4 Ways to Maximize Your Magnolia Market Visit

That's the store on the left, the bakery on the right.

My husband predicted we’d be in Texas only two weeks before we visited Magnolia Market. (For the uninformed, this is the shiplap-packed mecca of Joanna and Chip Gaines from HGTV’s mega-hit Fixer Upper). As it turns out, he was only off by a couple days—Mother’s Day happened to be just shy of two weeks after our move, so we decided to make the 90-minute drive to Waco this past Saturday. (Magnolia is closed on Sunday.)  

A map of Magnolia. Silos, store, and bakery up front; play area in the middle;
food trucks and garden center in the back.

We found free street parking surprisingly quickly (we arrived at around 10:30 a.m.), and I made a mad dash for the Silos (which, funnily enough, my husband remembers seeing in a much different—i.e. decrepit—state when he worked in Waco almost a decade ago). I was surprised by the size of the campus—there really isn’t much to it, although every inch of the place is impeccably decorated and well thought out. 

Entrance to the store.

I started in the shop, which was totally packed with people. (I soon found out that, in addition to being Mother’s Day weekend, it was graduation weekend at nearby Baylor College.) Overwhelmed, I mostly just absorbed the scene, rather than doing serious shopping, although I did pick up a pack of hymn postcards (available here).

I loved this subway tile wall in the store!

 The line snaked right through the center of the store, making it tough to browse, but I did notice all of the usual Joanna Gaines suspects for sale.

Candlesticks by Clint:

And metal signs by Jimmy Don:

After I finished shopping, we let Asa play in the Astro-turf area, where there are comfy striped seats, swings, and bins full of toys, including Frisbees (I got hid in the head with one). 

Then we meandered over to the food trucks, the mix of which is constantly changing, and I stood in the searing-hot Texas sun (I could literally feel my toes burning) for about 15 minutes to buy a cupcake out of a refurbished Airstream camper. I chose the Nuts and Bolts flavor, which consists of vanilla cake speckled with walnuts and pecans and topped with cream cheese frosting. It was certainly tasty, but I probably should have gone with my first food instinct: a gourmet grilled cheese from Cheddar Box. (Note: I walked by the bakery, which also sells cupcakes, but the ridiculous line deterred me from checking it out.)

I was disappointed to learn that you can’t actually go inside the silos (although if you’re dying to tour one, you could drive down the road to the Waco highway rest stop, which has silo-shaped bathrooms!). 

That said, I will definitely be going back when friends and family come to visit—and next time, I’ll be armed with these insider tips:

1. Plan a mid-week visit. Not surprisingly, Saturday is the Silos’ busiest day, but a store clerk told me Monday is also insane. (She said they consider Monday part of the weekend, since they’re closed on Sunday.) The best time to visit? Wednesday around 3 or 4 in the afternoon, when the weekend crowd has dispersed and the day is winding down.
2. Don’t wait in line. If you’re buying non-breakable items—like postcards or a t-shirt—look for a store clerk holding an iPad, who can ring you up and spare you a crazy-long wait in line. 
3. Check your inbox. See a lot of items you love? Buy something small that you can easily carry in your suitcase, then write down the names of bigger items you like and order them online later. After making my purchase, I received a 20% off coupon for online items (most items for sale at the Silos are available on the website), which allows you to save a little money and avoid the cost and hassle of arranging shipping while you’re in the store. 
4. Drive around back. As you approach the Silos from the highway, you’ll see church parking for $10. But if you keep going, you’ll find free parking behind Magnolia Market. It may be full if you visit at a peak time, but it’s worth a try! 

Next post: All the other must-see Waco sights! 

The Scientific Way to Pick the Perfect Gray Paint

Yes, gray is trendy, and trends change. But my love of gray is not an attraction that’s likely to fade: Way back in the early 2000s, when my best friend and I were aspiring (i.e. 12-year-old) interior designers, we’d often fantasize about painting a dining room gray. Back then, no one had gray walls—everything was that hideous shade of faux-Mediterranean yellow-gold—and even now, more than a decade later, I stand by my preteen design impulse. In my book, gray is always a go, no matter how trendy (or not) it is.

