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All Episodes Talk: French Country in Texas?


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My realtor neighbor says kitchens and bathrooms sell a place. Otoh, two floors up in my high-rise, a unit went for a ridiculously high amount without an updated anything. I chalk it up to two things: Someone really wanted to live in the building and (why?) its location.

I caught a couple of reruns---the Baylor chaplain and his wife (he kept that cowboy hat on the entire time) and another generic couple who got a big white kitchen and some clocks and big words on the wall. Iirc, they were at some antique/junk barn and Chip scored a  big pile of letters! I think Joanne makes it clear that she's staging the houses and that, except for the Cliff gift of the week, or anything the clients want to buy, the rest is going back to her store or to whatever place in Waco (?) she rents stuff from. And, of course, the Waco House of Clocks.

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Staying home sick for a few days, I finally saw the episode where they redo the "carriage house" next to their B&B.  It might have been cheaper just to tear the whole thing down and start new.  This was a perfect opportunity to show budget tradeoffs, but no, they just went with their same old formula.  At least that nice old couple will now have a giant wall clock in their lives.

I just saw this one too. But I missed the first ten minutes so I didn't understand what the deal was with the couple. I gathered they were going to run the B&B for Chip and Joanna but did they have to be talked into buying the carriage house to do it? Where were they living before? I also didn't understand what was going on with the two silos - it's part of their new furniture warehouse or something? Silos?

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I think "open plan" goes along with the current parenting style of never letting "babies" out of the parents' sight. 

That's certainly one the main reasons given whenever a home buyer expresses a desire for open concept: "I can keep an eye on the kids while I'm fixing dinner." Now, just imagine if you will: when I was growing up, while my mother was fixing dinner, I was in a completely different room, where she couldn't see me at all. It's a wonder I survived into adulthood!

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Also, the lack of window coverings, while it does look pretty, is totally unrealistic. 

Especially in the bathroom! In the carriage house episode they had an enormous master bath with a separate tub and a huge shower and a big old window through which the house next door was clearly visible. So you've got an audience watching you whenever you're in the bathroom.

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I just saw this one too. But I missed the first ten minutes so I didn't understand what the deal was with the couple. I gathered they were going to run the B&B for Chip and Joanna but did they have to be talked into buying the carriage house to do it?

They didn't have to buy the house - they were just living there as part of their salary for running the B&B, at least that is my memory.

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http://www.wacotrib.com/news/business/fixer-upper-houses-becoming-popular-vacation-rentals-around-waco/article_8c38ba57-31db-5b22-8fe6-a8b46fc92f82.html

Chip & Jo are mad that other homeowners are taking a chunk of the B&B/VRBO market with their houses.  They are going to write it into the contract for the future seasons that the homes can't be rented out.  At least six houses are being used as vacation rentals now and of course playing on the Fixer Upper connection to get more $$$.

9 minutes ago, Saytura said:

http://www.wacotrib.com/news/business/fixer-upper-houses-becoming-popular-vacation-rentals-around-waco/article_8c38ba57-31db-5b22-8fe6-a8b46fc92f82.html

Chip & Jo are mad that other homeowners are taking a chunk of the B&B/VRBO market with their houses.  They are going to write it into the contract for the future seasons that the homes can't be rented out.  At least six houses are being used as vacation rentals now and of course playing on the Fixer Upper connection to get more $$$.

The discussion of this article is in the Small Talk thread!! See you there! I was typing a pithy comment about the article when my iPad ate it.

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 I would like to see her do a Mid-century Modern kind of home

I’ve been down for the count for the last week and caught many episodes. I hate her style but I don’t turn it off. I like them personally.

BUT she did do a mid-mod and she ruined it. She ALMOST took out a terrazzo floor when there wasn’t any under the kitchen they took out. If she thought about filling it with, you know, terrazzo, it didn’t air. There was ONE thing that could marginally be called atomic. AND she put in an 80s bright brass-and-glass shelf. I was yelling at the TV. She did a marginally true-to-period exterior. The bedrooms were French country shabby chic. You REALLY have to love MCM to buy a MCM house. If I were the clients, I’d have been pissed.

Then there was one she actually RUINED the exterior, making it look like cheap construction. That was when I turned it off.

As for their grammar. English has no plural for “you.” “Y’all” and “you guys” has been a grammar kludge forever and a day in various regions of the country. I’m a KCMO native, still live here, and find we occasionally use it when the situation calls for clarity and to avoid misunderstanding. It’s useful. Also, as noted earlier in the thread, nobody calls each other by the name once they’re established. I had one friend who did it and it was annoying. It came off as lecturing and condescending.

