The 11 Most Talked About Homes In Fixer Upper History
If you love home improvement television, there's a pretty good chance that you know about HGTV's "Fixer Upper." According to Yahoo Finance, this reality home improvement show features Chip and Joanna Gaines, a power couple who single-handedly put their small town of Waco, Texas on the map. In 2013, the Gaines gave HGTV access to follow them from house to house as they used their home decor skills and renovation prowess to help transform fixer-upper homes into beautiful living spaces.
The relatability, charm, and wit the couple display when working together, combined with the unbelievable home transformations, create the magic of this show. "Fixer Upper” ran for five solid seasons and gained a loyal audience along the way. Since the last episode aired in 2018, fans have been yearning for reruns and voicing how much they miss the show (via The Wrangler).
Over the course of "Fixer Upper," some controversial homes appeared on the show and are still being discussed years later. There are homes with owners who tried to capitalize on their fame, places that boast amazing trivia, and others that were unbelievably derelict at the start of the renovation. Keep reading to discover 11 "Fixer Upper" homes that people are still talking about today.
The House In The Woods
In one memorable episode of "Fixer Upper," a couple known as The Fergusons enlisted the help of Chip and Joanna to find and fix up their new home. They picked the house pictured above, also known as The House In The Woods, as their final choice. The "Fixer Upper" team began renovating the home. When the Fergusons saw the initial plans, all parties were on the same page with the changes, except for one aspect.
The living room was home to a phenomenal brick fireplace that seemed to be the focal point. Chip was keen on keeping the focal point. However, Jaime Ferguson (soon to be the lady of the house) was not having it because it obstructed the kitchen view from the living room. Per Impressive Interior Design, many homeowners remove their fireplaces for the same reason, which is why Jaime asked to demolish the barrier. Chip tried to make her change her mind, but his efforts were futile.
On the day of the big reveal, Chip was happy that he was defeated and praised Jaime for being adamant about the fireplace removal because it made a significant difference. Jaime was in awe of the work done on her home and is still talking about her experience with the "Fixer Upper" team. Ferguson told Rachel Teodoro, "I already knew that Joanna and her team were immensely talented which is why I can't imagine anyone else renovating our home, but I was completely unaware of how much quality work goes into Magnolia Renovations."
The Magnolia House
One interesting fact that makes this "Fixer Upper" home unique is that it was featured by Chip and Joanna Gaines twice. The Magnolia House pictured above was originally one of the three homes shown to The Fergusons and was known as the Wild West House, dating back to 1880. The owner worked for a bank and would use the home to store money before dropping it at the bank, per Dayton Daily News. There used to be residential property built for the domestic staff in the backyard, but it was long gone by the show.
What makes this a heavily discussed home in "Fixer Upper" history is that even though the Fergusons did not pick this as their top choice, the Gaines had their eyes on the property and wasted no time in swooping in. The house was featured again on another show, titled "Fixer Upper: Welcome Home." Chip and Joanna eventually turned it into a gorgeous vacation rental with more than one room. The stellar home is now known as "The Magnolia House" (via Magnolia).
The Harp House
According to KWTX, Clint Harp is a great friend of Chip and Joanna Gaines. He is a Waco-based carpenter who works alongside Joanna to make some of the highly acclaimed furniture seen on "Fixer Upper." When the Gaines began filming the first season, they decided to look within their circle to find who they could help. Thus, the Harp House was born.
Clint chose this 1913 house as his top pick, and for $10,000, he could call the five-bedroom, three-bathroom home his abode (via Realtor). After Chip and Joanna used their Midas touch, it was a sight to behold. However, due to disturbances from doting fans, Clint ended up putting the house up for sale at $899,000 (via Camille Johnson Realtors). Almost a million more than the purchase price. The house is available for short stays on Airbnb, and you can rent it to enjoy as a group of 12 or smaller for a minimum of two nights. The fact that it is situated so close to Clint Harp's office means there's a chance you may bump into the television personality yourself (via Harp Design). Wouldn't that be a treat?
The Shotgun House
According to Britannica, a shotgun house is a tall and narrow building with rooms built over each other and connected without hallways. In an iconic "Fixer Upper" episode from the third season, Cameron and Jessie Bell picked a shotgun house and purchased it for $24,000 (via Dallas Observer). They shelled out $107,000 to renovate the home, with total expenses falling to around $131,000. Chip mentioned that the house was one of only two historic shotgun homes in Waco. Naturally, he took extra care in revamping this piece of history. After the "Fixer Upper" team worked their magic, the shotgun house became a chic and multifunctional space.
The Bells were so in awe of the work. Eventually, they put up the one-bedroom, one-bathroom home for sale at a whopping $950,000. This information did not sit well with many individuals who believe the price is absolutely crazy for a one-bedroom property. Listing agent Jennifer Roberts of Briggs Freeman Sotheby's International Realty begs to differ. She told KWTX, "I think it is a great investment for someone ... I've had several calls." The shotgun house offers many perks, including the location. It's within walking distance to The Magnolia Store, an interior decor haven owned by the Gaines (via Today).
The Barndominium
A barndominium is a barn converted into a house for living purposes. Some feature historical construction, while others are entirely new. According to The Craftsman Blog, their uniqueness comes from how decorators can make the barns super minimalist yet functional and chic. These homes typically have plenty of living space, high ceilings, and large porches.
The barndominium pictured above is one of the most talked about "Fixer Upper" homes in history due to the living room and kitchen placement on the middle level of the house instead of on the ground level. The Barn House has managed to become even more popular with time. Even the current owner of the home, Kristi Bass, is blown away by how beloved her home remains to this day. She told Waco Tribune-Herald, "I didn't know how famous the barn was. It's cool. It's weird. I don't really get it, but I'm so thankful I can be a part of it."