Problem is, as gray has grown in popularity, the number of paints to pick from has proliferated. So how the heck do you choose the right gray for your walls? 

Gray works in every room; the challenge is deciding which shade of gray is best! (Photo: GreigeDesign.com)

Even if you narrow your selections down to one manufacturer—we prefer Sherwin Williams in our house—you still have a litany of options, which all start to blur together (or to look like another color entirely, like lavender or beige). 

The solution: Use science to help you decide.

In researching wall colors for my new home, I came across an interesting (and helpful) concept: light reflectance value (LRV). It’s something listed on the back of paint swatches, which is, admittedly, a place I’ve never bothered to look. The dumbed-down definition of LRV? Basically, it’s how light or dark a color is, a factor determined by how much light the paint absorbs.

(Photo: TheLandofColor.com)

The breakdown: Black absorbs all light, so it marks one end of the LRV scale (0% LRV), and white, which reflects all light, represents the either end (100% LRV). Every shade of gray lands somewhere in between. What that means: If you want a cozy, darker-feeling space, a low LRV paint color is ideal; for a bright and airy vibe, higher LRV is the way to go. 

Here are the LRV values of some bloggers’ and designers’ favorite grays, ranging from light to dark:

Benjamin Moore Horizon

Living room painted with Horizon by Braun + Adams Interiors (Photo: InteriorsbyColor.com)

LRV: 73

Described by Donna Peay, the writer behind the A Perfect Gray blog, as “a beautiful light gray with just a hint of blue,” this shade is certain to brighten up (and cool down) your space.

Benjamin Moore Graytint 

(Photo: KarenHealeyStables.com)

LRV Value: 69

Not too dark, not too light, Graytint is perhaps the definition of an unassuming gray. 

Sherwin Williams First Star

(Photo: VeronikasBlushing.com)

LRV Value: 69

This barely-there gray is the perfect choice for a room in need of a light touch (like the soothing nursery above!).

Sherwin Williams Silverpointe 

(Photo: Houzz.com)

LRV Value: 64

I had this medium gray all over my previous home: in my second and third story hallways and my daughter’s room, where it was paired with Rhinestone (a whitish-gray) for subtly contrasting stripes. 

Sherwin Williams On the Rocks

(Photo: houzz.com)

LRV Value: 62

I chose this medium gray for my new home because of its cool undertone (my builder's interior designer described it as having a slightly blue tint), which pairs well with my furniture. 

Sherwin Williams Agreeable Gray

(Photo: houzz.com)

LRV Value: 60

More greige than true gray, this color is an effortless neutral that blends with almost any color palette. It’s used in my builder’s model home. 

Sherwin Williams Silver Strand

(Photo: HouseofTurquoise.com)

LRV Value: 59

A favorite of Joanna Gaines, Silver Strand has just a hint of green to it.

Sherwin Williams Repose Gray

(Photo: Painter1.com)

LRV Value: 59

Another Fixer Upper regular, this beigey-gray is where the scale starts to skew toward the dark side.

Sherwin Williams Mindful Gray

(Photo: HomeBunch.com)

LRV: 48

Think of this as the darker cousin of Repose Gray (Jo-Jo has been known to use both!). As Thistlewood Farms blogger KariAnne Wood describes it: “This is the gray that trumps all others when you just don’t know where to turn. It’s the perfect not-too-green-not-too-pink gray." 

Sherwin Williams Dorian Gray

(Photo: kylieminteriors.ca)

LRV: 39

This gray is on the darker side of medium, with a slightly greige undertone.

Benjamin Moore Dior Gray

(Photo: homebunch.com)

LRV: 22

Interior designer—and Oprah favorite—Nate Berkus has called this dark gray his fail-safe shade, for its elegance and classic appeal.   

