Fixer Upper - General Discussion

[CrazyInAlabama]

I've seen similar green cabinets on other remodeling shows too.   It seems to be the new fad, so on Home Town, Fixer to Fabulous, and several others too.   I bet the floor plan on the Mediterranean house was original, it looked like an old floor plan.  

[SusanwatchingTV]

On 2/20/2022 at 6:39 PM, ChitChat said:

I could go with another package on Dish for about $10 more a month.  I realized that I could get DiscoveryPlus through my Amazon Prime for $4.99/mo (commercials) or $6.99/mo (no commercials.)  I signed up through Prime.  

I still have to catch up on the episodes.  I just watched episode 5 where they add on to the Silos.  I love to see old churches like that, so I'm happy to see them incorporate that into the Silos.  The coffee shop, furniture store, and all of the little shops look so inviting.  Kudos to Chip and Joanna for bringing that vision to life, and for being able to keep so many people employed during the difficult times we've been through the past 2 years.  

My daughter and I toured Magnolia just before the church building area was opened.  In fact, the baseball field hadn't been built and the stores were just empty buildings. The whole thing was roped off.  We had coffee in the coffee shop and shopped in the home store, but I was really disappointed not to get to go inside the church building when we saw it from a distance.  I need to run back over there. It's about three hours from me. I really want to see inside it.

[Chit Chat]

1 hour ago, SusanwatchingTV said:

I need to run back over there. It's about three hours from me. I really want to see inside it.

Please do!!  And give us all of the details!

[SusanwatchingTV]

16 hours ago, ChitChat said:

Please do!!  And give us all of the details!

:)  Will do!  It really is a fun place, and has really improved the economy of the area.   The line to the cupcake place was way down the street and I didn't want to stand there for an hour or more, so we skipped that, but the coffee shop was fabulous and the ambience inside was spot-on.

The furniture store was nice, too, with little room-like areas set up so you could see the products in use.  It's all very pricey though.  There's definitely a "Magnolia Markup" for their stuff.

The first time I went over there the main store had just opened, and all they had was the food truck area in front of the silos with the store.  There was a "bargain" area in the back of the warehouse where I bought some flowers that weren't quite as over-priced (imho).  The thing is, though, people weren't hesitating to pay for that expensive stuff, so more power to them. 

On the new show they mentioned reworking the silos themselves soon. I'm very curious to see what they do.  The "shabby chic" look of them now is fine with me, but I wonder if they can do something inside them to make them into something fun.   I can't wait to find out.

[Chit Chat]

7 hours ago, SusanwatchingTV said:

The furniture store was nice, too, with little room-like areas set up so you could see the products in use. 

I like the idea of that.  I believe that she mentioned that on the show.  It's good to see how furniture and such could be placed for those of us who might be design-challenged!!

7 hours ago, SusanwatchingTV said:

The line to the cupcake place was way down the street and I didn't want to stand there for an hour or more, so we skipped that, but the coffee shop was fabulous and the ambience inside was spot-on.

They need to see how Chick-Fil-A handles long lines and copy them!  Nobody gets more people through 2 lanes of the drive-thru like they do!  

[CrazyInAlabama]

18 hours ago, ChitChat said:

They need to see how Chick-Fil-A handles long lines and copy them!  Nobody gets more people through 2 lanes of the drive-thru like they do!  

During the mass drive thru vaccine events, at least one city did consult their local Chick-Fil-A management about getting organized, and getting people through the lines quickly.  It really helped. 

 I think the Gaines do need a little help getting the throngs of visitors through the restaurants and bakery quicker.        I remember the first episode when Jo and Chip were discussing buying the Silos, and I love how far the complex has evolved.  

I watching the rerun of the woman who works for Magnolia, and moved from a tiny apartment in California to that lovely house in Waco, and I love the living room, and kitchen.   They are both lovely.   I really love the kitchen window mullions.   

Welcome Home, Season 1 episode 8, "Scrappy Barn to Modern Charm".   Turning a horse barn into a home for the ROTC son.  Yes, it's barndomenium part 2.  The realtor parents want it for an apartment while the son goes to college, then a bunkhouse type set up for a veterans agriculture training program, and maybe for their other kids.  

