Fixer To Fabulous - General Discussion

[sheetmoss]

HGTV

Dave and Jenny Marrs embrace small-town America by renovating classic homes in and around their hometown of Bentonville, Arkansas. This resourceful and creative couple transforms historic houses in desperate need of an update and turns them into charming forever homes.

I'm enjoying this show - very pleasant couple and crew

[Grrarrggh]

Sigh, yet another white couple where the man is in charge of construction and the woman is the decorator. And they love open concept. It's like HGTV turns out clones.

[suebee12]

Thank you @sheetmoss for adding this! I was just getting ready to.

I really like this family and how they transform these houses. Loved the hundred year old family home they did this week. It surely had some big problems...that bathroom was interesting to say the least with the sink in the kitchen!! I love their helper Chase Looney and his back story is sad but amazing. https://www.distractify.com/p/what-happened-to-chase-fixer-to-fabulous He is funny and quite talented.  I know that it used to be common to have a family of 7 with one bathroom but now everyone has to have a bathroom for each family member so it demonstrates how things have changed. The one thing I noticed was the beautiful brick steps they used and the open eating area that was added. I cannot get into no screens, just like I see on Home Town....I don't want biting bugs visiting me while I am enjoying my meal. All in all, I find this a fun show to watch and am looking forward to more.

[CruiseDiva]

Glad to see others enjoy this show too 😊 I really like what I've seen so far.

[RoxiP]

I liked the old farmhouse with the brick steps also.  I also liked the bathroom door with the frosted mirror.  The woman was so thrilled she could barely speak.

[sheetmoss]

6 hours ago, suebee12 said:

Thank you @sheetmoss for adding this! I was just getting ready to.

I really like this family and how they transform these houses. Loved the hundred year old family home they did this week. It surely had some big problems...that bathroom was interesting to say the least with the sink in the kitchen!! I love their helper Chase Looney and his back story is sad but amazing. https://www.distractify.com/p/what-happened-to-chase-fixer-to-fabulous He is funny and quite talented.  I know that it used to be common to have a family of 7 with one bathroom but now everyone has to have a bathroom for each family member so it demonstrates how things have changed. The one thing I noticed was the beautiful brick steps they used and the open eating area that was added. I cannot get into no screens, just like I see on Home Town....I don't want biting bugs visiting me while I am enjoying my meal. All in all, I find this a fun show to watch and am looking forward to more.

You're welcome

Yeah, agree about the screenless porches--and bugs!

One thing, they could always use one of those portable ones  to sit in  and protect you from the sun.

[RoxiP]

5 minutes ago, sheetmoss said:

You're welcome

Yeah, agree about the screenless porches--and bugs!

One thing, they could always use one of those portable ones  to sit in  and protect you from the sun.

Agreed.  Why not screen that porch - that would make it usable.  These people are in Arkansas - I know they have bugs there like in Texas!

[Grrarrggh]

16 hours ago, suebee12 said:

I love their helper Chase Looney and his back story is sad but amazing. https://www.distractify.com/p/what-happened-to-chase-fixer-to-fabulous He is funny and quite talented.  

He must have been a crap firefighter. 

[suebee12]

1 hour ago, Grrarrggh said:

He must have been a crap firefighter. 

I was taught that if you can't say something nice, say nothing at all. The article said that he had been a firefighter for years. Everyone has done something stupid at least once and he has paid for his mistake in a very costly way but come out on the other side with a good attitude.

[Grrarrggh]

8 hours ago, suebee12 said:

I was taught that if you can't say something nice, say nothing at all. The article said that he had been a firefighter for years. Everyone has done something stupid at least once and he has paid for his mistake in a very costly way but come out on the other side with a good attitude.

I was taught to speak the truth, even and especially when it's uncomfortable. I'd be quite dismayed to have paid taxes to train and employ someone (and possibly pay for their medical care) who can't even follow basic fire safety. 

[suebee12]

2 hours ago, Grrarrggh said:

I'd be quite dismayed to have paid taxes to train and employ someone (and possibly pay for their medical care) who can't even follow basic fire safety. 

