncomfortable they must be.

My kitchen dining set has plain wooden seats.  Easier to keep clean when you have children.  The formal dining chairs have padded seats, but sorry to say the adults aren’t much better at keeping their grubby hands off them than kids lol!

[ByaNose]

10 hours ago, StrictTime said:

My kitchen dining set has plain wooden seats.  Easier to keep clean when you have children.  The formal dining chairs have padded seats, but sorry to say the adults aren’t much better at keeping their grubby hands off them than kids lol!

Yeah, neither my kitchen or dinning room chairs have cushions. I can’t recall even think twice about it or anyone complaining about it. I guess it’s a personal choice.

Edited January 6, 2018 by ByaNose

[Gothish520]

On 1/6/2018 at 0:02 AM, ByaNose said:

Yeah, neither my kitchen or dinning room chairs have cushions. I can’t recall even think twice about it or anyone complaining about it. I guess it’s a personal choice.

You're right, it must be a personal choice. When I was looking for counter height stools for our kitchen and a pub set for our den, I specifically searched for padded seats. The dining set I have now was given to us and it came with upholstered chairs, but the one we had before had hard seats and I bought cushions for them. Just my preference I guess, lol.

[Mu Shu]

On 12/20/2017 at 10:43 PM, chessiegal said:

Maybe we live in a safe neighborhood - we have sliders in our first floor master out to the back deck with screens. I never worry about security and sleep with the screen doors open in nice weather.

Wow.  The last time I had sliders, we stuck two broomsticks in the track and put a special alarm on it.  But it doesn’t matter, because you can shatter them so easily.  Lawn maintenance once blew a rock into the door with a blower, and it completely disintegrated.  I hate sliders. 

[seacliffsal]

I know that we have watched them fix up buildings/homes for their own enterprises (Silos, the B & B, etc.), but this just felt way too insidery to fix up a house for her sister.  I guess fulfilling their contractual obligations while rehabbing for their own personal gain/benefit doesn't raise any red flags for them.

[aguabella]

On 12/29/2017 at 7:23 PM, txvoodoo said:

We bought our house in Fort Worth in 2012, at the very bottom of the cycle. We paid under $140k for 3000 sq ft - bigger than we needed, but well under our budget, and we each got our offices/craft rooms/wood-drying room etc. (It's just me and the hub).

Now, homes in our neighborhood with same floor plan are going for $180-200k. The only reason they're not more is that half our square footage is in the (finished) basement. To me, that's a plus. It stays nice and cool in the summer, and makes cooling the whole house cheaper.  

First time in my life that I bought at the right time in a market, lol!

Congratulations, txvoodoo!  Just saw your post and so happy for you!  And, most importantly, even more than the $$$, you love your home!

You're exactly correct - the basement's a plus.  The market values it, too, even if it's not officially counted in your sq. footage.

Is it convenient being close to Dallas but not living there?  (I've done projects in DFW.)

Love hearing your story, take care.

[aguabella]

On 1/9/2018 at 2:26 PM, seacliffsal said:

I know that we have watched them fix up buildings/homes for their own enterprises (Silos, the B & B, etc.), but this just felt way too insidery to fix up a house for her sister.  I guess fulfilling their contractual obligations while rehabbing for their own personal gain/benefit doesn't raise any red flags for them.

Posted upthread about connections of the participants to the family, church, school etc.

It's their show so they must have final approval / veto power WRT show participants.  And, they were apparently upset that a few participants profited via AirBnb and/or other rental services.  Some may have improperly used the Magnolia name to advertise their properties.  Given that, doesn't surprise me that more participants appearing on the final season(s) have closer connections to the family.

As mentioned on the other thread, her sister's the dil of the couple volunteering overseas.  Remember the adult children overseeing a FixUpp home for their missionary parents?  Season 1, right?

All in the family, lol!

 

About designers and chair cushions ...

My understanding is that designing for Tv is entirely unique, different than either straight id and/or staging.

So, Tv designers eliminate cushions b/c they clutter up a shot.  Am told they give the eye too many places to land.