Edited by Mojeaux
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I agree with so many here, especially with Joanna needing to use the homeowner's furniture. Unless the HO was in the market for new furniture anyway, use what they already have and fit it into the home's aesthetic. I mean, when you're willing to go the expense of moving in furniture for staging purposes, might as well help out the HO a bit and move in their stuff. Plus, Joanna can work around electronics, hiding all the wires and cords.

And I do not like the open floor plan. Maybe it's because I'm not going to have children and thus no need for open concept, but even for entertaining purposes, there are other established rooms for that. I don't want people crowding me while I'm trying to cook anyway. Cooking is my zen and I don't want people in my way or chatting in my ear.

Another issue I have with Fixer Upper is the same one I have with other HGTV renovation shows: there is never any attention paid to the yard. The "G" stands for "garden," so maybe return a little focus to that. There are homeowners whining about houses not having "character" on the exterior, but that can be remedied with some landscaping. Freshening up the grass (or going the astroturf route), plants and flowers, redoing the walkway leading to the front door, maybe a large focal point tree like a Japanese maple, etc. All that adds character. 

Same for the backyard. All these people apparently entertain and want space for their kids and dogs to run around, but the yard looks like crap and who knows what hazards are being overlooked.

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On 8/17/2016 at 1:59 PM, iMonrey said:

I just saw this one too. But I missed the first ten minutes so I didn't understand what the deal was with the couple. I gathered they were going to run the B&B for Chip and Joanna but did they have to be talked into buying the carriage house to do it? Where were they living before? I also didn't understand what was going on with the two silos - it's part of their new furniture warehouse or something? Silos?

That's certainly one the main reasons given whenever a home buyer expresses a desire for open concept: "I can keep an eye on the kids while I'm fixing dinner." Now, just imagine if you will: when I was growing up, while my mother was fixing dinner, I was in a completely different room, where she couldn't see me at all. It's a wonder I survived into adulthood!

Especially in the bathroom! In the carriage house episode they had an enormous master bath with a separate tub and a huge shower and a big old window through which the house next door was clearly visible. So you've got an audience watching you whenever you're in the bathroom.

I actually live near the Wards. I had no idea they were on the show - so I was surprised when I saw them. They didn't buy the Carriage House - they just run it. They still have their house here in Lorena and half-live in both places (we are only 15 minutes from the B&B). They only bought their house about 6 or 7 years ago and I'm pretty sure it's their last home.

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I wonder if the house options that are presented to homeowners but aren't "chosen" are ever redone by Magnolia Homes for other clients (and are just not developed for television)? If not, and if I were a house flipper in the Waco area, I'd be following this series closely. Even though the potential purchasers wouldn't have bragging rights that their new home had been fixed up by the Gaines' family, there might be money to be made - given that Joanna doesn't have French Country style trademarked. If you believe that the area truly is in high demand...personally, I think it's in high demand now, because of the Gaines.

On 10/11/2016 at 6:22 AM, Mojeaux said:

I’ve been down for the count for the last week and caught many episodes. I hate her style but I don’t turn it off. I like them personally.

BUT she did do a mid-mod and she ruined it. She ALMOST took out a terrazzo floor when there wasn’t any under the kitchen they took out. If she thought about filling it with, you know, terrazzo, it didn’t air. There was ONE thing that could marginally be called atomic. AND she put in an 80s bright brass-and-glass shelf. I was yelling at the TV. She did a marginally true-to-period exterior. The bedrooms were French country shabby chic. You REALLY have to love MCM to buy a MCM house. If I were the clients, I’d have been pissed.

I think I recall reading at the time that the brass-and-glass shelves were the owner's choice of finishes - which I sort of thought was a plus, as I thought they were hideous, too, but at least it was honoring the owner's design wish. Every now and then you see something on this show that you know is not Joanna's style or pick - generally in a hard surface, floor, or other hard-to-change finish.

The problem with terrazzo is that it is generally slab-on-grade and very hard to patch - so if a sewer line or water line has to be re-routed, generally some or all of the terrazzo gets ripped out because you can't really match it anymore.

Watching a rerun of a show originally shown on3/22/2016. Here's an idea for this show and all others on HGTV. Eliminate the word "space" from the vocabulary of every program on your network. Here are some suggestions: front porch, entry/foyer, living room, dining room, kitchen, eat-in kitchen, den/family room, office, bedrooms, bathrooms, laundry room, patio, screened in porch, back yard, garage, car port, driveway, etc. If I hear the word "space" one more damn time, I'll quit watching this network forever. We are not stupid. 