My last comment on this and I am just guessing but I am betting that Chance was a volunteer fireman in a pretty rural area. We only had volunteers and if there was a big fire, etc, they had to call help in from nearby cities. During one storm we had 3 barns, 2 houses and 1 church all get hit by lightning....we had volunteers from nearby counties and even the city of Richmond was called in.

[RoxiP]

On ‎11‎/‎15‎/‎2019 at 2:49 PM, suebee12 said:

My last comment on this and I am just guessing but I am betting that Chance was a volunteer fireman in a pretty rural area. We only had volunteers and if there was a big fire, etc, they had to call help in from nearby cities. During one storm we had 3 barns, 2 houses and 1 church all get hit by lightning....we had volunteers from nearby counties and even the city of Richmond was called in.

My small town is all volunteer also.

[mojito]

Quote

 I cannot get into no screens, just like I see on Home Town.

Screened porches might be a thing for some people but where I live, night time does not mean comfortable temps for sitting outside and enjoying a breeze. It's very common for it to still be in the 90s after 8:00 pm. Air conditioned sun rooms are more feasible in summer. When the temps are more bearable, at least in my experience, as in the March-May and October, the mosquitoes aren't out in full force and we will sit outside. If you're real sensitive, there are always products you can use to keep the skeeters at bay. I don't know anyone who has a screened porch or patio.

Edited November 28, 2019 by mojito

[RoxiP]

I would love to have a screened in porch - yes, it does get horribly hot here in Texas in the summer but it would still be nice to have an "in betweener" room to protect you from the mosquitos - and our skeeters are active for a long time!  Just my personal preference though.

Funny story - my mother smoked the majority of her life.  When she came to visit me when my daughter was born she didn't smoke in my house out of respect for me and when she went home she said that she could smell the stale smoke the minute she walked into her house so she quit smoking inside the house - but she screened in the back porch so she could sit outside and smoke there.  She finally was forced to give up smoking when she was diagnosed with emphysema and COPD but I think she missed it still.

[Grrarrggh]

10 hours ago, RoxiP said:

 She finally was forced to give up smoking when she was diagnosed with emphysema and COPD but I think she missed it still.

Of course she did, that's the point of nicotine. 

I am wondering when the children in that formerly fun red house are going to lock each other in their new sand trap. 😉 

[RoxiP]

10 hours ago, Grrarrggh said:

Of course she did, that's the point of nicotine. 

I am wondering when the children in that formerly fun red house are going to lock each other in their new sand trap. 😉 

Every time I see a sand box (or trap...LOL!) I think about my cat.  And ants.  Just say no to one that doesn't come completely enclosed (we had a plastic turtle when my daughter was young).  I'm not a huge fan of investing money in children's toys and playhouses personally - I would rather see a better bathroom or a cool light fixture.  I still quite haven't gotten over where they cut a hole in a person's wall to make a play space for the daughters - once they grow up you are stuck with a door in the wall that no adult can use!...and what about if you want to sell your house?  Just say no to cutesy design!

[CruiseDiva]

50 minutes ago, RoxiP said:

I still quite haven't gotten over where they cut a hole in a person's wall to make a play space for the daughters - once they grow up you are stuck with a door in the wall that no adult can use!...and what about if you want to sell your house?  Just say no to cutesy design!

Hilary has done that on Love It or List It as well. Aside from being an eyesore, it's a waste of space that could be useful for some other purpose.

[sheetmoss]

RE: The Red House

I kept wondering about those new/old windows that went to the floor and kids - I hope it was tempered.

[topanga]

On 12/6/2019 at 2:00 AM, sheetmoss said:

RE: The Red House

I kept wondering about those new/old windows that went to the floor and kids - I hope it was tempered.

I liked the changes to the outside of the house—the curb appeal was much better. 
 

But I did not like the light blue and dark blue Christmas cabinets. Those were UGGGLLLYY!  

[sheetmoss]

I like this couple more and more on every show. Not only their interaction but w/their crew as well

Miss on last show, they didn't show what they did to the new area they created above the DR.

