Fixer Upper: Country Farmhouse Goes from Scary to Sensational

Chip and Joanna battle bees and some structural surprises as they help a Baylor professor and his wife transform a frighteningly ambitious fixer upper into "a piece of paradise in the country."

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August 27, 2015

By: David L. Haynes

Feeling Expansive

A focal point in this Fixer Upper renovation was the makeover of an outdated country kitchen. Chip and Joanna merged two spaces by removing a wall that had separated kitchen from the dining room. Removing the wall gave both rooms a larger and more open feel.

Welcome Transitions

The dining room gets a fresh new look while retaining key features like the wood ceiling and exposed beams. Removal of the wall made way for a new serving bar with additional seating.

Brightened Up But Still Cozy

The renovated living room, with new hardwood flooring, exposed beams and leather furniture, blends western country motifs with a mountain lodge feel.

Word Play

The updated bonus room can function as a den, playroom or guest bedroom. Joanna's fondness for words and letters as a decorative motif is in evidence in both the wall art and coffee table.

Literally Ornate

In the dining room, the rustic wood dining table is staged with distinctive wrought-iron charger plates, ceramic dishware and table linens covered in cursive script print.

At Home in the Country

The newly renovated home offers country charm but with an easy commute to jobs and city amenities.

Meet the Homeowners

Devon and Hannah Jonklaas were in search of a new home in the Waco area and one with a shorter commute to Devon's job at Baylor University. Their wish list included four bedrooms, two baths, an open floor plan and some land.

And the Dream Makers

Chip and Joanna Gaines were determined to help the Jonklaas family find and renovate a home that would not only meet their needs, but would ultimately amaze them.

Before

Of the three houses that Chip and Joanna showed to Devon and Hannah, this one was the least move-in ready. In fact, with its worn and damaged exterior and overgrown vegetation, Devon's initial impression was that it might need to be cordoned off with caution tape.

After

With some selective tree trimming, a few front-porch improvements and a whole lot of sanding and staining, the exterior takes on a markedly improved appearance.

Before

Prior to the renovation, the wood siding was separated from the house in places, and a hive of honeybees had taken up residence within one of the exterior walls.

After

With some pressure washing, sanding, staining and re-sealing, the home's existing wood siding shaped up nicely. In Chip's words, the cedar siding "came back to life," and relatively little of the original wood had to be replaced.

Front Porch, BEFORE

Front Porch, AFTER

Front Exterior, Detail

Front porch upgrades include new black metal sconces in a traditional design.

Front Exterior, Detail

Ceramic planters in brick red are placed on either side of the front door.

Front Exterior, Detail

Wooden porch rockers add a traditional country touch but with contemporary design.

Front Exterior, After

A bit of fresh landscaping, including (appropriately) a new magnolia tree and a natural stone border, helps dress up the home's exterior.

BEFORE

Once the major improvements like the kitchen, wood flooring and exterior upgrades were finalized, the remaining funds in the renovation budget went to improvements to this front entry stairwell.

AFTER

Portions of the walls on either side of the stairwell were removed, opening up the entry and helping unify the downstairs spaces. The old carpet was removed; its place are painted and stained stairs along with new railings and balusters.

Living Room, BEFORE

The living room came with some desirable features including 9-foot ceilings, a stone fireplace and exposed wood beams but, before the renovation, the room felt dark and confining.

Living Room, AFTER

Joanna lightened things up with new white finish for the built-in cabinets, light gray wall paint, and lots of daylight.

Living Room, BEFORE

Living Room, AFTER

A large opening was cut in the wall between the living room and adjacent room to join the two spaces. When it serves as a guest bedroom, the adjacent room can be closed off with the sliding barn doors.

Living Room, BEFORE

Living Room, AFTER

Joanna's first thought was to install French doors between the two rooms, but she ultimately opted for sliding barn doors since they allow for a larger opening and are well suited to the informal feel of the space.

Living Room, Detail

A substantial coffee table adds weight and coordinates well with the natural wood ceilings, mantle and support beams.

Living Room, Detail

The original wood mantle was sanded, stained and refinished to revitalize its appearance.

Living Room, Detail

Bonus Room, BEFORE

Bonus Room, AFTER

The walls are painted in pale blue and the windows are framed with wooden faux shutters.

Bonus Room, BEFORE

Before the renovation, worn and dated blue carpeting was present throughout the downstairs, including in the bonus room.

Bonus Room, AFTER

Rich hardwood flooring replaces the carpeting throughout the renovation. Here, with its variegated wood tones, the flooring blends visually with the newly installed barn doors and stylized coffee table.

Bonus Room, Detail

One of Joanna's trademarks is the use of salvaged industrial lettering as a decorative accent. In the bonus room she adds a simple "J" -- for Jonklaas -- as a wall hanging.

Bonus Room, Detail

Dining Room, BEFORE

Dining Room, AFTER

Once the kitchen and dining room were joined, Joanna gave the entire space a clean and unified aesthetic so taht the two rooms work together as a whole.

Dining Room, BEFORE

Dining Room, AFTER

A chandelier in rubbed bronze, farmhouse table and an area rug in neutral tones help give the dining room a casual elegance.

Dining Room, Detail

Industrial lettering as wall art makes another appearance in the dining room. "They add dimension to any wall or any space," says Joanna. "but they also personalize the space for these families. We're always gonna have piles of letters. That's just one of the things we're known for."

Where the Heart Is

The letters are sourced from old neon signs and have had the lighting and electrical elements removed.

Dining Room, Detail

A wall-mounted metal planter is orients terra cotta pots on an angle so that, as the plants grow, they create a cascading effect.

Kitchen, BEFORE

The kitchen was seriously outdated with worn paneled cabinets, busy patterned wallpaper and an aging tile floor.

Kitchen, AFTER

The original cabinets were retained but were given a fresh overhaul with white paint and brushed nickel hardware. That look was matched on the lower cabinets in the new kitchen island.

Kitchen, BEFORE

Since the kitchen was already quite large, expansion wasn't necessary, but the design plan called for removing a wall to open the space onto the dining room. "Your kitchen will keep the same footprint," Joanna told the clients, "but it's going to feel twice as big when we lighten up the walls and the cabinets."

Kitchen, AFTER

Freshly painted cabinets and blue-gray walls brighten the kitchen dramatically and make for a smart contrast with the new floors and the black granite countertops.

Kitchen, Detail

Kitchen, AFTER

Kitchen, Detail

The new range and vent hood feature a clean and basic design that coordinates nicely with the black granite countertops and upgraded cabinets.

Kitchen, Detail

In the South, jelly-jar glasses are de riguer when serving lemonade, and these vintage-style embossed ones will be just the thing as Devon and Hannah relax and entertain on their new front porch.

Kitchen, Detail

Warm from the Oven

Dinner at Eight

THE REVEAL

Devon and Hannah prepare to see their newly renovated home in Crawford, Texas.

Are You Ready...

...to See Your Fixer Upper?

THE REVEAL

Chip and Joanna pull back the "before" banner to reveal the newly refurbished home.

The Completed Renovation

The Jonklaases were able to negotiate a purchase price of $197,000 for the home. After renovation expenditures of around $48,000, bringing the total investment to $245,000, Chip estimates the new resale value for the home at around $305,000 -- representing an instant equity of $60,000.