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Just watched the season premiere. I didn't like the front porch they put on, it didn't blend into the rest of the house, it looked like it was just stuck on the front. The interior was OK, it was a pretty typical Joanna design, but I think she dialed back on her style a bit, no giant clocks, no words on the walls, or sayings on pillows anywhere. Chip also seemed like he has dialed back the goofy which is definitely better. We'll see if they keep it up.

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There actually was a faux clock in the bedroom. It was black (dark navy?) and shaped like a pocket watch, stem and all. It was across from the bed, above a dresser and the homeowners will probably replace it with a TV.

I also thought the house was still unbalanced somehow. That porch was pretty indeed, but even with the corbels, stuck out like a sore thumb because of its color.

We're building a beach house and the builder offers the option of v-groove in the great room/dining/kitchen space (sorry Gam2). You can choose to run it vertically to chair rail height or horizontally to the ceiling like the Gaines' beloved shiplap. Hubs refused to even consider option 2 - he thinks it's going to date the house faster than avocado appliances in the 70s. I agree - no barn doors either, though I'm certain Joanna would install them in a coastal cottage without qualm.  ETA: I just googled barn doors in coastal cottages and it's a thing already! Some of them fit quite nicely in homes, but we're still not doing one :p 

Edited by jette
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48 minutes ago, jette said:

he thinks it's going to date the house faster than avocado appliances in the 70s.

Amen to that.

A mid-mod ranch in my neighborhood that had been on a realtor-revolving-door (pretty sure it had major structural problems) in a so-so neighborhood in my small bedroom community got rehabbed stem to stern...into a faux half-Craftsman with all the current fashions, then put on the market for $500k. I want to schedule a showing so I can tell them I would never buy a house that's so trendy. All the hard stuff (tile, doors, etc) is new and I'd just rip it out. This house, you're buying the designer's taste, not the house.

They did fix all its (I assume) structural problems, but if they sell that house (much less for half million) I'll be shocked. It'll have to be someone who's totally into that and changes their house with the trends.

I'm mad because the mid-mod was a perfect representation of a modest house in a modest neighborhood would have looked. Stacked brick and doorknob-in-the-middle-of-the-front-door and everything.

Edited by Mojeaux
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4 hours ago, jette said:

I also thought the house was still unbalanced somehow. That porch was pretty indeed, but even with the corbels, stuck out like a sore thumb because of its color.

I don't understand why they wouldn't paint the wood (I know...horrors!) the same gray as the rest of the trim.  It looked awful.  Then I remembered their own house has the same treatment.

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Just watching the season premiere. The layout of the main floor was probably my favorite of any Fixer Upper house. The lofted ceiling and the openings to the sun room on either side of the fireplace made the room feel so sunny and spacious. I would spend all my time in that sun room.

Edited by absolutelyido
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I couldn't figure out what it was about the front porch that I didn't like (aside from the fact that I thought it should have been painted to match the rest of the house), but I realized that there were no spindles.  Just board that ran horizontally.  While the design was nice, it wasn't in keeping with the rest of the exterior of the house.  The natural wood, the horizontal boards, the peaked roof all reminded me of a ski mountain/lakefront home - not a painted brick house in the middle of Texas.  

Also - why is it that it seems like Joanna's designs never include a television?  

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2 hours ago, Maharincess said:

The porch itself was really nice, I loved it but it didn't look like it belonged with the rest of the house.  Why the hell didn't they paint it to match? 

Am I the only one who hates when they paint bricks?  I think painted bricks are so ugly and I've heard it's really hard to remove the paint. 

I don't know why people bitch about bricks.  Just clean them with a pressure cleaner.  Brick isn't dated, it's timeless.  

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I heard Joanna say that she was going to put upper cabinets in the kitchen and then it ended up with just shelves...ugh.  I hate open shelving in the kitchen.

I did not like the shiplap in the kitchen at all.

I am also not crazy about that island/kitchen table either.  I guess there was no dining room too.  Where will they entertain?

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This week's episode was the worst design of Joanna's ever!! The outside was beautiful, however, the inside was a disaster! The fireplace when you first walk in was odd especially when there was no furniture surrounding it or anything.  The kitchen was truly awful!!!!!   The dining table right in the middle of the room!!! The horrible overhead lighting!!!  The piece of glass (back splash protector) behind the stove.  Maybe Joanna is trying to step outside her comfort zone, but she needs to take baby steps.  