Edited January 8, 2020 by sheetmoss

[RoxiP]

1 hour ago, sheetmoss said:

I like this couple more and more on every show. Not only their interaction but w/their crew as well

Miss on last show, they didn't show what they did to the new area they created above the DR.

I wondered about that as well.  I thought perhaps because of budget constraints (they did a lot of what seems to be a pretty big chunk of money but I suspect those wrought-iron railings alone cost thousands!) they only drywalled it but didn't do any finishings on it so the homeowners could upgrade it later?  I don't know - anybody Facebook this show?

I do like them and that little lamb was so sweet (although calling your husband home from work in a driving rainstorm is stupid).

[Grrarrggh]

2 hours ago, RoxiP said:

I wondered about that as well.  I thought perhaps because of budget constraints (they did a lot of what seems to be a pretty big chunk of money but I suspect those wrought-iron railings alone cost thousands!) they only drywalled it but didn't do any finishings on it so the homeowners could upgrade it later?  I don't know - anybody Facebook this show?

I do like them and that little lamb was so sweet (although calling your husband home from work in a driving rainstorm is stupid).

They ruined that lovely turret house. 

And btw, that was a goat, not a lamb. Need to spend a bit more time at the petting zoo 😉

[suebee12]

10 minutes ago, Grrarrggh said:

They ruined that lovely turret house.

I thought they did a wonderful job on a very strange house! I had to laugh at 10 minutes in to the show when Jenny said she would like to know who designed that house! (I had just said that to myself!) There was lots of room in the house but it was strangely laid out so that it didn't seem like there was much room. The kitchen was wonderful after they finished and was bright and clean looking. I really liked the floors they used and having one continuing floor was a good thing. I hated the carpet surrounded by really ugly tile. Until they painted the paneling I did feel like I was in a log cabin....too much brown wood. I, too, would have liked to see what the upstairs looked like but @RoxiP said, they probably left it for the next go-round because of budget.

The one thing that I was a little mad at Dave for was making Jenny go up on the balcony. I, too, have a huge problem with heights....never did when I was younger but it got worse and worse as I aged. It is not funny to someone with Acrophobia to be forced into going up high. I know when I went to the Grand Canyon, I held the camera out in front of me, snapped the photo, and looked at it when we got back to the hotel. No leaning over and looking for me!!!

And I agree it was strange for her to call Dave home for the birth of the kid.You could tell the baby was a few days old so it was just done for the show!!! I loved how she wanted to be there though.

[Grrarrggh]

3 hours ago, suebee12 said:

I thought they did a wonderful job on a very strange house! I had to laugh at 10 minutes in to the show when Jenny said she would like to know who designed that house! (I had just said that to myself!) There was lots of room in the house but it was strangely laid out so that it didn't seem like there was much room. The kitchen was wonderful after they finished and was bright and clean looking. I really liked the floors they used and having one continuing floor was a good thing. I hated the carpet surrounded by really ugly tile. Until they painted the paneling I did feel like I was in a log cabin....too much brown wood. I, too, would have liked to see what the upstairs looked like but @RoxiP said, they probably left it for the next go-round because of budget.

They turned that lovely turreted room into a very boring, not at all formal, dining room. They took out that nice sunroom to make another dining area (that actually seemed more formal than the supposedly formal one), they painted that great wood in the great room that really popped because of those vaulted white ceilings, and they made the cool wraparound balcony into a tiny little thing. Plus that light fixture would have looked better black with no greenery on it.  The whole placed seemed washed out and dull afterwards. 

Edited January 9, 2020 by Grrarrggh

[RoxiP]

14 hours ago, Grrarrggh said:

They ruined that lovely turret house. 

And btw, that was a goat, not a lamb. Need to spend a bit more time at the petting zoo 😉

Okay, I thought it was a goat too, but I thought earlier in the show she went on and on about how she had one sheep and she had hand-raised it and it was going to have a baby and she was very anxious about it...but when they showed the baby it looked like a little goat so I thought well maybe it is a weird breed of sheep!  (I raised a child - I have done my time in a petting zoo...LOL!)

