Mediterranean Money Pit
We’re back with episode 6 of Fixer Upper: Welcome Home!
After moving to Waco a few years ago to be closer to family, David and Christina bought an expansive 1970s property with the plan of renovating it themselves. But after putting the project aside to focus on family and their careers, they decided to enlist some help to get the project done.
The textures, colors, and overall design of this home were inspired by its original Tuscan-style architecture, which paired perfectly with David and Christina’s love for traveling. Now every time they step inside, they’re met with a getaway to call their own, where they can rest and gather with the people they love.
Welcome home, David and Christina!
— Chip + Jo
Materials + Design Elements
Download Jo's Design Sourcebook from this HomeOpens in new tab
Exterior: Before + After
Blanched - Exterior Paint, Magnolia Home by Joanna Gaines; magnolia.com
what we updated:
- Re-plastered the exterior for a smooth texture in a light sand color
- Added black-gridded windows on all elevations
- Incorporated wood accents throughout, including the shutters, gate, and rafter tails in a Serpentine curve
- Built an antique-looking limestone wall with a private patio outside the master bedroom to match the interior fireplace
- Refreshed the front entry by adding new landscaping with soft hill country style plants, river rock, new brick pavers for the front patio, a new front door with stain-grade double doors, and copper lanterns
- Replaced the roof with synthetic terracotta barrel tiles to update the color and style, and to add long-term structural stability
- Add copper lanterns to front exterior
Entry: Before + After
what we updated:
- Replaced the terracotta tile with hardwood flooring that starts in the entry and extends throughout the living room
- Updated the stairs with a new iron railing and a carpet runner
- Updated the existing brick arch walls with a plaster finish to smooth out the walls and bring in fresh texture
Living Room: Before + After
Blanched - Interior Paint from Magnolia Home by Joanna GainesOpens in new tab, Annie Light Grey Rug from Magnolia Home by Joanna Gaines Crafted by LoloiOpens in new tab
what we updated:
- Kept the existing stone fireplace, which served as inspiration for other stone elements on the exterior private patio and in the primary bedroom
- Covered the existing ceiling beams with custom-carved, antique, restored hand-hewn beams and a new mantel made from the same wood
- Added a custom built-in cabinet for storage to the left of the mantel
- Updated the back door sliders with black gridded sliders
- Refinished the walls with plaster to add fresh texture
Kitchen + Dining: Before + After
what we updated:
- Removed the walls within the kitchen for an open flow into the living room and to create more space for two islands
- Installed Volakas marble honed countertops with an ogee edge
- Installed custom cabinetry with new hardware and added a paneled fridge that would blend in with the cabinetry
- Built a plastered vent hood structure to center the range and installed new backsplash tiles to create a focal point
- Added new lighting fixtures above both islands
- Installed new Travertine floors
- Installed a custom painted mural wallpaper by Chelsea Fly to bookend the kitchen and dining room as a nod to David and Christina’s favorite landscapes in Italy
- Added a chandelier above the dining table with powder-coated metal detail to define and center the space
- Installed custom doors on either side of the kitchen to match the wood on the island along with an accented leaded glass detail above each door
Laundry Room: Before + After
Garden Party - Trim, Door + Cabinetry Paint from Magnolia Home by Joanna GainesOpens in new tab
what we updated:
- Removed and re-framed the walls to create a large laundry and mudroom combo space that sits off the kitchen with a folding table, pantry, mudroom cabinets, and powder bathroom
- Installed hand-painted terracotta tiles on the floor that extend to the powder bathroom
- Painted walls and cabinets with a muted green accent color and added new hardware
- Installed new lighting fixtures and Roman shades
Powder Bathroom
what we updated:
- Carved out space for a powder bathroom to sit off the laundry room
- Installed grasscloth wallpaper and hand-painted terracotta tile to the floor
- Added a brass console vanity with a vessel sink
Primary Bedroom: Before + After
Rowan Sand Rug from Magnolia Home with Joanna Gaines crafted by LoloiOpens in new tab
what we updated:
- Removed the walls to re-configure the existing bedroom space and added all new windows, a large closet and bathroom suite with a private patio
- Updated the existing brick fireplace with a plaster finish, custom iron fireplace screen, and wood mantel, and added built-in shelving to the left of the fireplace
- Created a stone accent wall to tie in with the living room mantel
- Incorporated four antique hand-hewn beams to the ceiling
Primary Bathroom: Before + After
what we updated:
- Added new windows and a back gridded slider door that leads to a private patio with terracotta flooring, a stone accent wall, and a custom wood gate
- Created a bathroom layout off of the master with a double vanity, soaking tub, walk-in shower with hand-painted tile, and two arched wall niches for dimension and additional storage
- Installed new hardware, mirrors, and light fixtures
- Added a Zellige tile accent ledge behind the soaking tub and terracotta clay flooring in a San Felipe pattern on the floor that extends to the patio to emphasize the shared indoor/outdoor space.
