Fixer Upper: A Very Special House in the Country
With the help of Chip and Joanna Gaines, a family undertakes a one-of-a-kind project in the rolling hills outside Waco, TX -- and simultaneously the term "barndominium" is added to our design lexicon. In this notably non-traditional Fixer Upper, a barn conversion turns a 1000-square-foot attic apartment -- along with horse stalls and hay storage -- into an amazing 2700-square-foot home with contemporary styling and a truly spectacular dining space.
Meet the Meeks
Hosts Chip and Joanna Gaines with homeowners Todd and Lexia Meek in their new dining room. The Meeks were looking for a place with character in a country setting with some acreage and ample space for a family of five. Their wish list included 4 bedrooms, a large kitchen and a space for entertaining. They were working with an all-in budget of $359,000 and were willing to consider something a little outside the mainstream.
BEFORE
"Outside the mainstream" is exactly what the Meeks got when they opted for this former horse-barn with concrete slab floors and absolutely no frills. It sits on a 16-acre tract, was built in 1980 and had been partially renovated to added a modest upstairs apartment. Prior to the renovation, the entrance was via outside stairs and this second story porch. List price for the land and barn was $180,000.
Dining Space and Kitchen, BEFORE
The renovation budget for the barn conversion was $180,000. A large portion of that went to infrastructure and utility upgrades such as adding HVAC and upgrading plumbing and electrical for the downstairs portion of the structure. The estimate for the upstairs kitchen upgrade was $30,000.
Modern Country Living
The barn conversion is one of the more distinctive and unusual Fixer Uppers that Chip and Joanna have undertaken, and it offers a taste of the types of elements that might be incorporated into their new headquarters at Magnolia Silos. Distinguishing exterior features seen here include a classic metal roof, extra large windows, sliding barn doors and exterior gooseneck lamps.
Finis
If you enjoyed this particularly imaginative Fixer Upper project, you might also enjoy this ambitious makeover from Season One: Country Farmhouse Goes from Scary to Sensational.
Or head over to the Fixer Upper main page for lots more projects, galleries, videos and behind-the-scenes features.
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