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I agree with the shelves but I actually liked the kitchen otherwise. I know we are getting ready to move and the place we are moving too because it doesn't have 4 bedrooms like we need, we have to add which is cutting in the living room space. So our living room space is moving to where the dining room would be. Which with that. having a set up like that with the island/table would be nice. Yet I know for us we don't entertain so its not a big deal to have the space for it. As well as if we ever were to do so we have a big enough yard and live in a place where weather is usually good enough to do it outside. 

 I loved what Chip did with the little girls bedroom. That was cute and a nice shade of pink. 

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I am also not crazy about that island/kitchen table either.

I don't know.  I like the idea of a "booth" ... maybe it will work out OK.  I agree that the space planning of the living room/family room with fireplace is going to be a challenge (where to put the TV?), and the little office didn't seem like a great use of space.

I did love the exterior though.

The kids' bedrooms were adorable though, and the shade of peachy/pink was very nice without being sickly-sweet.

Because I'm a terrible person, did anyone notice how the mom's mouth was very uneven when she spoke? 

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58 minutes ago, MoreCoffeePlease said:

Because I'm a terrible person, did anyone notice how the mom's mouth was very uneven when she spoke? 

Yes. First we were thinking maybe she had bell's palsy but then my husband was saying something about her right side seeming a little weak in moments so we were thinking she might have had a stroke in the past. 

2 hours ago, MoreCoffeePlease said:

Still being shallow, can Chip wash and comb his hair?  That mess drives me absolutely nuts.

Only time it has looked that way to me and I even noticed was when he was working. Which would make sense. My husband comes home grungy every day from work and hits the shower. When you do those kind of jobs you are never looking to look pretty. LOL Now what is funny is in the beginning he was always concerned with his hair being messed up. Guess he has moved on from that. LOL

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On ‎12‎/‎8‎/‎2016 at 3:37 PM, NYGirl said:

I am also not crazy about that island/kitchen table either.

Joanna said that there was room for three (free standing) chairs at the table as well. That's where the dad will be sitting, because he barely fit in such a small space. it'll be OK while their kids are little, but then they'll have to remodel!  Sad, because usually the items that Clint Harp contributes are the only things you know the homeowners will keep...

49 minutes ago, jette said:

Joanna said that there was room for three (free standing) chairs at the table as well. That's where the dad will be sitting, because he barely fit in such a small space. it'll be OK while their kids are little, but then they'll have to remodel!  Sad, because usually the items that Clint Harp contributes are the only things you know the homeowners will keep...

While the rooms may need remodeling down the line depending on how the kids are with things over time, I don't see how the kitchen/dining table area will need to be. It was fine and would work over plenty of time. IMO I wouldn't remodel my kitchen/dining area just because my kids have grown. That is not a reason to do so. 

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I don't understand why Joanna  uses stuff from her store instead of the homeowner's things. Why move all of her stuff in, make nail holes all over the new walls, just to have to move it all back out again so the owner's can move their stuff in.  It just makes no sense, especially since Joanna's stuff is all the same, faux distressed, huge clocks and stupid sayings.  

In the most recent episode, she hung a sign over the couch that said something like Milk- Wholesale. Why would anybody want that in their living room over their couch?  Maybe in the kitchen it would work but not in a front room. 

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9 minutes ago, Maharincess said:

I don't understand why Joanna  uses stuff from her store instead of the homeowner's things. Why move all of her stuff in, make nail holes all over the new walls, just to have to move it all back out again so the owner's can move their stuff in.  It just makes no sense, especially since Joanna's stuff is all the same, faux distressed, huge clocks and stupid sayings.  

In the most recent episode, she hung a sign over the couch that said something like Milk- Wholesale. Why would anybody want that in their living room over their couch?  Maybe in the kitchen it would work but not in a front room. 

Because she sells it on her web site and in her store in Waco. $$$$$ The ultimate product placement in a show.

Edited by chessiegal
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38 minutes ago, Maharincess said:

I don't understand why Joanna  uses stuff from her store instead of the homeowner's things. Why move all of her stuff in, make nail holes all over the new walls, just to have to move it all back out again so the owner's can move their stuff in.  It just makes no sense, especially since Joanna's stuff is all the same, faux distressed, huge clocks and stupid sayings.  

In the most recent episode, she hung a sign over the couch that said something like Milk- Wholesale. Why would anybody want that in their living room over their couch?  Maybe in the kitchen it would work but not in a front room. 

A) Product placement.

B) Homeowner's usually have mismatched crappy stuff that would never look good on TV.  This was never more evident then in the Flip or Flop Follow Up shows where the homes they visited looked nothing like the staged walk-throughs.  There's no way some of those houses would have sold with the homeowner'a furniture.