Download Jo's Design Sourcebook from this HomeOpens in new tab
Inspired to get started on your own space? Get started on magnolia.com.
before + after photography taken by Lisa Petrole
FAQs
No, they do not get to keep them but can buy them. What value does Chip and Joanna Gaines really offer new buyers on Fixer Upper?
How much did Chip and Joanna get paid for Fixer Upper? ›
Now, if you're a longtime fan of “Fixer Upper” you might be curious to know how much the couple received from each episode of the wildly popular HGTV show. The Gaines' made an average of $30,000 per renovation on the show, in addition to an undisclosed fee from the network.
How much of Fixer Upper is scripted? ›
The Making of an HGTV Show
"But what happens really is real. The producers might have you repeat things a few times, and they might film things multiple times from different angles, but the reactions and conversations are real. The hard thing is remembering what you said before when asked to repeat it."
Do the clients on Fixer Upper get to keep everything? ›
Homeowners don't get to keep the furnishings from Joanna, but they can purchase them. The finished home you see at the end of the episode is actually staging done by Joanna to show homeowners how they can utilize and maximize the new space.
Why does no one want a Fixer Upper now? ›
There are even TV shows about them. Why are they falling out of favor with buyers now? Veronica Dagher: Well, one of the reasons is they just don't want to hire a contractor. It's a lot of work to do that, and it's hard to find them these days, but the big factor here is high mortgage rates.
Has anyone ever bought all the furniture on Fixer Upper? ›
First, Joanna sometimes gifted the homeowners a piece or two from the staging. This was usually a refurbished item or a personal touch that spoke to the clients, but it wasn't guaranteed. Second, no one walked away totally empty handed.
Why was Fixer Upper Welcome Home cancelled? ›
The couple eventually announced in September 2017 that they were concluding the show after its fifth season the following April, sharing that they needed time to focus on their family. "[The children are] so young, and we want to give them the chance to have a normal childhood," said Joanna, 39, at the time.
Are Chip and Joanna Gaines billionaires? ›
Since then, the two have become household names and left the network to start their own, Magnolia, amassing a whopping $50million net worth combined. They also have a homeware and paint line, a magazine, each have written books, and they have their own real-estate company.
How much is it to hire Chip and Joanna? ›
The final Chip and Joanna Gaines booking price is contingent on many variables and the booking fee we may show is based on a range derived from our past experience with what will Chip and Joanna Gaines charge for an event. An example fee to book Chip and Joanna Gaines is in the starting range of $300,000-$499,000.
Has the Waco Castle sold? ›
The Gaineses Decided Not to Sell
In July 2023, Chip and Joanna announced that they planned to keep the castle for at least 6 more months. "Magnolia is pleased to share that the Historic Waco Castle is staying in the Magnolia family,” a statement from Magnolia read.
Chip Gaines and Joanna Gaines have been sued multiple times, and at least one of their lawsuits appears to be ongoing. Here's why the Fixer Upper stars have been sued in the past and what we know about their most recent legal case.
Why did they stop filming Fixer Upper? ›
After five successful seasons, the couple decided they no longer wanted to continue filming the show, but promised audiences had not seen the last of them. Back in 2019, Chip and Joanna announced their plans to create their own TV network, Magnolia Network, to replace the DIY Network.
Has anyone sold their house from Fixer Upper? ›
Chip and Joanna Gaines have sold their lake house—but you can still watch their renovation unfold on “Fixer Upper: The Lakehouse.” A Magnolia Network rep has confirmed, “They bought the Lakehouse with the intention of flipping it, and they have sold it.”
Did anyone not like their Fixer Upper house? ›
Over the past four years, Chip and Joanna Gaines have helped people in Waco, Texas, flip and design their dream homes. But Ken and Kelly Downs say that living in their "Fixer Upper" home has been more like a nightmare.
Do they get to keep the furniture on Fixer Upper Welcome Home? ›
The clients don't get to keep all the furniture seen in the reveal. Most of the furniture you see in the homes on reveal day is "staging furniture," meaning it's just there to make the space look nice. After the reveal, clients can purchase what they want to keep in their home.
What happens to furniture after Fixer Upper? ›
Furniture Is Not Included
According to The Kitchn, Joanna shared on her Magnolia blog that the furniture and decor are there to help new homeowners visualize their space. If they like it, they can buy it, but those finishing touches aren't included in the renovation budget.
Why was Fixer Upper Welcome Home Cancelled? ›
The couple eventually announced in September 2017 that they were concluding the show after its fifth season the following April, sharing that they needed time to focus on their family. "[The children are] so young, and we want to give them the chance to have a normal childhood," said Joanna, 39, at the time.
Do you get to keep the furniture on home renovation shows? ›
But here's the kicker: More often than not, the homes are staged, meaning the homeowners don't get to keep the furniture and decor that's shown on TV. “Most if not all of our flipping shows are staged,” Betsy admits, noting that, depending on the client, sometimes the renovation will include some of the furniture.
What happens to furniture after staging? ›
After staging, furniture is often returned to the staging company or the furniture store that they were rented from. Some buyers might fall in love with what you have done to the space and ask to purchase all of the staging inventory en masse. This opens up some great opportunities for further profit.