Farrow & Ball Down Pipe

(Photo: moderncountrystyle.blogspot.com)

LRV: 13

Farrow & Ball describes this shade as a “dark lead gray” with blue undertones. Perfect for a moody library.

Benjamin Moore Cheating Heart

(Photo: caitlinwilsondesign)

LRV: 9

This charcoal gray will make a bold statement on your walls or help draw the eye to little details, like the legs of a clawfoot tub, as designer Jen Going suggests. 

How to Make a State-Shaped "Vintage" Sign

I've been working on decorating my breakfast nook, and after I (well, Frank) installed an antique schoolhouse light, I felt the space needed another vintage element. The large blank wall was practically begging for a vintage sign, except for one problem: The authentic ones are crazy-expensive.

I wasn't willing to spend a few hundred bucks on a sign for my kitchen. Plus, I wanted something personal: a sign advertising a spot in my hometown of Knoxville, Tennessee, or in my current town, Westminster, Maryland. I couldn't find anything that fit the bill.

So I decided to make a sign of my own.

Again, I didn't want to spend much money, so I decided to poke around underneath the porch of my 100-year-old house, hoping I'd find the perfect piece of wood. I found a long board that was angled at the ends, in a shape reminiscent of Tennessee. This was all the inspiration I needed.

I used a pencil to freehand the outline of Tennessee on the board, then had Frank cut it out with a jigsaw (specifically, a variable speed orbital jigsaw). While cutting it, he discovered my "antique" board was actually some sort of dense plastic, probably from the construction of our deck. So much for salvage wood! But it still worked!

Now: What to paint on my sign? 

Down the road from where I grew up was a little hole-in-the-wall restaurant called the Court Cafe. I decided to paint the name of the place on my sign, along with the word "Knoxville" and a picture of a pie.

The inspiration for my sign. The Court Cafe closed several years ago, but it now lives on in my kitchen!

I have a cabinet full of wall paint samples, so in keeping with my low budget, I decided to make do with these. 

But first, I had to find a font. I chose "DIN Condensed," for its vintage look. (If you want to make sure your font is truly from the era of your "vintage" sign, check out this database.) I started by painting the board a light gray (I used "Notre Dame" by Valspar).

Laying out my letters.

Then I printed the letters out on several sheets of paper, and instead of spending money on carbon paper, simply scribbled on the backside of the paper with a dark drawing pencil. I placed the paper on top of the board, used the same pencil to trace the outline of the letters, and voila, the lead on the back transferred to the board.

I used a small brush (size 6) to fill in the letters with white paint, then after they dried, used a gold Sharpie oil-based paint pen to outline them.

The painting begins!

I printed out a drawing of a pie, and as I did with the letters, scribbled on the back and traced the outline of the pie to transfer it to the board. I used more leftover paint from my basement (navy blue for the filling, beige for the crust, dark beige for shadowing on the crust, and light blue for the pan). I outlined the whole thing with the gold paint pen, then used a white paint pen to draw accents on the pan.

Finally, I used 40-grit sandpaper to rough up the whole thing, even my carefully painted letters and pie. Frank bought some D-ring hooks (the only part of the project that cost us anything), then hung it up, giving my breakfast nook the perfect vintage touch! 

8 Waco Homes That "Fixer Upper" Should Totally Take On

Already renovated? Yes. But this home still needs Joanna's signature touches.

Nearly a decade ago, my husband lived and worked in Waco, Texas, for four months. He uses one word to describe the tiny town: flat. And he means it in every sense of the word: flat landscape, dull nightlife, and unimpressive homes. But Chip and Joanna Gaines, the hosts of HGTV's Fixer Upper, have breathed new life into the place previously put on the map by tragedy, transforming drab (and often dangerously decrepit) homes into total showplaces. 