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12 minutes ago, Saytura said:

A) Product placement.

B) Homeowner's usually have mismatched crappy stuff that would never look good on TV.  This was never more evident then in the Flip or Flop Follow Up shows where the homes they visited looked nothing like the staged walk-throughs.  There's no way some of those houses would have sold with the homeowner'a furniture.

Exactly to both things. As well as this isn't the only show using things that people will not end up with. If it was the couple's own things it really would not look good for tv no matter what show it was. While I can't stand Flip or Flop, the staging to try to sell a home drives me nuts. I rather walk in and see an empty place than fake crap set ups. That is just me though. I know some of these people think we need to see how to do furniture placement but I think most of us could figure out best how we would prefer it. I know I read that with this show they do offer the couples the furniture to buy if they want. I wouldn't be surprised if some end up picking pieces if they need whatever items with the move and they like it. They are not the only ones that obviously have a "product placement" going though. 

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1 hour ago, chessiegal said:

Because she sells it on her web site and in her store in Waco. $$$$$ The ultimate product placement in a show.

But they never mention that the stuff in the house is for sale at their store. Unless somebody read forums or did some research they wouldn't know just by watching the show.  They make it seem like it's all the homeowners things. 

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8 minutes ago, Maharincess said:

But they never mention that the stuff in the house is for sale at their store. Unless somebody read forums or did some research they wouldn't know just by watching the show.  They make it seem like it's all the homeowners things. 

Welcome to "reality TV".

Edited by chessiegal
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The houses in this show are staged only for the cameras and to sell Magnolia store stuff on TV. The homeowners clearly already own the house so it's not being made "pretty" to appeal to a buyer. While I like some of Joanna's design choices, I hate almost all the decorative dust catchers she covers the walls and all flat surfaces with, I had a giant wall clock at one point in my own house, but it found it's way to a charity store for a tax receipt. I'd never hang much on the walls , so I'd be upset about all the nail holes. Honestly, I'd never keep smiley sweet enough to my headship so I probably wouldn't be chosen for the show anyway.

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Yet at the same time those people make have things to hang on those nails already put up. So it might save a little time and could be set for where they may want things once its their own stuff moved in or suggested for their things so discussed ahead of time. One of those things we may never know. LOL Even if it wasn't I can't see them leaving holes in the ways. I could see them patching and painting so it was like new for the new owners. Otherwise there would have been complaints on things like that long ago with how some of these people on shows can be. 

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Patching nail holes is pretty trivial, even if they've used drywall anchors. After moving in there will always be paint touch-ups required from furniture banging around.

Given Joanna's past designs, the sage green wall colors and darker-stained kitchen paneling pretty much screamed "homeowner's choice" to me.

I actually liked this one, it was a good update of the house. LOVED the trees in the front yard. Also loved the windows at the entrance. Yes, the fireplace was in an interesting place, but the cost of removing the fireplace (and putting in a new one) is pretty high and it was handled well. I like the dining booth but agree that it will be replaced somewhere down the line, say in 5 years or so. Don't care for the open shelving, I am just not that neat and wouldn't like the daily dusting required, particularly of the glassware.

The exterior remodel, with the taller door, was also nice - I'd have preferred a wider door (or a full-sized sidelight) without that horrible exterior wall light - there was already a hanging light. I hope they did more to fix the drainage issues than just concrete over the low entry pad or the drainage issue will remain.

The kids room were very small and that shingle treatment just made the girl's room look even smaller. Also, what was with the interior awning in both kid's rooms? That also made both room feel smaller. The boy definitely got a more functional space, the girls got a little trim and two beds. They probably would have preferred a narrow play house built in to one of the walls. Both sexes (and I realize the Gaines really buy into traditional gender roles) like to play with houses when they are younger. Or some separation for the girls - beds on opposite walls with some built-ins.

I also postd this in the small talk thread.  Where does it show in the reno budget what their fees are?  Are they doing this for free?  Or just for the show?  Or just out of the goodness of their hearts?

I wish they could have mounted the girls beds up on the wall and put a little desk or play place underneath.  There's a way they could have done it to make it safe for the younger girl.

Just watched the most recent episode. I thought the house came out nicely, & Joanna even managed to get a big clock in. The wife kept looking at everything and saying how beautiful it was, & all I kept thinking was "it doesn't come with the house", but then they showed the end when they had people over, & there was a quick glimpse of some of the decorating & the same stuff was there. My recording cut off early, so I don't you could see more, but they may have bought the stuff too.

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