If you know me at all, you know that I am a huge Fixer Upper fan! Tuesday nights at nine o’clock, you will catch me watching Fixer Upper, as it is one of my favorite shows. In 2016, I even visited Waco, Texas for the first time and spent a day at the Silos and the Magnolia Bakery. Here are just a few reasons to love the show Fixer Upper.
1. Chip and Joanna Gaines
Chip and Joanna Gaines have a talent that is unique. They turn houses into homes for families. They truly invest in their clients, which makes this show so special. If you have read the book The Magnolia Story, you know their love story is one of many laughs, hardships, and triumphs. They did not start out where they are now, in fact, one of the first projects they flipped was a houseboat! This couple teaches that you can follow your dreams in life, and when you work hard enough, your dreams do come true.
2. “Take That Wall Out”
It seems like every episode of Fixer Upper, Joanna is taking out walls in houses. A lot of her decisions of taking walls out come from a design aspect, but taking a wall out goes much deeper than that. She takes out walls in homes to create an open concept. This open concept creates a sense of unity and community in a house.
3. Demo Day
Chip Gaines’ favorite day is Demo Day(obviously). I have never demoed a house, but I cannot imagine the hard work and strength it takes to take down walls, and rip out cabinets. It is so crazy to me that Chip demolitions a house, and a few weeks later he turns it into a masterpiece.
4. The Gaines’ Children
Drake, Ella, Duke, and Emmy. Occasionally, they are seen on the show, but most of the time they like to keep quiet. Whenever they are on the show, they are seen making memories and sharing laughs with Chip and Jo. I am a bit biased, but I do think they are the cutest family in Waco.
5. The Transformations
Are you ready to see your Fixer Upper? When Chip and Jo roll away the banner of a client’s old house, I always love to look at clients’ expressions. Some clients facial expressions are priceless. The transformations Chip and Jo make in a house are simply incredible.
6. Shiplap
A few years ago, if someone said the word shiplap, I would have no idea what that meant. Shiplap is a design which uses boards that overlap. It adds a farmhouse charm to a home.
7. The Silos
The Silos was first Jo’s ideas of turning grain bins into an office (which eventually would turn into a bakery and store). Jo took a dream of hers, which to me seemed so far-fetched and turned it into reality. The Silos are probably Chip and Jo’s biggest Fixer Uppers, and it is one that reinforces community. When I visited Waco, I visited the Silos, and the atmosphere was so quaint and cozy. You see hundreds of people visit the Silos every day, and people can be seen taking pictures, eating cupcakes from the Magnolia Bakery, playing corn hole, or throwing footballs.
8. The Magnolia Bakery
Cupcakes and coffee, it does not get much better than that!
9. The Magnolia Journal
The Magnolia Journal is a magazine that comes out each season. Inside, readers will find design tips, recipes, stories from Chip and Jo, and oh so much more. I could look through the same issue of The Magnolia Journal, and it never gets old.
10. The Story
Chip and Jo’s story is a story of love, passion, and hard work. One of the stories from the book that I love the most is the story of why they chose the name Magnolia. When Chip and Jo first started dating, Chip would pick magnolia flowers for Jo. Back then, Chip and Jo did not have their bakery, the silos, a reality, all they had was a dream. They plant a magnolia tree in each house they flip to remind them of where they started. It all started with a dream that they decided to grow.
Fixer Upper is more than just a show or business. It is a lesson; a lesson of hard work and passion. It teaches the lessons that your dreams can come true, no matter what size they are.