I have a habit of perusing real estate listings in cities we have a 2% chance of living, and since my husband's company has a Waco division, the Texas town has been added to my Zillow browsing routine. My favorite game: If Frank and I were moving there, and I could wrangle the Gaines' design services, which house would I take a chance on? Here, eight potential Fixer Upper properties currently for sale in Waco:

1024 Greenwood Lane | Waco, TX

$239,000

3,295 square feet

5 bedrooms | 3 baths

Built in 1986

What caught my eye: This property is a little pricier than many of the homes on Fixer Upper—but it's actually a two-for-one deal. The main home has three bedrooms, and in the backyard, there's a second (and arguably more adorable) two-bedroom cottage. The options for the second space are endless: a guest house, a game room and pool house, or even an artists' studio and office. And the back patio on the main house? That kind of outdoor space is a huge selling point, especially in a warm-weather state like Texas.

The potential here is huge: Paint the exposed brick white or gray, smooth the ceilings, refurbish (or replace) the built-ins, and install funky light fixtures, and this large living room could be an incredible gathering space.

With plentiful cabinet space, a window behind the sink, beautiful wood floors, and an arched entryway, this room has the potential to be a killer kitchen. It's practically asking for one of Joanna's signature marble-topped islands.

This patio gives me serious yard envy! It's the perfect place for kids to play, to hold backyard parties, or just to relax outside and read a book.

Is this backyard cottage not adorable? With this property's oversized lawn (see below), Chip and Joanna could easily add a pool and turn this little building into the perfect pool house.

3708 N. 22nd St. | Waco, TX

$79,900

1,230 square feet

3 bedrooms | 1 bath

Built in 1947

What caught my eye: This Hansel-and-Gretel cottage is tiny, but packed with character: an arched entryway, oversized windows, and gorgeous wood floors. It has already been updated, but would really shine with Chip and Joanna's decorative touch.

I love the gently arched doorway leading into the living room and the fireplace flanked by large windows, which make the small space seem much bigger.

It's quirky details like these corner windows that could really showcase Joanna's abilities. (I'm clueless as to what she'd do here, but I know it'd be amazing!)

9078 W. Lake Creek Road | Waco, TX

$192,500

2,500 square feet

3 bedrooms | 2 baths

Built in 1984

What caught my eye: The mature trees are an obvious selling point, as is the mother-in-law suite, complete with a second kitchen. The rooms are large, and with a few minor tear-downs, the layout could be open and airy, making it a perfect candidate for a Joanna Gaines' facelift. 

Yes, this kitchen is a total gut job. But with its pass-through window (see below), the potential for an open concept layout is obvious.

Look past the popcorn ceiling and wall mirrors, and you've got a living space with high ceilings, a beam just begging to be upgraded, and lots of light.

Imagine: white-washed walls, swooshing ceiling fans, and reclaimed wood floors. This could easily become my favorite place in the house.

With just under 18 acres, this place is a horse farm waiting to happen.

319 Crescent Road | Waco, TX

$229,000

2,552 square feet

4 bedrooms | 2 baths

Built in 1982

What caught my eye: Although this house was built in the '80s, it has all the appeal of a Craftsman bungalow, with quaint architectural detail, a huge tree out front, and a floor-to-ceiling fireplace.

Painted white, and with a statement mantel, this fireplace could become a gorgeous focal point for the room. The updates are entirely cosmetic: install new light fixtures, rip out the dated tile flooring, and do away with the popcorn ceilings.

Galley-style kitchens tend to feel tight, and this one is no exception. But wood flooring would make the room feel larger, while ceiling-height cabinets would capitalize on the wasted space above the current cabinets. The final touch? An attention-grabbing light fixture, turning the boring breakfast nook into a cozy spot for a cup of coffee.

This giant bathroom feels out of place, but you wouldn't catch me complaining! This place deserves the spa treatment: a freestanding clawfoot tub, a stall shower, and cool colors. 

This solarium-like space is well-suited to an herb garden, one of Joanna's go-to solutions for sunrooms.