Shorty's back, Chip says he started his own business.   

Edited February 24, 2022 by CrazyInAlabama

[Chit Chat]

On 2/23/2022 at 7:39 PM, CrazyInAlabama said:

I watching the rerun of the woman who works for Magnolia, and moved from a tiny apartment in California to that lovely house in Waco, and I love the living room, and kitchen.   They are both lovely.   I really love the kitchen window mullions.   

I just watched this episode.  I love cottage homes like that, and it turned out really nice.  I really liked that arched nook that the carpenter did for her bedroom.  That was a lot of work!  I'm so glad they saved the little wood-burning fireplace too.  The mullions were a nice touch.  

Again, Joanna seems to be stuck on green cabinets with brass fixtures.  It looked really good in this house, but I'd like to see her use some other colors!!  I liked the tile in the fireplace.  I'm glad that they gave her a privacy fence too.  I'm sure Hank will be very happy with his outdoor space along with all of the windows he can look out of from inside the house.  

I've noticed that they haven't given the homeowner's budget the last 2 times.   I wonder what the reno ended up costing.  I'm sure it was substantial, but hey, if you've got enough in your budget to basically do a gut job, I say go for it!  Luckily, they didn't run into any major issues with the house, so that is always a plus.  

[Chit Chat]

I watched the episode where they rebuilt the little barn.  That turned out to be a nice place.  I didn't like the dark colors for the office & bedroom, but I liked the rest of it.  The backsplash in the kitchen was nice.  I haven't seen those kinds of tiles before.  Did I hear her correctly in saying they didn't need grout?  

The minty green house was an interesting remodel too.  I like the way Chip was so honest about his mistake (money-wise) in buying the house.  Bulldozing a 1000 sq. ft. of home is a big deal. That was the size of our first home!   It was actually nice to see a home where they didn't take down walls and make it completely open.  I liked the maze of rooms in that house!  The piano turned out really nice too.  I love a foyer, and that was a big space!   I wonder if the house was actually haunted or not.  I'm sure that things weren't level and that's why the door closed by itself, but then again, there might be a ghost or two in there!  I'm always in awe of the landscaping on these properties too.  Oh, and the stone around the chimney was a nice touch.  

[SusanwatchingTV]

I just watched the "Minty" episode and was LOLing the entire time!  It was too funny. I know they don't believe in ghosts, so I was getting such a giggle out of Chip on that stuff.  He's so much like my high school class clown, even down to the red hair and freckles. haha

One big thing for me was Joanna's visit to Fletcher's Books & Antiques in Salado.  I just went there for the first time back in September.  That's an adorable little town and that store is really wonderful.  They didn't show the book room (the only thing I bought was a couple of books), and they didn't show the little chapel he's built onto the back. It's full of bits and pieces from different little church buildings that have been demolished over the years.  There are some really cool pieces there. 

Now, about the house. I both liked it and didn't.  Overall it was so much nicer than before, and I basically liked the floor plan choices she made (though I prefer open concept - I'd want that Kitchen open to some other room).  What I didn't like was the colors - it was all too bland. Not enough contrast.  That seemed unusual for Joanna to me.  I would definitely have liked the floors stained, not painted, and I would have wanted brick with some reddish or brownish color to give contrast to the fireplaces.  It was all just too much color for my taste.

I really wish they would have told us the specks on the finances for this one, too. How much did Chip pay for the place, how much did they put into it, and  how much did it sell for?  I'm so curious.  Real estate everywhere is just insane right now, so I'm betting that they still made plenty on it just due to the rising prices we're seeing everywhere, even without the Magnolia influence.

[Chit Chat]

3 minutes ago, SusanwatchingTV said:

What I didn't like was the colors - it was all too bland. Not enough contrast.  That seemed unusual for Joanna to me.  I would definitely have liked the floors stained, not painted, and I would have wanted brick with some reddish or brownish color to give contrast to the fireplaces.  It was all just too much color for my taste.

