So recently I was talking to a friend about how some of the Fixer Upper homes are listed on AirBNB and they are being rented out. Obviously the intent of Fixer Upper is to have a fun couple with great style make over a home for a family to live in. They make over these houses to give a family a home that is warm and inviting and not infested with vermin, dry rot or dangerous structures and also for HGTV to have content for a hot tv show. There are two sides of the fence on this one….the side that says that the owner gets to rent it out if they want as soon as they want, after all….they are the owner….and the other side that says owners are using Fixer Upper the brand as a way to create vacation homes or rentals and that strategy is not great for neighborhood growth or home value as compared to single family permanent dwellings. I understand both sides. BUT THAT’s NOT WHAT THIS POST IS ABOUT.
It’s all about seeing the real pictures inside one of these homes. After all…it is commonly known that the ‘stuff’ that goes into the homes final reveal for tv doesn’t stay. All of that is just staging. Of course, the owners have the option to buy those amazing furniture pieces, rugs and decor items….but at the end of the day, they can also decline it and move in their own wares. Which leads me to my next point….Joanna Gaines….she is one amazing stylist. And her team of people are equally amazing. Because seeing these comparisons makes me realize how she has a great sense of scale, balance, texture and contrast. Personally I wish she used a little more color (because I like a little color in my rooms) but that’s because I just want to blatantly copy her mad skills in my own house. Jojo, I particularly like blues and navy and green and a little gold if you can swing it 🙂 And you will see those skills in these photos because I am gonna share the HGTV picture of a room and compare it to the AirBnB version taken by the homeowners. And ya know what else, I will also list the Fixer Upper gallery so that you can peruse more styling photos and the rental link so that you can book it for your next vacay 🙂
Okay….the German Shmear house.
Located in Waco TX, the german schmear house is one that has texture and pattern and loads of charm on the outside. According to the listing, you can rent the whole house for $340 a night which seems super reasonable for 4 bedrooms. For the exterior, the show photo shows a medium gray trim with a lush lawn and overabundant window boxes.
But I kinda like this reality picture better. The trim is darker which gives it a nice contrast. The bushes aren’t quite the same and the sod didn’t look like it took all the way….but that is reality with big trees. And honestly, the more contrast to the trim and door makes it for me.
Once inside the house, you can see the gorgeous foyer table and light fixtures that was staged for the show. I love the scale of the mirror paired with the sconces.
The homeowners opted for a more midcentury/boho vibe with this vintage console (is it a record player? It looks like it!) and switched for a carved frame mirror.
In the kitchen, the wood accents are brought out even more with warm wood stools and cutting boards. Also the floors look warmer and the cabinets look like a darker teal.
But in the rental listing, it shows the cabinets looking a little more blue and the floors being gray-er. Obviously the styling in the top photo is simply perfection….those stools! BUT the styling by the homeowners is pretty too in a more contemporary vibe. I like the dark stools and how they tie in with the faucets and light fixture finishes. And let’s not forget that the waterfall edge on that island is pretty much a show-stopper.
In the dining area, you have a beautiful fireplace with blueish painted molding, a wood and metal dining table and a piano with potted plants.
And in the after, the trim looks much calmer. It is probably just the photography but seeing the ‘real’ color of the trim and floors actually makes me like Joanna’s choices so much better. The trim is much more gray and the floors aren’t as pink. Personally I prefer the homeowners table but like that they stuck with similar chairs. I like the piano and fireplace styling better in the before picture but the real one is still clean and tidy. I actually like the homeowners rug better too than the jute. Also – something to note is that the light fixture looks swagged now….I wonder if that was something that happened during the show or after.
A room that I noticed tons of details being switched was the bedroom. In the show, the romantic vibes were through the roof with the carved wood, iron bed, floral bedding and those vintage light fixtures.
Now the homeowners switched the room around entirely. Now the bed is on the opposite wall and the dresser is in between the light fixtures.
In this same bedroom, the bed was across a staged faux fireplace.
Now the bed lives there. The bedding and curtains are calm and more geometric….and the rug and corner artwork looks the same. I think this goes to show that a bedroom can be laid out well in two different ways. And that just because Joanna Gaines does one thing….you can still choose your own path (or furniture layout). It is just a house after all 🙂
So that was a fun little decor related topic that I spent my weekend looking at. Do you want to see more comparisons like this? I love being able to see the Fixer Upper version and the regular photo version….both to see the photography differences and see what choices the homeowners made. And like I said before….it makes me appreciate Joanna and the Fixer Upper team even more because you can see the colors a little better and styling choices and how they worked. Also I love seeing the homeowners own choices because I was always interested in what they actually bought from the staged reveal.
p.s. All the Fixer Upper/HGTV pics are credited to Rachel Whyte here. And the listing for the German Shmear rental is here.
That was fascinating, and I’d love to see you do this again!
This is so interesting! I’ve always wondered how many of the staged items are purchased by the homeowners. I love Jo’s style and styling technique so much, I think I’d have to factor that cost into the total budget just to keep it all .
I am team Jojo all the way! But then I always think when seeing a reveal that with everything new, nothing is truly yours. No stories, no memories.
But then I get over it. Ha.
Love this post!
Love seeing stuff like this. I always wondered what the houses looked like afterwards too.
I really want to go stay in one of these houses! We’re only about an hour and a half from Waco so I’m really tempted to do a mini weekend getaway! This one is so gorgeous, I love seeing the real photos too. It’s amazing to see how different a room can look with just a few styling and furniture tweaks!
Love this comparison! Its nice to see how the homes have ended up!
This was fun! Before reading I assumed that I would prefer Joanna’s styling, but these homeowners have A good eye for design too! I like how they updated the farmhouse look.
