A midcentury mess, a shotgun with charm, and a floating double decker. Chip and Joanna Gaines
have tackled plenty of fixer uppers, but which one takes the cake as their absolute best renovation?
"I told Jo that I had this, and I don't mean to brag, but I love it when a plan comes together."
The beautiful blue home featured on Season 3 of "Fixer Upper"
made headlines for all the wrong reasons in 2017 when a drunk driver crashed his
car through the front exterior. Chip and Joanna Gaines' clients,
Ken and Kelly Downs, used the crash as an opportunity to voice their
disappointments with the location of the house, telling the Waco Tribune-Herald:
"It's like the Wild West here. There's been a lot
of commotion coming from the bars and the store across the street."
Fans, however, will remember the "Three Little Pigs" house for being the 100-year-old home that
Chip and Joanna brought back to life with a new steel apron sink and striking blue
kitchen accents. The duo echoed the Downs' assessment during the original renovation,
though, calling the house a "wild card" and hinting at the fact that
whoever purchased the fixer-upper would indeed need to be brave.
"We're gonna work our darndest to make you guys proud, I think this house has got a lot of risk,
but I think when it's all said and done, there's going to be a reward at the end of it."
The Downs agreed to take on the challenge, purchasing the 1905 property for $35,000.
As of early 2023, fans of the show can rent out the home for nightly stays or
weekend trips to Waco, Texas — the epicenter of Chip and Jo's
great Magnolia empire. In the Airbnb listing for the home, the host proudly
informs prospective visitors about the wonders of the incredible master bedroom,
which includes a large shower and bathtub, and the two studies. The owners further reveal:
"This house has been touched from top to bottom by the amazing Magnolia style and is ready for you!"
When former U.S. Marine TJ Brooks and his girlfriend Stephanie Lundy
purchased a home attached to an unfinished barn in Waco,
they likely had no idea it would become one of the most memorable renovations in "Fixer
Upper" history. Stripping out the drafty walls and reconfiguring the floor plan,
Chip and Joanna Gaines made it their mission to give this couple their dream home.
Acreage was essential, and TJ and Stephanie had definitely lucked out with this charming property
and its beautiful views of Texas farmland. There were, however, multiple challenges to
make the place work for TJ, who had lost his leg in Afghanistan. To make matters worse,
the needed renovations would demand the couple go over their budget. Nevertheless,
they wound up charmed by the stunning renovation.
By the end of this episode, cast and crew were shocked as TJ began lowering himself
down to one knee. Against the backdrop of his home's striking new exterior,
fit with farmhouse columns and handmade porch swing,
TJ christened the property by popping the question to the woman of his dreams.
"I know we've been on a lot of great adventures, and
I think this marks the beginning of our greatest adventure."
The Season 2 house, which was dubbed the "Messy Mid-Century Modern," happens to be
one of Joanna's favorite renovations of all time.
"My goodness, we don't get a whole lot of these in Waco,
Texas, man. This is a uh, funky little house."
"Very funky, that's exactly what I was thinking."
Never one to back down from a difficult design, Jo took on the project with gusto,
eventually finding a way to blend his rustic roots with her more modern visions.
Where the Gaineses really excelled in this renovation is opening up the floor
plan to create a clean, sun-filled living area. With their clients expecting a baby,
Chip and Joanna also went to work designing a lovable nursery that reflects the house's
color story. In breaking down the project on the Magnolia blog,
Jo explained that she is especially proud of the work on the master bedroom,
where she included exposed brick on the walls to add a bit of texture to the design.
The Barretts' pride in their home was on full
display during a house tour they gave to House Beautiful in 2018.
"We didn't know that they were going to do
this brass and glass island sort of area as they opened up the kitchen."
It's no surprise that producers chose this episode to launch Season 3 of the show,
as the "Nut House," as Chip and Joanna christened this building, is one of the
most stunning redesigns ever completed on the show. After a two-year period of abandonment,
this neglected property was finally bought by Chip and Joanna's clients, Noah and Jessica Dansby.
The "Nut House" dates back all the way to the mid-20th century and stands at 3,500 square
feet. With such a dilapidated property, this building was the perfect canvas for Chip and
Joanna to test just how far they could stretch their farmhouse aesthetic. With
a 6-light rustic chandelier, dark wood chairs, and a classic farmhouse table,
the Dansbys' new kitchen is far and away the most exceptional room in the house.
Following the lead of their clients, the Gaineses used an aquamarine color scheme for the Dansbys'
kitchen. Sensing that the couple was unafraid of bold colors, Jo and her team chose an interesting
tile pattern called Lagoon Quartz for the kitchen countertops and laid a
backsplash using a periwinkle subway-style tile, creating a room that sings with calming energy.
"What is this?"
"It's our next flip house."
Featured on Season 4 of the show, the "Giraffe House" fascinated audiences who wanted to
find out if Chip and Joanna could pull off a renovation so different from their usual style.
Sporting intricate stonework on the exterior that resembles a giraffe pattern, this safari-inspired
project was quite the radical shift away from Chip and Jo's usual modern Texan flair.
Leaning into the home's natural bungalow vibes, Jo managed to pull off a beautiful
interior renovation with herringbone-patterned hardwood, floral brass light fixtures, and wide,
European-style arched doorways. The eclectic mixtures of textures
throughout the house and the original pantry doors that were serendipitously
found in the garage mid-construction give this house a truly Old World feel.
The dining area turned out to be the star of this particular renovation. With a shiplap
ceiling and other modern elements like a jute rug and rattan dining chairs, the design of
the dining room proved that not everything on "Fixer Upper" has to be farmhouse chic.