[RoxiP]

I wondered about the episode I saw last night - it obviously was filmed before Chase's accident because he was not wearing his eye patch and he didn't have a beard (and quite honestly he is one of the rare men who I think the beard enhances his looks).  I wonder if that was the premiere episode and then the show got held back for a while?  It was a good episode and they really made an old house really cute (although I would have give the boys separate rooms and foregone an office for myself).  At least they finally explained how they came to have their daughter.

[suebee12]

2 hours ago, RoxiP said:

I wonder if that was the premiere episode and then the show got held back for a while?

I knew I had seen this before but it was listed as NEW. I looked to see what the preview said, and it was Season 1, Episode 1, 2017. Who could forget the swing with the pulleys? I really like these folks, they seem so comfortable with each other. They really made a difference to this house...only thing I didn't like was how close it was to the street but at least they put up a good fence. And I agree, I really like Chance with a beard.

[CrazyInAlabama]

I wonder how many times a week the boys hit their heads on the very slanted ceilings?   The under bed play area is nice for a while, but not cute enough to have the beds over the play areas that high.     How long will the kids actually fit in that area too?  

  I loved the front door redo, and the elimination of the two previous front doors. 

The swing with the pulleys was so funny.    I'm surprised it didn't occur to them that the pulleys would dump them out of the swing.     

Edited January 17, 2020 by CrazyInAlabama

[RoxiP]

Again, designing for the moment and not for long-term!  Like when she put the play area under the stairs and put that stupid storefront window on the den wall...most of the time I like her designs but sometimes she goes for kitschy and as a homeowner it annoys me to no end because every time I think "well, there's something that will have to be changed before I can sell the house!"

[Grrarrggh]

I thought it was too bad that one of the owners hated colour. That place needed some. It looked washed out and incomplete. And how can they call that small desk an office?

[RoxiP]

17 hours ago, suebee12 said:

I knew I had seen this before but it was listed as NEW. I looked to see what the preview said, and it was Season 1, Episode 1, 2017. Who could forget the swing with the pulleys? I really like these folks, they seem so comfortable with each other. They really made a difference to this house...only thing I didn't like was how close it was to the street but at least they put up a good fence. And I agree, I really like Chance with a beard.

I don't think I ever saw this episode so it was truly new for me...LOL!  

I agree - that tiny office seemed to be a waste of space that could have been used for something else - although I loved the little window they put in the space.  Looks like the homeowner could have a desk in their bedroom or the living space.  Oh well, not my house!

[msrachelj]

Just found this show and watched a couple of episodes. Two hacks who are ruining the architectural beauty of older homes to “” update”them. I was disgusted as was my husband.  There should be a law. I wanted to cry. I saw them take out beautiful archways to modernize it, what a disgusting pair!!I won’t be watching this again. Wouldn’t let them near my house😢😡

[sheetmoss]

Re: The home in the pilot w/two front doors

I'm really surprised they didn't add a sliding door between mbdrm and bath as the tub was  on the other side of the room

This may have been poster earlier upthread:

https://www.chiselandsawdust.com/home/the-story-behind-my-eyepatch

Also:

10 Things You Didn’t Know About Fixer to Fabulous

Lily Wordsmith 3 months ago

“Fixer to Fabulous” is HGTV’s latest home rehab realty show and hopes to fill the void left by the departure of Chip and Joanna Gaines popular “Fixer Upper”. “Fixer to Fabulous” follows Dave and Jenny Marrs and their family as they take worn out and often historic homes ready for demolition and create amazing updates personalized for the home’s new owners in Northwest Arkansas. While Dave handles the construction end of things, Jenny delves into the design. Along the way, we’ll get to know the Marrs family and the causes they support. Here are 10 things you didn’t know about “Fixer to Fabulous”.

1. It premiered October 22, 2019 on HGTV

“Fixer to Fabulous” premiered October 22 on HGTV. The latest home rehab realty show airs Tuesday nights at 8 pm and will stream on HGTV.com. Since the popular ‘Fixer Upper” with Chip and Joanna Gaines ended in April 2018, fans are craving a new similar series. “Fixer to Fabulous” may be just what fans needed since the absence of the Gaines family.