I’d love to see more of these comparisons ☺️
Why didn’t the homeowners turn on any lights for their photos??
Fun post btw *High five*
Loved this post pretty mama! I’ve always been so curious at what the houses look like after the families move their own things in. I’d love to see more posts like these! Thanks!
I love this post!!
So interesting!! I hear you, I get both sides but deep down I just don’t think they should be renting them out like this. Do they have a completely different house or do they rent it out when they are out of town?! Either way, I do love how the couples come in and add their own personal touches, mixed in with Jojo’s!
I have always been curious how much people keep of what is staged and what things look like in the ‘real’ world for the new homeowners. Would enjoy seeing more posts like this.
It’s kind of amazing how the photography makes the colors look so totally different from the show version to the real life version.
Would love to see more of these posts! We love this show but always wonder what it looks like once the family moves in. I hate that the owners are using the show and remodels as a potential profit turner and I read that they have made their contracts include a clause about not being able to rent it out now- but then even Clint’s family rented theirs out!!
I think this is fascinating! I love Fixer Upper and love how Joanna styles the homes – so perfectly put together. But I’m always left wondering what the homeowners will keep or how the house will look when it’s actually lived in. Obviously since they own the home the owners have the right to do what they want with it, but I totally get the issue with all these new homeowners using the show as a way to make money on their own house. I can see how Chip and Joanna really want to make these places beautiful for these families. If I were a neighbor to one of these houses I would be very concerned with the increased traffic from gawkers now that these homes are on AirBnB or from the constant instability of those houses. I often wonder how the people of Waco feel about it all? Has the success of Fixer Upper and the Gaines’ empire translated to the rest of Waco? They seem like such good people – I hope it’s all good feelings in Waco toward them 🙂
Thanks for sharing all this – fun to see and I would love to see more!
Love this post and i would love to see more posts like it!!
Would love to see you do this again! Great post!
Loved this post! Here’s another Fixer Upper home (the barn house!) to rent: https://luxury.homeaway.com/vacation-rental/p878965vb?k_clickid=79fa4e34-e032-465a-952b-24649b4e5ad3&ksid=79fa4e34-e032-465a-952b-24649b4e5ad3&ksprof_id=217&ksaffcode=17206549&ksdevice=t&gclid=CNKU3JyU-NICFRBEfgodg7cPxw.
I’m with you in this. It would be one thing if they were upfront about it and said their goal is to flip a rental property, but they make up these elaborate stories, and Jojo creates nurseries etc. with the family in mind. They do it with so much love… It just feels deceitful on the homeowners part.
I’d love to see more of this!
I’m with you when it comes to color schemes. I love blue combined with green. I actually have a process I like to use to style a room and make it pop with colors that I explain here: http://residencesbyrobin.com/e-course/
Feel free to check it out.
I would love more of these! I personally hate that people are profiting off of their remodeled homes. I saw one or two listings where the actual owners live in airstreams in the backyard and rent the main house. I mean, I can’t blame them, they probably make a killing. But… If Joanna redid my house (call me Jo!) I would NEVER LEAVE the house again. NEVER. Sigh.
I was feeling a little judgmental about the owners renting out their home. I imagined them living in another state while renting out a home in Waco. (Has anyone else wondered about the out-of-state couples who decide to move to Waco with no discernible reason?) But it looks like this couple lives in a guesthouse in the backyard. I can’t say I blame them for capitalizing on their house’s “Fixer Upper” fame.
I love seeing the new photos of how the house actually looks. I appreciate that Joanna includes unique permanent features that add architectural interest no matter what furnishings are in the house. I feel like most homes on makeover shows would look really basic if you removed the furnishings and decor.
All I want in life is to know the name of the color in the teal bedroom in that teeny tiny shotgun house. The one with the stair that pulleys up to the ceiling. That bedroom color is paying a mortgage on my heart. LOVE IT.
Great post! Do more, please!!! 🙂
Love this post sooooo much. I love Joanna’s style and I’m always curious to find out what exactly stays/goes after the cameras stop rolling. How I wish she’d come to Chicago!
I hope you do more of these posts! If I remember correctly, I think this house belongs to Max Lucado’s daughter. He commissioned Joanna to do a special piece with the couple’s wedding vows since he officiated at their wedding. That looks like the piece sitting on the chest in the bedroom in the “after” photo. If I had the good fortune to have the Gaines redo a home for me, I, too, don’t think I would ever leave!
This was a great post! I love everything Magnolia with Joanna! I like seeing what they chose to buy and a different way to accessorize the rooms. However, most of the time I prefer the Fixer Upper decorated house. I also have mixed feelings about renting out the houses. I’ve read that many of the homeowners had to move because of a lack of privacy from fans. The Harp family is a prime example of fans knocking on their door and looking in their windows. The fame won’t last forever so hopefully everyone is making the best of it.
So interesting! I’d love to see more of these!
YASSSSS more please!! It’s great to see the reality behind “reality” shows!
Deb, I totally agree with you. I am very disappointed in these couples, and how they say that want a forever home etc. and then turn around and rent it out. You are right, if they just said upfront that they want this for a flip or rental it would be different. The show is called Fixer Upper….not Fixer Upper for Rental Later show. I see how Jo goes out of her way to make it so special for these couples and really listens to what they like….that is why their quick departure from the home so they can rent it out makes me so angry. I feel like they just used Chip and Joanne. Yes, it is their home and they can do what they want with it….then why didn’t they just hire a contractor who doesn’t care about their family, and let them fix their home so they can turn around and use it for a big money rental.
Because they can rent them out for more money if they have the Joanna Gaines names behind them. I think that’s why Chip and Joanna are getting out of the business and who can blame them. I would feel betrayed and used if I put that together for someone and they and they turned around and made it into a rental.