I didn't care for the painted floors either.  They had to cut back on the design budget, so I'm sure she had to make a lot of 'less expensive' choices in many areas of the reno.  I don't think they could spend the extra money tearing down the walls either.  

It's a good reminder to people who might want to flip a house that even an expert can make a mistake and run into costly issues once they start the demo.  Luckily for them they have an empire and can afford the occasional mistake!!  

[SusanwatchingTV]

53 minutes ago, ChitChat said:

I didn't care for the painted floors either.  They had to cut back on the design budget, so I'm sure she had to make a lot of 'less expensive' choices in many areas of the reno.  I don't think they could spend the extra money tearing down the walls either.  

It's a good reminder to people who might want to flip a house that even an expert can make a mistake and run into costly issues once they start the demo.  Luckily for them they have an empire and can afford the occasional mistake!!  

That's true.  It did seem like this episode was meant to teach that lesson.  I think a lot of people see flipping as a really easy way to make the BIG BUCKS (Flip or Flop LA anyone?) but it's really isn't always that way and you can buy a house that looks good and get into it and really lose a lot.

 

I just was really missing the contrast on this house. It was just too bland and one color, which made me sad somehow.

[CrazyInAlabama]

The biggest loss on the Minty Green house was the 1,000 sq. ft. back addition, it was built very poorly, and bulldozing it was the best way to lose the least on the flip.

When you're facing the Minty Green house, the house to the left was the one that the nurse moving back to Waco bought, and they remodeled for her.   The one with the leaky front flower planter.       I noticed the copper downspouts first on the nurse's house, and then realized the big church or school across the street was the same one.      I wonder how much they lost on the Minty Green house?   

It they rented out the Minty Green house for a year or two, then I bet the prices in Waco would go up enough to make it profitable.  Prices in Waco have really shot up since Fixer Upper started.     Prices in Texas have really risen in some areas, Austin, Dallas-Ft. Worth, and areas within commuting distance really have some price rises.    There are so many cash buyers, that will go into bidding wars, that the Minty Green house price might surprise.     

Maybe they're waiting for the start of the selling season, which is usually Spring.  Or they wanted to wait until the episode aired, and they could get national publicity for the house?   

That was episode 9 of this Welcome Home season, and apparently the season finale.   

Edited March 7, 2022 by CrazyInAlabama

[Chit Chat]

11 hours ago, CrazyInAlabama said:

When you're facing the Minty Green house, the house to the left was the one that the nurse moving back to Waco bought, and they remodeled for her.   

Good catch!  I didn't notice that. 

11 hours ago, CrazyInAlabama said:

I wonder how much they lost on the Minty Green house?    

I'm sure it was substantial.  They would've had to have professionals come in to disconnect the power (gas lines if applicable), and a contractor to dismantle it.  That's a big deal to demolish that much of a house.  Even though the cost probably didn't hurt them too much, it's still a loss, and it's a mistake they can't afford to do very often! 

[SusanwatchingTV]

I just looked for it and found where it is on the map. Then I looked on Realtor.com and as far as I can tell it hasn't been listed for sale yet.

I'll try to remember to keep an eye on it to see if they end up listing it.  Y'all may be right about them deciding to rent it, but I would think with real estate prices the way they've been here in Texas lately, they'd sell ASAP.

 

[nb360]

I would love to see a show featuring Shorty and his family/friends. I wonder if they ever considered a show for him.

[CrazyInAlabama]

1 hour ago, nb360 said:

I would love to see a show featuring Shorty and his family/friends. I wonder if they ever considered a show for him.

Not many people want to have their own show when they see how much time and effort it takes, and that it greatly impacts running a business. On the show with the woman that worked for Magnolia, when Shorty helped him with the heavy stove, Chip said Shorty was working close by.   Then on the last show where Shorty helped a lot, he said Shorty started his own contracting business, and I bet he wouldn't have time to do a show.    Most of the remodeling shows have a separate coordinator that keeps the filming schedule, and construction in synch.    They have to film the talking heads, and other scenes a bunch of times, so it really cuts into the work time. 