2. What’s it about?

“Fixer to Fabulous” follows husband and wife team, Dave and Jenny Marrs as they rehab rundown homes in their native northwest Arkansas, including their own hometown of Bentonville. The Marrs family includes five young children, and they live on a farm that includes their uniquely and personally rehabbed home. The Marrs family also own and operate a blueberry farm and tend to many farm animals. “Fixer to Fabulous” follows the Marrs family as they give loving care to worn out homes, bringing new life to the homes and creating a home that fits its new family.

3. Who are Dave and Jenny Marrs?

Dave and Jenny Marrs grew up separately in Florida and Colorado, met and moved to Bentonville, Arkansas and grew to love the hometown Midwestern area of northwestern Arkansas. They started Marrs Development in 2004, bought a farm and started a family. Dave’s construction skills combined with Jenny’s design skills created a great team. The couple started rehabbing deteriorating, historic homes in downtown Bentonville. Their caring, professional work earned them a good reputation and the city began asking the company to help save several homes from demolition.

4. The Marrs Family Farm

As their work and reputation increased, Dave and Jenny Marrs were able to purchase a farm in Bentonville where they restored the farmhouse to its original charm and updated its personality to fit their family. The Marrs’ farm includes plenty of action for the family of seven. Along with crops including blueberries, potatoes, cucumbers and greenbeans, the family tends to plenty of livestock. This includes cows, sheep, goats, llamas, and chickens which the children enjoy collecting eggs from.

5. Not their first realty show

Following the announcement of the last season of “Fixer Upper”, HGTV hoped to fill the void of a down home farm family rennovating homes in rural America. “Almost Home” starring Dave and Jenny Marrs hoped to fill the void. The new family home renovation realty series premiered in November 2017 (almost home). Fans may not have been ready to watch the end of of a favorite and the beginning of a new, similar show. However, “Almost Home” was revamped into “Fixer to Fabulous”.

To continue:

https://www.tvovermind.com/fixer-to-fabulous/

 

Edited January 18, 2020 by sheetmoss

[sasha206]

Holy cow, watching this show where the owner is a young girl, first house.  They redid her kitchen and the floors are light white oak looking but the rest of the house is golden oak hardwoods.  Awful!

[NYGirl]

Rerun today of the 100 year old farm house.  My goodness that lady's voice went right through you.  I had to mute every time she spoke.

They did a pretty good job on that house but I don't understand the porches with tables without screens.  

[CitrusMale]

On 11/14/2019 at 1:29 AM, Grrarrggh said:

Sigh, yet another white couple where the man is in charge of construction and the woman is the decorator. And they love open concept. It's like HGTV turns out clones.

Sounds racist. "another white couple"? 

[RoxiP]

On 4/28/2020 at 11:51 AM, CitrusMale said:

Sounds racist. "another white couple"? 

They have several other shows where the couples are non-white and the husband is in charge of construction and the wife is in charge of the decorating...sounds more sexist to me than racist.

Or perhaps just real life, although there are also several shows (Rehab Addict, Bargain Mansion) where the woman actually does seem to do construction - but they are also single women.

I generally don't pick my shows based on ethnicity or the sex of the person doing the renovation but on how interesting the renovation itself is.  I like shows that are more "real" than some huge fantasy budget but that's just me.

Edited April 29, 2020 by RoxiP

[buttersister]

There’s a marathon today. This show is mis-named, these fixers are far from fabulous. Also, kinda dumb. They overdid the crap out of the coffee bar (yes, her parents helped with the not-new idea—an organizer/designer set up a beverage corner up in my kitchen years ago). Then they screwed the pooch when it came to her bathroom. The shower head is going to wet the entire room and there wasn’t any storage or area for cosmetics/hair care. Good luck, honey.

As noted, they butchered the inside of the turret house. Two dining rooms? Hello, these people. Goodbye, unique charm. Do better, HGTV. (Yeah, good luck with that, saw a preview for Renovation Island or some such nonsense. Back to YouTube for some British remodel shows.)