Edited January 14, 2018 by aguabella

[MoreCoffeePlease]

I loved the kitchen in the episode with the widow who is moving to Waco to be near her grown children. Those big French-country-looking tiles ... gorgeous! Normally I'm not a fan of open shelving, but the way Joanna did the shelves with the custom range hood was cool.  Master bath tile was nice as well.

Not so sure about the laundry set-up,  however. I need a regular, dedicated laundry room.

[ByaNose]

Boy! That was fast. The widowed lady with the grown children is selling her Fixer Upper. I think her episode just aired 2 weeks ago or so:

 

http://people.com/home/fixer-upper-widow-lists-her-house-for-349k-after-finding-happily-ever-after-with-new-husband/

[GaT]

On 1/16/2018 at 7:36 AM, ByaNose said:

Boy! That was fast. The widowed lady with the grown children is selling her Fixer Upper. I think her episode just aired 2 weeks ago or so:

 

http://people.com/home/fixer-upper-widow-lists-her-house-for-349k-after-finding-happily-ever-after-with-new-husband/

He proposed on the first date & she said YES???????

[copshop]

Last night's episode crystallized what I love so much about this show--three entirely reasonably priced and modest homes, all shown to have potential. I know a lot of people are annoyed by Chip and Jo, but they have done more to highlight the potential of old homes (especially ranch style homes) than anyone else.

I had to laugh when she mentioned not being cheesy when highlighting a hobby--while shopping at the antique market. All I could think if was fake ginormous clocks. Other than those silly clocks, I think they both do really quality work.

[Eeksquire]

Quote

He proposed on the first date & she said YES???????

I'm glad it wasn't just me that had that reaction! If someone did that to me, I'd be putting the house on the market to get as far away as possible from that dude!

[GaT]

25 minutes ago, Eeksquire said:

I'm glad it wasn't just me that had that reaction! If someone did that to me, I'd be putting the house on the market to get as far away as possible from that dude!

I wonder if she's a Fundamentalist like Chip & Joanna, maybe that's the connection.

[ByaNose]

2 hours ago, GaT said:

He proposed on the first date & she said YES???????

Why date when you can just get married. LOL!!! She seemed like a really nice lady with nice sons. That said, I don't know any of these people. So, what do I know?! LOL!!!!!

[aguabella]

On 1/16/2018 at 7:36 AM, ByaNose said:

Boy! That was fast. The widowed lady with the grown children is selling her Fixer Upper. I think her episode just aired 2 weeks ago or so:

 

http://people.com/home/fixer-upper-widow-lists-her-house-for-349k-after-finding-happily-ever-after-with-new-husband/

Interesting ... thanks for posting the article, ByaNose.  Looking forward to reading it after viewing the episode.  (Time to clear out the dvr!)  Curious to see if my reactions approximate real life, even remotely, lol.

Edited January 18, 2018 by aguabella

[MrPissyPuppy]

21 hours ago, GaT said:

He proposed on the first date & she said YES???????

The article calls him their former pastor, so it wasn't like a first meeting.   But still ... yeah.  

That was sure a tiny sitting area in the living room/den that they did last night for the opera singer family.   Very awkward layout with the fireplace in the corner by the french doors - not sure where a tv would go, but perhaps they're not a tv watching family.  

Edited January 18, 2018 by MrPissyPuppy

[Finagler]

I don't know.  My dad proposed to my mom on their first date- 1 Aug.  It took him another 30 days to get her to the altar.  They were married on 31 Aug and were married for 32 years before he died from rectal cancer.  Mom never remarried.  So I can see it happening.  Dad used to tell us stories about how it took him and my mom's mom to talk her into the wedding.  Apparently g-ma loved my dad.  They used to sit at the table drink, play cards and pinochle.

So you can never tell what happens.  When it's right, it's right.  Time doesn't matter.

[Mu Shu]

Patty Baker.  Patty Baker.  Patty Baker.  Are we supposed to know who she is?  I don’t recall them constantly referring to a client by both names before.  

[MrPissyPuppy]

16 hours ago, Mu Shu said:

Patty Baker.  Patty Baker.  Patty Baker.  Are we supposed to know who she is?  I don’t recall them constantly referring to a client by both names before.  