[Chit Chat]

Is Fixer Upper on hiatus?  I don't see any new episodes.  Maybe I'm overlooking them.  

[NYGirl]

I don't think they make any more.  However there is a Welcome Home - Fixer Upper on the Magnolia Channel and Discovery Plus which features them renovating various properties.  There's maybe 8 episodes.

[Chit Chat]

9 minutes ago, NYGirl said:

However there is a Welcome Home - Fixer Upper on the Magnolia Channel and Discovery Plus which features them renovating various properties.  There's maybe 8 episodes.

My mistake.  That's the one I'm talking about.  I've got Discovery Plus, but it doesn't appear that there are any new episodes.  I watched Season 1 of the new show.  I don't think there were that many episodes.  I can't find it listed now.   I was hoping they would release some soon.  I'm going to cancel that subscription if they're already finished and aren't coming back for awhile.

[CrazyInAlabama]

The barnd to apartment episode was the final one of the Fixer Upper Welcome Home series.   I hope they make more.  

I think there were only 9 episodes.   

The spanish to Italian one, Mediterranean Money Pit

the horrible one the lovely newlyweds redid,

the nurse who traveled the world (next to Chip's flip/flop), with the leaking front brick flower bed, and the copper gutters. 

the young lady working for Magnolia who moved there from California,

the man who works for Magnolia and moved from NYC,

Chip's flop, (next to the nurse's house, I could see the copper gutters, and front of the house sometimes). 

the Silo expansion,

the barn to apartment season ender, episode 9.      

P.S. They redid the Girls' Home.  So, that's nine episodes. 

Chip and Jo also appear in person, and sometimes via video on First Time Fixer, which is on Fridays on their network.     I enjoy this one, because it's real people either fixing up, or flipping condos and houses in different parts of the country. 

Edited April 26, 2022 by CrazyInAlabama

[Chit Chat]

1 minute ago, CrazyInAlabama said:

The barnd to apartment episode was the final one of the Fixer Upper Welcome Home series.   I hope they make more.  

Thanks!  I thought it was a super short season!

[SusanwatchingTV]

I know what's happening with the next season of Fixer Upper!

I signed up for Magnolia's marketing emails last time we were there so I get their coupons and things, but I also get notices of special events.  Well, this week the email announced that Chip and Jo have renovated a castle in Waco and it's open for tours this summer.

My husband agreed to go with me, so we've got tickets to see if on August 12.  I'm excited.  I love touring old houses anyway, but this has the added interest of seeing it being renovated on the show after we do the tour. They say "Fixer Upper The Castle" will air starting in September.

I can't wait!  I'll also go over to the Silos and see the inside of that church building since I couldn't see it last time we were there.  All of that area was roped off and still under construction, but it's all complete now so we can see it (and maybe I can do a bit of shopping, too). :D

[Shermie]

On 1/17/2022 at 12:15 PM, SusanwatchingTV said:

I agree on the black tiles and fixtures. Too hard to keep clean, and just really kind of gross.

I don’t understand why black fixtures are gross or hard to keep clean. I mean, things go into a white toilet that are gross, but you flush them away. Same as a black one. As for toothpaste or soap, you rinse it away, same as a white sink. I don’t get the “gross” part.

[AZChristian]

36 minutes ago, Shermie said:

I don’t understand why black fixtures are gross or hard to keep clean. I mean, things go into a white toilet that are gross, but you flush them away. Same as a black one. As for toothpaste or soap, you rinse it away, same as a white sink. I don’t get the “gross” part.

I would think it's harder to see streaks and buildup under the rim in a black toilet. Our daughter has black counters and appliances in her kitchen. After staying there for a few days, I knew I'd never have them in our home.  Even though I KNEW they were clean, I constantly wiped them every time I went through the kitchen. 

OCD is real. 

[CrazyInAlabama]

Black fixtures and tile show water spots, and other materials easily too.   If you live where the water has a lot of minerals in it, the waterspots will dry and look terrible.  