3104 Mitchell Ave. | Waco, TX

$149,000

2,315 square feet

3 bedrooms | 3 baths

Built in 1950

What caught my eye: The outdoor space is what sold me: huge trees, brick sidewalk, and a secret garden-style backyard. But even the inside has its appeal, if you can look past the 1950s-era wallpaper. The kitchen has tons of cabinet space, the fireplace has a beautiful, traditional-style mantle, and there are windows everywhere.

It looks like someone has been smoking in here for the last half-century, but the bones of the room are solid, with a surplus of windows, crown molding, and lots of square footage. The fireplace just needs a fresh coat of paint and a new tile surround, and the carpet could easily be replaced with wood flooring.

I'm not sure if this is a sunroom or a dining room, but I love the bay window. Even the beadboard walls could stay put if you applied a fresh coat of paint.

Welcome to the Mad Men-era 'burbs! The kitschy wallpaper dates the space, but this maze of a kitchen has no shortage of storage, a rarity in a 1950s home. 

Seriously, does this kitchen ever end??

This bathroom could easily accommodate a double sink...you'd just need to knock out the urinal.

The yard looks straight out of Disney's Animal Kingdom. Bust up some of that concrete, and you'd have an incredible outdoor room.

1016 N. 30th St. | Waco, TX

$69,900

914 square feet

2 bedrooms | 1 bath

Built in 1940

What caught my eye: Talk about tiny house living! At just under 1,000 square feet, there's denying this place is small, but with its 1940s details—gleaming wood floors, arched doorways, and solid wood doors—there's no shortage of character. I would love to see the exterior painted gray, with white trim and bright yellow door. Oh, and some grass would be nice.

I love the dark-stained floors, which pair nicely with the cool color palette Joanna often uses.

I'm not a fan of black cabinetry or tile countertops. And...this kitchen is tiny. But if you sacrificed some space in the dining room, you could easily open up the wall, install a small island, and make these cramped quarters feel more open.

2518 Colcord Ave. | Waco, TX

$189,900

3,856 square feet

4 bedrooms | 3 baths

Built in 1914

What caught my eye: What's not to love about this early-20th century stunner? A massive porch, a Craftsman-style front door with a window surround, a gorgeous staircase with carved newel posts, French doors—this house has everything I adore in an old home. It appears to have already been renovated, but it's missing the signature Gaines style: an immaculate kitchen (and attention-grabbing backsplash), a grand chandelier, and wood floors throughout.

The spot between the windows would be perfect for a faux fireplace focal point. 

I love the weathered French doors! With one of Joanna's oversized farm tables, instead of this tiny pedestal table, this could be an amazing space for entertaining.

My one complaint: I hate when homes don't have a foyer. (It feels awkward walking straight into the living room.) I'd be inclined to reconfigure the living space to allow room for a foyer, perhaps stealing a little square footage from the adjacent dining room.

This room already has many Fixer Upper-style elements: white cabinets, half-moon drawer pulls, a farmhouse sink, and interesting pendant lights. But with its cheap wooden countertops, small upper cabinets, lack of a backsplash, and an island that's too tiny for the space (not to mention bright red), it unfortunately misses the mark. 

The staircase is stunning, but the juxtaposition of the ceiling fan and pendant light is odd.

And last, but not least, a house that requires a total Chip-and-Joanna overhaul...

518 N. 11th St. | Waco, TX

Foreclosure estimate: $170,593

4,096 square feet

4 bedrooms, 3 baths

Built in 1915

What caught my eye: My favorite episodes of Fixer Upper are the ones where Chip and Joanna take a house that's ready for the wrecking ball and bring it back to its former glory. This is one of those houses. Based on my high-tech Google street view investigation, the whole neighborhood, which is part of Waco's historic district, seems to be in distress. But perhaps Fixer Upper could start the gentrification process!

I could totally see myself sipping lemonade on this elevated front porch. The combination of the brick foundation and stately columns is gorgeous!

The inside is admittedly terrifying. But has that ever stopped Joanna Gaines? Nope!

This house is worth saving for the fireplace alone!

So what is the staircase is missing a few spindles and the light fixture is straight out of the 1990s...this place has potential with a capital "P"!