HGTV's Fixer To Fabulous Brings Community Together For Impressive 24-Hour Reno

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Every year, HGTV's popular show "Fixer to Fabulous" joins forces with the St. Jude Marathon Build charity organization to complete a high-quality, speedy house renovation for a family dealing with childhood illness. And this year, the team took on one of their biggest projects yet in Owasso, Oklahoma. Their goal was to renovate the kitchen, living room, bathroom, and backyard for the Esmeyer family — whose daughter Teal has dealt with life-threatening brain tumors — in just 24 hours. And the stars of the show? A swimming pool and playhouse art room for Teal and her brother to enjoy.

This task certainly wasn't going to be easy, however. With the tight deadline and all the materials and manpower being donated by members of the community, it was going to take a real team effort to bring the vision of a more modern, more practical, — and crucially — more fun house to life. Cohost Jenny Marrs stated in this season 7, episode 7 of "Fixer to Fabulous," which aired on January 13th, 2026, "I really do hope the Esmeyers can just feel how loved they are and that they are seen through all of this that they've been through." And this sentiment was reflected in the many volunteers who showed up on the day to paint, decorate, demolish, and build various parts of the house and yard, as well as in the companies who donated their own products to the cause. So, what exactly did this ambitious team accomplish in their one-day build, and how did the community come together to create a stylish, functional home for the family?

The team had their work cut out for them in updating three different areas of the house, alongside the exterior work in the backyard. In the kitchen, they ripped out the existing island which sat at an angle to the rest of the space, making it feel tight and closed off. Instead, they opted for one which sat parallel to the wall, allowing for both an attached breakfast bar and easy access to the dining table. They also swapped the worn-out cabinetry and built-in pantry for modern units, freeing up floor space and giving the room a more open feel. The new cabinets were painted in a rich, dark green color and paired with bright white, retro-inspired appliances. By swapping out the previous stainless steel units, a once trendy appliance color that's now super outdated, the kitchen actually took on a more modern feel. To pair with the white and green, gold hardware was installed in a style similar to these Ravinte gold kitchen knobs — which added another layer of luxury to the space.

The living room and bathrooms didn't need as many layout changes, so the volunteers and builders focused on swapping existing elements with new ones. For example, the living room was given a new couch that was donated to the family as well as a fresh coat of neutral paint on the walls to make the space feel brighter. They also swapped out the old television console for built-in units with plenty of storage. In the bathroom, the family received a new vanity as well as a new shower and bathtub combo. Notably, geometric white paneling that is much easier to clean than tile was installed in the shower, allowing the family to spend less time cleaning and more time together.

By far, the area that young Teal was most excited about was the backyard. She asked whether she could get an art room and frequently told her parents and Jay Cobb — the founder of St. Jude Marathon Build — how much she would love a pool. Amazingly, though a few setbacks pushed the project's total time to 26 hours instead of 24, the team pulled it off. One key renovation concern came when the hosts of the show, Dave and Jenny Marrs, found out that the pool needed to be in a slightly different location to comply with city regulations. But once they moved the pool to the appropriate place, they were able to fill it (with the help of local firefighters) and turn the backyard garden into a dreamy oasis for the family.

The team also pre-built a large playhouse for the backyard, lifting it into place using a crane. In terms of design, the playhouse had a subtle, stylish exterior which suited the rest of the property and was designed to grow and mature along with the children. Inside, however, light gray flooring and beige paneling set the stage for an explosion of color. The walls were decorated with Teal's own artwork, and there was a dedicated art station full of craft supplies and new toys for her and her brother to play with. The rest of the yard got some love, too, with the addition of a covered pergola that ensured the family could enjoy their new patio all year. To top it all off, the entire yard was landscaped with shrubs, trees, flowers, ferns, and stunning ornamental grass to give it a magical, textured look that was bursting with life.