[Grrarrggh]

15 hours ago, CrazyInAlabama said:

Black fixtures and tile show water spots, and other materials easily too.   If you live where the water has a lot of minerals in it, the waterspots will dry and look terrible.  

Same with those showers all tiled in black. All I can think of is the very obvious soap scum. 

[CrazyInAlabama]

I agree about the black tile and soap scum, unless you have some kind of water filter, or very soft water.   I don't know what the water is like in Waco, but some of my  relatives live about 150 miles north of there, and their water is so soft that there are no water spots. 

The Fixer Upper: the Castle starts Friday 14 October, 9 pm Eastern, 8 pm Central.   They're only 30 minute episodes. 

Edited October 5, 2022 by CrazyInAlabama

[SusanwatchingTV]

I just realized I never came back to tell y'all about visiting the Castle!

It's all beautiful and typical Joanna style with deep dark accent colors on the walls, lovely fireplaces, and tons of restored woodwork. The front door was absolutely stunning. How it survived all the years of neglect and changes in ownership I'll never know.

Each room seemed to have its own distinct personality. Joanna created a "story" for the house - who might live there and what kids they'd have and things they'd do - and then designed for that.  I'm sure all that will be covered in the show, but I thought it was pretty interesting and allowed for her to "personalize" the spaces even without knowing who might buy the house.  She added things and changed the floorplan a little to make it more functional, and I really appreciated the choices she made. It was really something to see. They gave us a little book with the details and there was a website link with paint colors and such so you could use it to get your own decorating ideas.

However, though it's beautiful and amazing, I can't see living there at all. The rooms are all rather small, including the TV room in the basement and the two kitchens.  Overall it all felt cramped and uncomfortable for a family, and there are TONS of stairs, which wouldn't make it a good choice for an older couple.  My best guess of a buyer - a rich middle aged career couple without kids.  They'd be able to entertain small groups and live there nicely, at least until someone had an injury and could no longer climb all those stairs.

Interesting tidbits:  They filled in the swimming pool and landscaped the yard which was lovely, but there's a weird, very old fence area between it and the house next door which still looks neglected and strange.  I asked our tour guide about it and she said she had no idea why it wasn't done. I'm curious if you'll be able to see it in the show. Probably not. They usually don't show the houses next door, but I'm dying of curiosity to see why they didn't fix it up.

They did buy the used car dealership behind the house and made it into a parking lot for the tours, so I'm really curious what a buyer will do with it, or if it will be included in the sale.  There's an old carriage house with a half-timbered water-tower behind the house before you get to the parking lot. I hate the look of that. It reminds me of a renaissance faire.  It's a bit tacky looking for my taste. I was surprised Joanna didn't do something to make it look better, too.  She did a great job with the pool house, though it's empty inside for whatever the owner wants to do with it later.

After the tour of the castle we went for lunch at the Magnolia Diner (delicious food and very nice inside). Then we went over to Magnolia Market to see the church building, but we only had a few minutes.  It's cool looking though.

It was a quick trip, but I'm glad we went. It's going to make watching the show about the castle even more enjoyable.

Edited October 5, 2022 by SusanwatchingTV
for grammar and clarity

[Frost]

I forgot how much I dislike Chip's mugging for the camera.  I'm fascinated by how they're going to renovate the Castle, but I'm planning on keeping the mute button handy for whenever Chip is onscreen.

[Chit Chat]

On 10/4/2022 at 3:55 PM, SusanwatchingTV said:

but there's a weird, very old fence area between it and the house next door which still looks neglected and strange. 

Thanks for the tour, SusanwatchingTV!!  I don't have Discovery+ anymore, but I've been seeing the commercials for this new endeavor.  Maybe I'll get to see some of it on YouTube at some point!  

With the old fence you referenced, it could be that section belongs to the adjacent property.  My mom's backyard is fenced all the way around, but the fence that runs between her and one neighbor actually belongs to her neighbor.  It's on that neighbor's property, but mom allowed them to attach it to her part of the fence.   Maybe that's what is going on with this property.  