 Maybe they were hungry!   It is a name that sounds like it belonged to the best friend on a 1950s tv show and rolls off the tongue easily. 

[Frost]

I loved the redo on the 'cabin in the woods' for Jake.  Nice Dad to cough up all that money to redo something that wasn't in bad shape for a 21 year old to live in to begin with!  Although I must confess I have an unreasonable dislike of anyone named Jimmy Don.

The place looked just perfect for a bachelor pad.  Jo cracked me up when she showed off the refrigerator that no doubt will be filled with soda!  Again, nice to have parents that will fund that kind of thing.  I'm assuming any resale is out of the question.  It's in the middle of their property, correct?

[GaT]

I liked the little cabin redo, it came out very nice, & I wish my parents had given me a little cabin when I turned 21. The only thing I didn't like was turning the upstairs bathroom into a laundry room/closet. If he has to go to the bathroom in the middle of the night, he has to go downstairs & what if he has a date stay over? They're going to have to get up in a strange house, go down the staircase, & find the bathroom. Not a good design IMO.

[ButterQueen]

On 1/16/2018 at 10:36 AM, ByaNose said:

Boy! That was fast. The widowed lady with the grown children is selling her Fixer Upper. I think her episode just aired 2 weeks ago or so:

 

http://people.com/home/fixer-upper-widow-lists-her-house-for-349k-after-finding-happily-ever-after-with-new-husband/

Wow, that sorta kills all the tears she's shedding over her new house.  I'm just now watching.  

Her weepy "oh my gosh  and oh my words" drove me nuts.

Edited January 24, 2018 by ButterQueen

[MrPissyPuppy]

Overall I liked the cabin redo, but the stairs right up against the windows with no railing on that side makes me nervous.   I'd also prefer a full or half bath off the master bedroom.  

[CruiseDiva]

Jimmy Don seemed more thrilled with the idea of the cabin reno than his son, although the son seemed a bit more animated during the reveal. The whole thing had a strange vibe to it.

[Mu Shu]

On 1/24/2018 at 1:26 PM, ButterQueen said:

Wow, that sorta kills all the tears she's shedding over her new house.  I'm just now watching.  

Her weepy "oh my gosh  and oh my words" drove me nuts.

You didn’t think Pattycake Bakerman was the cutest?  Ugh, that episode sucked.  All the new ones suck.  The well is dry. 

[GaT]

19 hours ago, CruiseDiva said:

Jimmy Don seemed more thrilled with the idea of the cabin reno than his son, although the son seemed a bit more animated during the reveal. The whole thing had a strange vibe to it.

I think that's because Jr realized that he was going to be responsible for his own cooking, cleaning & laundry now, there's probably a reason he still lives at home.

[fetching]

The Jimmy Don house was weird. She put in all these windows and then pointed every possible view away from them. So laying in bed he could see his closet. Or sitting on the couch he could see the kitchen. Weird. Also, while you're redoing the entire roof, throw in some skylights. 

[SunnyBeBe]

I was just curious about something. (I couldn't find it addressed upthread.)  Why would you paint a houseboat black?  Recall their houseboat renovation?  This single dad and his kids were going to live on it.  lol Really.  I just couldn't imagine how a black boat in summer wouldn't be incredibly hot.  I actually thought it looked better painted white.  Photos on this link:

https://www.coastalliving.com/homes/decorating/fixer-upper-houseboat-makeover

I wonder about this no matter when I see a house painted black.  There's one near my office and I just don't get it.  

Edited January 27, 2018 by SunnyBeBe

[camom]

So Patti Baker is now Patti Finfrock.  Her FU house was cute. It would be hard to leave it. 

[aguabella]

On 1/25/2018 at 11:01 AM, Mu Shu said:

You didn’t think Pattycake Bakerman was the cutest?  Ugh, that episode sucked.  All the new ones suck.  The well is dry. 

Anyone know why Miss Patty scored a People exclusive?  The cheesy love story?  Assuming they did another season or begin a TLC show, do all Waco FixUpp homeowners shoot a magazine spread?  That's news, now?