The Midcentury Modern Home
Per an Instagram post from Joanna Gaines, this home transformed from an outdated ranch style to a beautifully rustic, contemporary house. It belongs to Jill and Josh Barrett, friends of the Gaines, who appeared on the HGTV show because they needed assistance choosing and switching up their fixer-upper. The rundown historical one-story house was their pick.
One unique aspect that had people talking is that wood appears on almost every inch of the home. If you've been contemplating using wood in your home, you can recreate the exact decor from "Fixer Upper." Since the Gaines offered their magic touch on their friends' home, the Barretts have made one minimal change to their abode. An accent wall has changed color, but apart from that, little else has changed. Much like the others, you can rent the home on VRBO. The rental information highlights the safety of the neighborhood.
The Three Little Pigs home
The "Fixer Upper" team worked on the Three Little Pigs house, an abandoned and neglected home, for Ken and Kelly Downs. However, shortly after the Downs moved in, they were victims of an accident that left a sour taste in their mouths and made the property popular compared to other homes from the show. The Downs' home is on a dodgy junction which poses a problem for unskilled drivers who love to speed but are not quick enough to make the sharp turn. One reckless driver fell into such a predicament when he failed to slow down and make a halt. The Waco Tribune-Herald reports that the driver lost control, went airborne, and crashed into the front yard. The impact from the crash destroyed the porch railing, and the driver also crashed into a room at the front of the house, smashing the window and other parts of the room's interior.
A gruesome picture of the ruins is on Twitter. From the looks of it, the Downs may need yet another renovation to salvage their home. Kelly Downs told the Waco Tribune-Herald, "It's been a problem from the beginning. We've lived here a year and a half and we feel deceived by the city of Waco and Magnolia Realty." Kelly went as far as terming her home a fixer-upper gone wrong.
The Aguilar House
After relocating a family from Puerto Rico to Waco, Joanna and Chip were determined to create a haven for the Aguilars. The family graced their show on Season 5, Episode 5, per Magnolia. Out of the three houses the Aguilars saw, the family chose the 1970s ranch-style version as their top pick. However, Chip Gaines was sure this family would select a different option as their top pick. After he was proven wrong, the house went down in "Fixer Upper" history (via Archive).
Turning this ramshackle ranch property into a Mediterranean masterpiece was no small feat. Some notable changes are still hot topics, including the primary bedroom that Joanna managed to create from an outdated garage. There are also so many nods to Mediterranean decor, including the natural stone material and the arched windows, a hallmark of the Mediterranean aesthetic (via Laurie Reader Real Estate). The final reason why this is one of the most talked about "Fixer Upper" homes is that the renovations took place while Jo and Chip were expecting a baby (via Realtor). Talk about determination and passion!
The Little House on the Prairie
The Little House on the Prairie is an iconic "Fixer Upper" property. In this episode, Chip was daring enough to eat an actual cockroach. Also, the intense home transformation comes from one simple and minimal change. The Gaines changed the exterior paint color from an ashy and outdated gray to a breathtaking shade of blue. Another change worth mentioning is the space maximization that Chip and Joanna successfully executed. The pair kept the brick fireplace as a focal point in the living room but used it to split the living room from the revived modern-style kitchen.
From the looks of things, Kristi Bass, the woman who bought the barndominium, purchased this property. A listing on the vacation rental home site VRBO shows Bass as the host. Bass told PureWow, "The home was very outdated and choppy ... The rooms were all separated off and closed in and [offered] very little natural light. Chip and Jo did a great job transforming this home. It went from an outdated, run-of-the-mill [property] to a trendy and charming one-of-a-kind home." The best news is that avid "Fixer Upper" fans can visit the house for a tour and see it in person (via YouTube).
The Giraffe House
It's easy to see why this house stands out from all the other homes in "Fixer Upper" history. First and foremost, the house actually looks like a giraffe. This effect was achieved courtesy of the exterior tiles, particularly on the long chimney. Secondly, coincidence or not, the chimney resembles the shape of a giraffe's neck. The exterior of the Giraffe house boasts a cottage-esque aesthetic. Many would expect the interior to feature Joanna's famous modern farmhouse vibe. However, the Gaines revealed a modern transformation, per Remodelaholic.
Each episode of "Fixer Upper" has pretty much the same plot. However, the Giraffe house episode was slightly different because it was not a transformation for new homeowners. Chip and Joanna Gaines chose to purchase the place as an investment property, which they worked tirelessly to fix up and flip. As usual, the Gaines did a spectacular job, and a lucky buyer called this place home. However, we have reason to believe Joanna is still talking and thinking about the home. She mentioned on her blog, at the time of the renovation, that it was hard to say goodbye to the property (via Magnolia).
The Double Decker House
The houseboat or The Double Decker House, pictured above, was featured on "Fixer Upper." The home is one of the most popular ventures on the HGTV show because it is the first water-based home renovation for the Gaines and the rest of the "Fixer Upper" team, via HGTV. The renovation was executed for Brett, a friend of Chip and Joanna Gaines, to be an ideal residence for him and his four children. Brett was determined to renovate the houseboat from the big, ugly vessel that viewers first witnessed into a gorgeous haven. Chip and Jo wasted no time in getting to it.
People are still talking about the houseboat because of the controversy surrounding how it came to the show. Way before the episode with Brett, the house was already in the Gaines family as one of their investment properties which they had not gotten around to fixing. Before the show, the HGTV filming crew flew to Waco, Texas to test out Chip and Joanna's skills and gauge their star factor. Unfortunately, there was not enough drama and excitement during the trial filming. After hearing the advice of a lead crew member, Chip chose to drum up excitement for the show by impulsively purchasing a houseboat that looks like the Double Decker House (via Radar Online).