[CrazyInAlabama]

Unless the fence is on a current pictures online, then it could be a backordered supply issue.    Everything seems to be backordered  for a long time now.   Or as Chit Chat said, it's the neighbor's fence, and until they give permission to replace, it's going to stay like that. 

If they want to have a uniform fence look, then it's going to be very expensive, and probably delayed by supply issues.  

Edited October 16, 2022 by CrazyInAlabama

[SusanwatchingTV]

6 hours ago, ChitChat said:

Thanks for the tour, SusanwatchingTV!!  I don't have Discovery+ anymore, but I've been seeing the commercials for this new endeavor.  Maybe I'll get to see some of it on YouTube at some point!  

With the old fence you referenced, it could be that section belongs to the adjacent property.  My mom's backyard is fenced all the way around, but the fence that runs between her and one neighbor actually belongs to her neighbor.  It's on that neighbor's property, but mom allowed them to attach it to her part of the fence.   Maybe that's what is going on with this property.  

You may be right, but it really doesn't look like it.  I mean, that portion of the fence is this odd little rectangle that looks very, very old.  It just looks like it was part of the original house.  If it actually belongs to the neighbors they aren't doing anything with it either and it looks sad and forgotten.

[SusanwatchingTV]

I finally got to watch the first episode. Had to wait for the hubby. He hasn't ever seen the show but wanted to watch this one because he's been there.  It was so interesting looking at it on TV after having been inside.  All the rooms felt a lot smaller in person than they looked on TV.

They pointed out the lovely door, but it really is MUCH more beautiful in person. It's huge and heavy and just a beautiful color.

That poem the guy read from the newspaper is now framed and hung next to the door. On our tour I was standing right next to it, so when the guide asked for a volunteer to read it, I was happy to do so. It's a cool poem and added something to the authenticity of the house - made it seem more personal to have the words of the guy who finished it.   There is a painting of him in one of the bedrooms, too, I think.

I had forgotten how much I loved the green color of the primary bathroom upstairs, and I also forgot how small the stove seemed under that huge fireplace mantle.  My husband also remembered how overpowering that fireplace is in the dining room.  It makes it feel very crowded... but there were probably about 15 of us on the tour. It would probably not feel as bad if you had a small dinner party, but it's still a huge overpowering presence in the room.

The bit about the bones outside the laundry room was kind of funny, but the tour guide explained that the cook butchered their own cattle and threw the bones out there (for the dogs, I guess) so that's why they were there.

I'll come back after other episodes if I can think of things that y'all might find interesting.  I wonder why they only did 30 minute episodes. They could have given you more details if they didn't cut it short (and if Chip weren't such a ham).

[debbie311]

On 10/14/2022 at 6:23 PM, Frost said:

I forgot how much I dislike Chip's mugging for the camera.  I'm fascinated by how they're going to renovate the Castle, but I'm planning on keeping the mute button handy for whenever Chip is onscreen.

I can't stand watching him.  He didn't used to be such an idiot, I used to like him.  Now he just grates.  I don't know how much is schtick but he reminds me of someone who is hyper and not in a good way. He looked like a damned slob when they went to have the meeting with the guy about the history of the house, with his long greasy hair and t-shirt. Dude - clean up!  He did look better after his hair was cut.  I don't know how she stands him.

[buttersister]

I have HBO Max so now apparently, I have all this and a side of Chip. Feh. So far, I've only watched Joanna cooking (as a nightlight, to go to sleep). But perhaps I can ff through Chip in the set up and go right for the reveal. His idea of entertaining and mine are not aligned.

[iMonrey]

I was interested to see the castle renovation despite my issues with Chip and Joanna and their weird church. The renovation itself is pretty interesting, but it's too bad the Gaineses feel the need to promote their shop every episode. You would think HBO is compensating them enough for this show but I guess that was part of their deal. Every time Joanna says something about the silos I just shrug, I have no idea what the hell she's talking about and don't really care.

Quote

There's an old carriage house with a half-timbered water-tower behind the house before you get to the parking lot.

Thanks. I wondered what that was. You can see it from the front but they never mention what it is.