Ok, forgive me, everyone, but did anyone else wonder if they'll feature Patty on their spinoff, "Hot for Preacher"?  (Sorry, someone had to go there, lol!)  If I were one of her sons, don't know how I'd feel about the (apparent) lusting after this gentleman while my father was alive.

Her new h's claim to fame is his support for blue laws in his TX town, population approx 9,000, IIRC.  (Blue laws still exist in the U.S. ???)

Sorry, not going there.  Everyone's welcome to their own political view in the U.S.

ETA:  Perfect analogy, Mu Shu.  That well is bone dry ...

Edited January 27, 2018 by aguabella

[aguabella]

19 hours ago, fetching said:

The Jimmy Don house was weird. She put in all these windows and then pointed every possible view away from them. So laying in bed he could see his closet. Or sitting on the couch he could see the kitchen. Weird. Also, while you're redoing the entire roof, throw in some skylights. 

Noticed that, too.  Design-wise, the bed was backwards.  Then, on top of that, she cut off the view with that metalwork!

Yes, indeed, his dates will be super comfortable with the open, loft bedroom, lack of adjacent bath, no window treatments, parents outside, lol ...

Besides the bathroom fiasco, why not install a standard, although smaller, kitchen?  My understanding is that RV appliances are very expensive. 

Not subdivided (apparently) so Jimmy retains ownership, I assume.  Felt penny-wise but pound foolish ...  Someone might want to unload that place, eventually.

For now, they can expect a large window treatment bill, for sure!

[ButterQueen]

On 3/30/2017 at 2:23 PM, GaT said:

I just watched the Behind the Design show about the shack. It was interesting, but at one point (before they asked for the additional bedroom) they showed the plans of the house, & there were only 2 bathrooms. One in the master suite, & one for the kids. That is not enough bathrooms for 4 people, & what if they have company? Anyone who wants to use the bathroom is going to have to go through somebody's bedroom. I hope they added more bathrooms, because with the addition of two more kids, they are going to need it.

I grew up in a family of 5 with one bathroom.  It was never a problem.

[ButterQueen]

On 12/13/2017 at 3:22 PM, Mu Shu said:

Every.Single.Night.  This is on every damn day, for hours!  Damnit, when I get home from work I want at least one hour of non FU programming.  Enough already.   Always sweaty , juvenile Chip all goober looking and saying “Sure” to everything.  

Annoying!

He's the reason I don't enjoy the show.  With his greasy hair, I hope he stays out of his restaurant kitchen.

I too wish HGTV would have a show on decorating and the best placement of furniture.

[CruiseDiva]

On 1/27/2018 at 8:10 PM, ButterQueen said:

I grew up in a family of 5 with one bathroom.  It was never a problem.

There were six of us. Three bedrooms--I shared with my youngest brother--and one small bathroom. No shower; just a tub. Then my father got a new job and we moved to another state where we lived in a rental with two bedrooms--parents slept on a hide-a-bed in the living room--and one very small bathroom. We managed.

[dbell1]

Just watched the Jimmy Don episode, and then the new one with the family with 2 boys in wheelchairs. I cried. The Make a Wish backyard where they could play? I cried. The bedrooms where they could do their mobility exercises? I cried. For once I didn't even mind Tim Tebow. I'm mushy. It'll pass, but seeing how so many people came together to help the family out was really sweet. 

[camom]

Chip and Jo obviously had ADA specialists helping them design that house; good for them.  It looks like it will work well for the family.  And that backyard was amazing for the boys.  Tim Tebow's foundation and Make a Wish do a lot of good for a lot of people.  Nice to see some of the work in action.

Chip and Duke were cute together.  It's rare to see Chip or Jo with just one of the kids, and those two obviously have a good relationship.

[GaT]

I wonder if they actually took back the furniture & decorations in the ADA house.

[fetching]

On 1/27/2018 at 4:23 PM, aguabella said:

 

Not subdivided (apparently) so Jimmy retains ownership, I assume.  Felt penny-wise but pound foolish ...  Someone might want to unload that place, eventually.