[Vastly]

So, I am wondering then why Chase's eye patch goes from left side to right side, then back to left side in S1 E6 starting at 8:11-8:35?? Both eyes seem visible.

[NYGirl]

I just watched a couple of episodes and I've now decided I don't like Jenny very much;.  She made a stupid kids playroom out of a closet and put a child size door in the kitchen to get to it.  What a waste.  Then she played a nasty prank on Dave when he was cutting out the door and kind of scared him. 

She also gave Chase a hard time about the awning over the front door.

She didn't smile once and was pretty nasty to everyone.

[Grrarrggh]

1 hour ago, NYGirl said:

I just watched a couple of episodes and I've now decided I don't like Jenny very much;.  She made a stupid kids playroom out of a closet and put a child size door in the kitchen to get to it.  What a waste.  Then she played a nasty prank on Dave when he was cutting out the door and kind of scared him. 

She also gave Chase a hard time about the awning over the front door.

She didn't smile once and was pretty nasty to everyone.

Why is it that the women on these shows are given a harder time then the men when both act like jerks? 

[NYGirl]

On 7/20/2020 at 2:59 PM, Grrarrggh said:

Why is it that the women on these shows are given a harder time then the men when both act like jerks? 

I've never seen Dave act in any other way than he's portrayed.  He's relatively nice.  I was just talking about this one show.

[MartyQui]

Re the turret house...I had an apartment that had the two doing room set up.  It was an old Victorian, and we had a breakfast room as well as the formal dining room.  So I didn’t think the set up was odd at all.  I like the way the house looked post renovation, the kitchen was gorgeous.

[CrazyInAlabama]

On the marathon today, there's an episode I missed before.   "Entertaining Oasis", where the husband (Dave?) decides he wants to climb the tree they're taking down.   He should keep his day job, because he's a terrible tree guy.   

[CrazyInAlabama]

I guess the Victorian, vintage house for their friends that adopted a child from Uganda (?) was the pilot.   I didn't even recognize Chase with out the eye patch, and without the beard.   He looks a lot better with the beard.      I did enjoy the porch swing pulley incident, it's certainly an easy mistake to make, and easily remedied.   I didn't like the kid's bedroom though.    The daughter's bed over in the dormer, with the ceiling that slanted is going to result in a lot of bumped heads.     I didn't like the office space for the wife, or the boy's bedrooms either.    The downstairs, and porch, plus the sidewalk was awesome.    I'm also sick of decorative beams in kitchens, and open shelves.   

Edited September 14, 2020 by CrazyInAlabama

[Kemper]

I would guess that HGTV is again trying to find the new Chip and Joanna.  It looks like this couple may be ahead.  It isn't really a bad show; it is just one that we have seen what seems like hundreds of times during this pandemic; marathons and reruns.  They seem (I like him a bit better than her) nice and competent.  

[RoxiP]

17 hours ago, Kemper said:

I would guess that HGTV is again trying to find the new Chip and Joanna.  It looks like this couple may be ahead.  It isn't really a bad show; it is just one that we have seen what seems like hundreds of times during this pandemic; marathons and reruns.  They seem (I like him a bit better than her) nice and competent.  

I would say the Napiers are winning that battle, if indeed there is a battle...LOL!

[justdoit10]

I don't always like everything they do but I do like them.  Glad to hear the show is returning.  They are very natural together.

[CrazyInAlabama]

I like the couple, and enjoy seeing the different houses.   I'm glad we're getting something new. 

They're having behind the scenes with added scenes on the pilot episode filmed in 2017, about a week later Chase had his accident.   Chase's attitude is so good about what he didn't lose, and could have.    At one point the doctors told his family he probably wasn't going to make it.   

This is the episode about the vintage house in town, redone for their friends who also adopted from Africa.    

Edited October 28, 2020 by CrazyInAlabama

[NYGirl]

Please please please stop showing the one with the blonde lady in pigtails and her family home every single week.

I cannot stand her voice and she's so OTT.  I can't get to the remote fast enough to change it.