I would also be interested to see more of the surrounding area. It would be weird if there's this one castle in the midst of modern looking suburban houses.

[buttersister]

2 hours ago, iMonrey said:

t would be weird if there's this one castle in the midst of modern looking suburban houses.

And yet, somehow, on brand.

[CrazyInAlabama]

If the awful looking chain link fence to the left of the castle, when you're looking at the front, it's a parking lot and looks like the business that used to be there is gone.    Maybe it's going to be the castle's parking area for events?    

[Soapy Goddess]

12 hours ago, iMonrey said:

The renovation itself is pretty interesting, but it's too bad the Gaineses feel the need to promote their shop every episode. You would think HBO is compensating them enough for this show but I guess that was part of their deal.

Totally agree. This latest episode turned out to be one long commercial for their paint brand, which rolled right into another commercial for their gift shop 🙄

[SusanwatchingTV]

I finally watched this week's episode last night.  This was the one about the paint. It upsets me that they're leaving out so much of the back story in these shortened episodes.

I loved all the colors and the way they go together and give that historic look and feel to the place. I generally dislike the color pink, but the pink was dusty in the best possible way and I really liked the way that room turned out in real life.  The drawings show one bed in that room, but it ended up with twins instead. The tour guide told us Jo bought them for her daughters, but they thought they were too frilly and old-fashioned so they had been in storage. She pulled them out to put in the castle.  It's a charming look, but there's not a lot of floor room in that space.

The "boy's room" has a story that it's designed for a college kid who is away, but comes home occasionally.  She based that on her oldest going to college this year.  I loved the color of that room and it's the one with an interesting painting over the fireplace. It was painted by a Magnolia employee or an employee's spouse (can't remember which) and I think it's supposed to be the original architect.  (Sorry my memory is failing me here.)

The green bathroom is the second bathroom upstairs, but it was my favorite. That tile is absolutely killer and the color of the paint is perfect.

The other bathroom is probably the "main" bath and it's nice but somehow the lack of one solid color didn't do it any favors. I also really don't like the tub in front of all those windows that have no covering on them, but I'll admit that the look is beautiful and I'm not at all sure how you'd give privacy to those windows without ruining the charm of them... so you end up with a tub you can't use. I'm a bath person, so that bothered me. It would be interesting to see what the buyer will do with it. (One of the ladies on our tour said maybe they won't care and they'll just let the world see what it sees!)

The floor color they end up choosing is pretty light (but not the lightest) in the middle with an outline in a darker stain, so it's a cool look.  I hope you'll be able to see that detail on TV. It was really nice.

[iMonrey]

Quote

She based that on her oldest going to college this year.  

And we saw her youngest running around in his PJs chasing after the baby horsey this week. How many kids do these people have?

I was struck by how creepy that basement will be even when it's finished. The TV room is where I spend most of my time so I can't imagine having to spend most of my time in the basement. And that guest bedroom without any windows would be creepy too. (I didn't see any windows; even if it has those basement windows above it's still creepy.)

[CrazyInAlabama]

On 11/5/2022 at 11:25 AM, iMonrey said:

And we saw her youngest running around in his PJs chasing after the baby horsey this week. How many kids do these people have?

I was struck by how creepy that basement will be even when it's finished. The TV room is where I spend most of my time so I can't imagine having to spend most of my time in the basement. And that guest bedroom without any windows would be creepy too. (I didn't see any windows; even if it has those basement windows above it's still creepy.)

They have five kids, Drake and Duke, Emma and Ella, and the youngest Crew.    Duke is at college now.  

[RoxiP]

From the little they showed of the floor the stain looked very nice.

Little Crew in his PJs chasing the foal was so cute.  You can tell they spend a lot of time with their animals because eventually he was able to touch the baby and the mother wasn't pitching a fit.  Shoot - I wanted to be out in that field with the new family!

Aren't there tints you can put on a window that make it difficult to see things on the inside?  

[SusanwatchingTV]

Let's see....comments on this week's episode.

This one didn't feel as cohesive as the last one, so my thoughts were muddled, too.

