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Fixer Upper: A Coastal Makeover for a 1971 Ranch House

Chip and Joanna Gaines help a nomadic couple who had lived in five homes over the past six years find and create their perfect forever home in Hewitt, Texas. Little did they know that "coming home" would take on special surprise significance in this particular instance.

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March 01, 2016

By: David L. Haynes

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Going Coastal in Central Texas

Chip and Joanna completely reworked the facade and did a major interior overhaul to transform a plain '70s ranch house, creating an updated and utterly relaxing home for a couple ready to settle down. Thrown into the mix for this renovation is a dedicated music room for him and a touch of the beach for a her.

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Serene Palette

Calming blue-gray and crisp white in the kitchen contribute an overall theme that's meant to feel relaxed and not overwhelming.

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Traces of Surf and Salt Air

Subtle additions like driftwood, green glass and sand-weighted hurricane glass create a suggestion of beach life without overstating the theme.

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Only Rock and Roll

In this renovation, the "man cave" is a dedicated music room complete with a wall-mounted collection of electric guitars and a custom made bar clad in reclaimed wood.

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Meet the Homeowners

Chip and Joanna with homeowners Chris and Lindy Ermoian in the newly remodeled living room. Chris and Lindy have an 18-year-old son and had lived in six homes in about as many years. Understandably they were ready to settle into a forever home. They were looking for a home with a large yard, at least three bedrooms, an open floor plan, and ideally a studio space for musician Chris.

Simple Twist of Fate

BEFORE: When Chip and Joanna included this home on their tour of potential homes for the Ermoians, they had no idea that this one had actually once belonged to Lindy Ermoian's grandmother and was built by her great uncle. It was built in 1971, had 4 bedrooms, 2.5 baths, 2400 square feet, and the current owners were asking $100,000.

Clean and Contemporary

AFTER: The look of the exterior is altered dramatically simply by painting the brick in a cool blue-gray and adding white accents.

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AFTER

Fresh landscaping with ornamental grasses and a dwarf palm also contribute to an underlying coastal theme.

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AFTER

Other exterior upgrades include a new roof, new windows with Bahama style shutters, and, most notably, a dramatic front porch with white columns and post-and-beam style overhang.

Living Room, BEFORE

The living room had dated wood paneling, laminate flooring and an offset brick fireplace.

Living Room, AFTER

The fireplace has been completely reworked, with a more centered position, a reduced footprint and new facing in white stone. Dark hardwood floors contrast against the cool gray walls and white slipcovered sofa and chairs.

From: Chip Gaines

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Living Room, Detail

The lighter palette and white treatment for the fireplace and mantel help make the room feel larger and more inviting. Joanna added piece of natural driftwood, collected from the shore of a local lake, as a decorative accent for warmer months when the fireplace is not in use.

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Living Room, Detail

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Living Room, Detail

Homeowner Lindy had a professed love of beach and coastal themes, but didn't want it over-the-top. (No draped fishnets and plastic lobsters for her.) Joanna wanted to approach the motif in nuanced ways, striving not to be too literal or dogmatic. Worn wooden oars from a salvage shop struck just the right note, suggesting nautical and water motifs without being overly "beachy."

Dining Room, BEFORE

The dining space was just inside the front entrance, directly adjacent to the foyer. In the new floor plan, the dining room would be partially partitioned to create a more separated space, and the small room on the far side would be repurposed as a home office.

Dining Room, AFTER

The dining room is another space that carries references to the coastal theme, with white shiplap, iron chandelier adorned with jute, a dining table in lighter toned wood and framed graphic art featuring seashell diagrams.

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Dining Room, Detail

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Home Office, AFTER

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Home Office, Detail

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Home Office, Detail

Kitchen, BEFORE

The kitchen was fairly roomy, but dated and closed off. Joanna recommended removing the partition that separated it from the living area and adding a large island.

Kitchen, AFTER

The enlarged kitchen features a white and gray palette, an extra long island with bar top and barstool seating, a trio of oversized globe pendands, new recessed lighting and lots of cabinet storage.

From: Chip Gaines

Kitchen, BEFORE

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Kitchen, AFTER

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Kitchen, Detail

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Kitchen, Detail

Breakfast Nook, BEFORE

Breakfast Nook, AFTER

A new bay, white table and chandelier create an inviting breakfast nook with a view.

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Breakfast Nook, Detail

The Music Room, AFTER

An existing garage was converted to create this dedicated music and studio space for Chris. New drywall, baseboards and trim were added as well more masculine touches including dark hardwood floors, industrial shelving, leather and wood chairs and an oversized ceiling fan.

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The Lighthouse Song

For the music room, Joanna comissioned a custom graphic art piece that displays the music and lyrics of a song that Chris Ermoian had written for his wife Lindy.

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Music Room, Detail

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Music Room, Detail

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Music Room, Detail

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Music Room, Detail

The music room includes this bar on casters, custom made by furniture builder Clint Harp and covered in shiplap that had been planed down and refinished.

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Music Room, Detail

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Music Room, Detail

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Music Room, Detail

Master Bedroom, BEFORE

Master Bedroom, AFTER

As elsewhere, the design was kept relaxed and calming in the bedroom with a cool, soothing palette and simple details that tied together to create distinct but nuanced references to the beach and ocean.