Dating all the way back to the 1930s, this cottage-style home possessed a
fairytale-like charm even before the Gaineses got their hands on it. While
Chip and Joanna are more used to dealing with sliding barn doors and rustic shiplap,
this delicate building was calling for something a bit more European.
The "Lunar Lander," as it was dubbed, possessed a soft quality, leading Chip and Joanna to do some
of their best color work — combining deep blues and reds for an almost Snow White-inspired design.
In naming the house, as the Gaineses do with all their properties, Chip
takes inspiration from the half-moon design carved into the front door.
"That moon is original!"
"No kidding. I would've never guessed that. Wow."
And thus, the "Lunar Lander" was born. Young couple Matt and Samantha Hardy
were ecstatic about the vintage home as well, and so Chip and Jo set to
work transforming this Waco property into the starter home of their dreams.
The property's beauty can be seen in the dark turquoise walls and sleek
black kitchen. Pushing themselves beyond the boundaries of their signature style,
the Gaineses wowed the Hardy family and "Fixer Upper" fans alike with
this project. Samantha summed up our thoughts on reveal day:
"I think we knew it would be beautiful, but it's almost surreal that we get to live here."
"Tiny House, Big Charm" was the perfect title for this Season 3
episode of "Fixer Upper," as it centers on the renovation of what
was one of the last shotgun houses left standing in the Waco area.
For the uninitiated, a shotgun house is a small abode that dates back to
the early 19th century. They were originally associated with African American populations
in the Southern cities of New Orleans, Louisiana, Houston, Texas, and Charlotte,
North Carolina. Architecturally, these unique buildings continue to draw people
from all walks of life for their effective use of space and inexpensive price tag.
When Chip and Joanna Gaines first stumbled upon this rare 720-square-foot shotgun house with
their clients, Cameron and Jessie Bell, the interior was completely dilapidated. However,
by the time Chip and Jo were finished with it, this uniquely vertical shotgun house
had made HGTV history. By the end of the project, the Bells couldn't have been more
pleased with their one-of-a-kind home. From its historically accurate Southern charm to the modern
pulley-operated loft staircase, this "Fixer Upper" renovation is truly unlike any other.
"It's really cute!"
"Isn't that cool?"
"It's really cool."
And it's no surprise that when the Bells decided to sell in 2017,
the renovated home was listed for nearly $1 million.
Situated in the Lake Waco area, this home was exactly what Chip and Joanna Gaines'
clients were looking for — a modern beach home. Not a duo to disappoint,
Chip and Joanna reconstructed the home in a way that embraced the surrounding landscape — building
back doors that easily open out into the yard, a beautiful second-floor balcony,
and a woodlands-inspired black tile fireplace to bring it all together.
What earns this renovation a spot on our list is Chip and Joanna's attention to structural
and cosmetic detail. As Florida transplants, it was crucial for Teresa and Steve Fuchs to feel
at home in their new state of Texas, where beach-inspired designs are much harder to
come by. Though the Gaineses couldn't replicate Florida's saltwater scent or towering palm trees,
they could bring a little bit of the beach to the Fuchs' new sanctuary.
"Is this a beach house or is this a tree house, which one's it gonna end up?"
"Beach. We're gonna do beach."
On reveal day, the Fuchs walked into their home to find beauty around every corner, including an
aquatic-colored backsplash, large French doors, floating kitchen shelves, and sand-colored accent
pieces. Transforming this formerly windowless property into the Fuchs' palatial forever home,
Chip and Joanna prove once again why they're the best of the best in home renovation.
Once again, Chip and Joanna proved that some of their best work comes when they venture
outside of their countryside comfort zone. After meeting with Brett Swartz,
the Gaineses decided to make this 1970s-era houseboat, dubbed the
"Double Decker," a one-of-a-kind renovation project. The "Double Decker's" undeniable
beauty paired with its unique location lands this property a spot at the top of our list.
There's no denying that renovating a houseboat is a scary undertaking.
Not only does it come with all the risks of renovating an average house,
but there's also the aquatic element to contend with. Chip and Joanna were able to
pull off not only a safe and secure houseboat but also one with a ton of aesthetic flair.
Switching out the white exterior for some sleek black siding and adding floor-to-ceiling windows
for 360 views of Lake Waco were the most impressive aspects of this renovation and
made the Double Decker the perfect fit for Brett Swartz. The father of four told HGTV:
"Chip and Joanna really captured just the simple,
subtle, modern design that I wanted. I didn't want anything flashy. I didn't
want anything shiny. I just wanted it simple and I feel like they really got it perfect."
"You know what we're calling this project?"
"Tell me."
"Barndominium."
"Barndo–" [laughs]
"Did you come up with that on your own?"
Contrary to what you may have heard, the "Barndominium" was not a Gaines invention.
The concept of transforming working spaces, like barns or outdoor workshops,
into living spaces was popular among the home design community long before "Fixer Upper."
Nevertheless, the barndo featured in Season 3 of "Fixer Upper" has become something of
an ideal model for what enterprising Texans' might want their own barndominiums to look
like. We've placed this property at the top of our list not only for its popularity among
fans but also because it is genuinely a marvelous piece of home construction and interior design.
A big part of the barndominium's fame among "Fixer Upper" fans derives from Chip's willingness to
play with traditional blueprint conventions. Instead of placing the main living area and the
kitchen on the first floor, he and his team shook up the status quo by situating the living room and
kitchen on the second floor of the house, making for a unique and playful space from top to bottom.
If that's not enough to convince you that this renovation deserves the top spot,
let us remind you that this famous barndo also includes top-tier shiplap walls,
ample amounts of natural light, and rolling barn entryways,
not to mention the tranquil lakeside you can also encounter on the property.