First, the "conservatory" or sunroom was a cool room, and I'm pretty sure she ended up with a marble topped table in there, if I recall correctly.  It was very full of plants, though, so none of the furniture was the focus.

There's a half-bath just to the left of the door to that room that they're not showing.  There had been an outside window there, and they left the window, which, of course, also has no covering on it, so all of us on the tour were laughing about the exhibitionism all over the house. lol  Yes, I think there's stuff you can put on the windows to make it one way or darkened, but she didn't do that, so it'll have to be done later, I suppose.

I liked the half-bath design, though. It's all brand new, but reproduction so it fits well with the house.

One other thing that I don't think is clear in the show is that the original kitchen was in the basement, so all the kitchen stuff upstairs is brand new. None of those rooms are very large, so they ended up doing two areas for the kitchen. One they called the scullery or butler's and the other is the main kitchen. Both are lovely and together you have a lot of kitchen, but it's understandably a bit disjointed. 

What *was* the kitchen in the basement is now the TV area with a big built in tv cabinet.  If I recall correctly, they said this was the first time Jo's built something like that.  She usually ignores TVs.

They also haven't focused on one of my favorite bits.  Just to the left of the main door as you come in is the staircase. There are 2-3 stairs and then a flat area with a chair and lamp in front of the window before the staircase turns to go up.  I loved that area. The wood on the stairs is so deep and lovely and that sitting area just seemed too perfect for reading.

I was interested in the shopping trip because there were two lovely leather chairs in the living/drawing room that were just perfect for me. I'm short and they were very low and comfortable, unlike most modern furniture which is over-sized.  I asked our guide where Jo got them and she told me it was at that market, but I didn't see them in the show.  They were buttery soft and just perfection, but I bet they cost a pretty penny.

Someone said something about the basement being creepy, and I didn't really think about that when we were touring the house. It was cooler down there than the rest of the house, which was nice, and there was good lighting, I thought, but not a lot of natural light, true.  There *is* a window in that room, but it's high and very deep set in the wall because that's the outside stone wall.

I think it would be fine for a night or two, though.  The back wall is curved like the upstairs drawing room, so it's got a little bit of a unique feel to it.

Edited November 7, 2022 by SusanwatchingTV

[iMonrey]

So is that it? Just four episodes? We didn't even see the finished product.

[CrazyInAlabama]

The finale of the finished castle is next Friday. 

[iMonrey]

Ah, I must have checked too soon, didn't realize HBO Max waited until 9:00 to drop the latest episode. Which is kind of dumb, but whatever.

Isn't there enough about the castle renovation itself to fill a half hour show, especially if there are only six of them? Do we really need superfluous scenes of Chip and Joanna talking about statues of baseball players or constantly talking about their silos? 

[buttersister]

3 hours ago, iMonrey said:

Do we really need superfluous scenes of Chip and Joanna talking about statues of baseball players or constantly talking about their silos? 

Thanks, I'll take a hard pass on this (never mind, HBO Max).

[absolutelyido]

I watched the reveal last night and, I have to say, I think they did a spectacular job of renovating the castle. They made it very livable for a family while maintaining as much of the original character as possible.

I had to laugh at the "butler's pantry" because it was basically a second kitchen, the only thing it was missing was a cooktop. If I lived there it would be my baking room.

The only choice I really disagreed with was the shower in the upstairs hall bath which was in the standalone tub. If kids use that as a shower there's going to be water everywhere all the time. 

[emma675]

I can't really stand Chip and Joanna and their weird church, but I drive through Waco quite a bit since I'm in Dallas, and I've seen the castle from the road before. So I watched this to see what they were able to do with it and I'll admit, they did a great job. 

The only thing I didn't like was the chopped up kitchen. Could they not have knocked out a wall to combine the kitchen and butlers pantry so it was one big room? It would drive me nuts to have to run between two rooms while I was cooking. 

But I loved all of the tile choices and the majority of the paint colors (although it was one big ad for Magnolia Paint). I do think they should have considered a standalone shower for the kid's bathroom. While that tub in the middle of the room was gorgeous, little kids would get water everywhere.