Chip and Jo, with some help from Joanna's design assistants and woodcraftsman Clint Harp, turn a plain and outdated house into a one-of-a-kind home for a family of four. 

In keeping with the clients' wishes, Joanna had to find a way to marry two distinct styles — coastal and rustic — within a single design vision. And because the couple had never been through a home renovation before, Joanna was especially challenged to achieve the perfect stylistic balance while giving the couple the just what they were looking for.

Gayle and Tim Jackson were relocating from Austin to Waco and looking for a house with lots of living space to acommodate friends and family. They looked at more than 20 properties before making their final choice. Tim initially leaned toward a new build, but Gayle eventually persuaded him to take on a vintage fixer-upper. In terms of their design preferences, Gayle described "a kind of beachy feel, but not just light and airy. We also like the rustic...Sort of like beach house marries Texas farmhouse."

"The Ivy House" as Chip christened it — owing to the ivy vines climbing its brick exterior — was a plain and simple 1960s home with 3400 square feet inside but very limited appeal on the outside. "It's a cute, little brick house," said Joanna, "in great shape, but in need of a face-lift, especially in the master bathroom."