 

Wanna bet when Jr leaves, they'll Airbnb it?

[CruiseDiva]

On 1/17/2018 at 3:39 PM, ByaNose said:

Why date when you can just get married. LOL!!! She seemed like a really nice lady with nice sons. That said, I don't know any of these people. So, what do I know?! LOL!!!!!

I wonder what Patty Baker did with the custom ceramic dinnerware that JoJo had made for her with her name on them. LOL!

[aguabella]

5 hours ago, fetching said:

Wanna bet when Jr leaves, they'll Airbnb it?

Definitely!  Seemed like JD was super involved in the renovation for that reason.  They never said he was deeding anything over!  (If it had been subdivided ...)

Kinda' surprised they talked about women visiting so much, lol.  Who else thinks they might need to look out the window for Jimmy Don with his binoculars, lol !!!

[saylubee]

22 hours ago, GaT said:

I wonder if they actually took back the furniture & decorations in the ADA house.

Probably not the specialty stuff, but I bet the couches/tchotchkes they took back.

Edited February 1, 2018 by saylubee

[Feline Queen]

I liked the episode with the Copp family. It was the first episode where the budget wasn't revealed. I did think the desks in the foyer and the sinks in the kitchen and boy's bathroom were still too high for them to reach comfortably.  If the family wanted to keep the house 'as is', I'm sure they could've raised the funds to buy the furniture and accessory pieces from Chip and Jo who probably let them have it at cost.   

[suebee12]

3 hours ago, Feline Goddess said:

I did think the desks in the foyer and the sinks in the kitchen and boy's bathroom were still too high for them to reach comfortably.

I thought the same thing when I watched the reveal and then wondered if they were planning on letting the boys "grow into the areas"? I found several interesting articles to go along with the show.

http://www.kwtx.com/content/news/Fixer-Upper-fans-pay-off-mortgage-for-local-couple-with-disabled-sons-472190853.html

https://magnoliamarket.com/design-tips-copp-house/

https://www.southernliving.com/news/tim-tebow-guest-star-fixer-upper

[MoreCoffeePlease]

The kitchen sink didn't seem "universal design" to me. (Granted they kept saying ADA-compliant, not universal design.)  Shouldn't it be open underneath to allow the wheelchair to fit under it?

Along the same lines, don't put all the chairs at the kitchen table. Aren't the boys just going to roll up to the table? 

LOVED the exterior transformation of that home.  Unbelievable. I've always liked how Joanna improves exteriors.

What was the deal with the lockers in the bathroom? I really didn't get that.  I do love the "I can and I will" sign though.  Reminds me of a speech that Gina Rodriguez gave when she won a Golden Globe for best actress (Jane the Virgin).

[Mu Shu]

On 1/27/2018 at 10:58 AM, SunnyBeBe said:

I was just curious about something. (I couldn't find it addressed upthread.)  Why would you paint a houseboat black?  Recall their houseboat renovation?  This single dad and his kids were going to live on it.  lol Really.  I just couldn't imagine how a black boat in summer wouldn't be incredibly hot.  I actually thought it looked better painted white.  Photos on this link:

https://www.coastalliving.com/homes/decorating/fixer-upper-houseboat-makeover

I wonder about this no matter when I see a house painted black.  There's one near my office and I just don't get it.  

Not only that, but they sided it in wood.  In far away olden times wood was the only choice for boats, but now we have materials that are far lighter in weight, easy to maintain, and impervious to the elements.  Just give him some easy maintenance damn vinyl siding Jo.  Use the money you saved to put a toilet and sink in the “master bedroom area”.  It also irked me that she wasted space on two upper level decks.   The kitchen was stupid for a boat. Too big.  

[Writing Wrongs]

I've been marathoning the 3 seasons they have on Hulu and have questions:

They only ever show them renovating the main rooms and the master bedroom and bath. What about the kids rooms or other rooms? I assume they do them too or do they just leave them for someone else?

If they have extra money to give them 3 options, why don't they use that when the inevitable problem with flooring, electrical or whatever comes up? Or is that from a separate fund?