Every time I walk in this house
it's like I get more ideas, it's kind of like this--
there's something about this house that's trying to say
-"hey do this, that" and I think-- -That's why I need you
-to stop coming back. -[laughs]
-[loud bangs] -[upbeat music]
What's the problem in here yo? I am proud of you girl.
I'd run through a brick wall for you kid.
Whoa, that's fun.
-...and I can comb somebody's hair with that skid stick. -[laughs]
We're gonna have a talk before I give this back to you.
Let me have that. She forgot the saw's on.
-Some of these design choices will make it feel bigger-- -[board tears]
-[loud whistle] -It's gonna be sweet.
Let there be light. Y'all ready to see your fixer upper?
[excited exclaims]
[theme song playing]
[phone ringing]
[facetime chimes]
Hi Joanna!
-Hey Jenny, how are you? - I'm good how are you?
I'm so good. I wanted to follow up just on our conversation,
you told me about this emergency shelter for young girls
and I just wanted to call and say, you know Chip and I have looked through everything
we can as far as like the house, all the details and we would be
more than honored to be a part of this renovation.
That sounds great, I can't wait!
My sister's friend Jenny volunteers at a home here in Waco that houses
young girls that are in transition and often fleeing really difficult situations
and so when she reached out to ask if we wanted to help with a makeover
for this home we were really excited to help.
It's an amazing project Jenny and it's one of those things
where you know it wasn't on our radar, but now that we know about it we are
I mean so excited, now I can't even sleep at night. I'm thinking about all the things
that we get to do in this house.
So this project is different
in the sense that we don't have a traditional client,
You're not gonna meet the girls.
Our main goal here is gonna be protecting the girl's privacy
and we're gonna really focus on the renovation and the design of this home
so that when these girls move back in it really feels like a safe place for them to land.
I think we're ready to get started and we cannot wait.
-That is great. Thank you so much. -Okay Jenny.
-[Chip] Whoa, did you see that guy? -No.
-It looked like me. -His hair?
-Babe, my hair looks great. -Okay, good I'm glad.
-Do you not agree? -No, I think it's-- I
I think it's funny how you keep saying how good your hair looks.
[laughs] Well, it looks good.
[Joanna] Today kind of feels like we're going on like this special mission
[laughs] I feel that yes.
Jenny noticed this need for just it feeling more like a home to these girls
and here we are today we get to meet Ms. Cartwright who has
been with this home from the beginning, nine years.
And then I'm so excited to meet Trasha.
-Who's actually been through the home and now she -Wow!
-works there with these-- -The success story on the other side!
-Oh lord, delete that! -[both laughing]
-Is this better? -This is my good side.
-There you go, girl! -I'm Trasha.
-I'm Barbara. -And we work at a shelter that really need a renovation.
The mission of the shelter is to give each girl a chance to succeed.
A lot of renovation is needed
for us to be able to give the girls what they need
and then also the staff to be able to supervise them
in their day-to-day operation.
-We have a lot of dead space. -Yeah.
If it could be opened up, that would be great.
I hope Chip and Joanna can design a building that the girls
would enjoy and can cherish and say "I've been at this shelter"
-[Chip] All right, let's go! -[car doors open]
[dog barks]
-Hello! -[both] Hi!
-How are y'all? -Good, how are y'all?
Just fine, I'm Barbara Cartwright.
-Nice to meet you! -Nice to meet you Miss Cartwright!
-I'm Trasha. -Trasha, so nice to meet you!
-Beautiful name. -Thank you.
We spoke with Jenny and she's just told us all about
-this house. Yes, -Yes.
and she's just fallen in love with the girls so I think her dream was
"How do we all get our heads together
and make this a beautiful space for these girls?"
-So our ages are five to 21. -Okay.
-They stay here about 90 days -[Joanna] Wow!
-then they can go on maybe to a foster home or adoption. -Hmm.
If something happens this is the in-between place between the emergency
-and in theory the long term option that maybe available-- -Exactly.
'Cause these kids are broken, they're innocent and people just give up on them.
-When you see these kids, do they remind you of you? -Yeah.
-I was taken away when I was first born due to -Okay.
-my mother doing stuff she wasn't supposed to do. -I see.
And I was placed with my grandma, but unfortunately my grandma passed
so that's why I came into care.
When I was 14, this was my first emergency shelter. I'd come from a foster home.
For me it's like I had to grow up fast, finish high school.
And then I started working and I've been here eight years.
-[all clapping] -Wow! Congratulations!
Lot of people may wanna give up but you have to stay positive.
You know, well, we're not giving up.
Ms. Cartwright I am proud of you girl! I'd run through a brick wall for you kid!
-This is my passion. -Yes ma'am.
I do wanna talk about this beautiful place.
[Chip] Okay, so I understand it has
7 bedrooms, 3 full baths, 3 half baths,
and you were saying it's about
3900 sq. feet and it was built in 1950.
-Right. -[Chip] T hanks to Jenny and really the entire community
we now have the funds and the resources to make this even more special for these girls.
So the space we're standing in here, is this kind of the living room?
This is the living room where they can come and lounge.
One of the things that we really would like to do
-is to open the areas up some -[Joanna] Okay.
because it seems like every room they go in is just kind of tight
-Yeah. -And the way it's closed off now
-I can't really keep an eye on three in here, six in here. -I see.
Seven in here because, you know they all wanna do different things.
So in a dream world we could configure this to feel really like a living room
and somehow figure out a way to not open it up completely but do something to this wall
where you're still a part of each room but there's still a defined difference.
Make it all feel like one beautiful space, like I said when people step in here
for the first time, when these girls walk in, they feel like this is a safe place.
So take me into the dining room, I wanna see the size and--
-Okay. -see if we can fit everyone in there.
Okay, 16 girls is the max and so typically
-dinner at the same time, is that the goal? -[both] Yes!
They do wanna all eat in here and fit each other on the bench.
-Okay, what's behind this? -[Trasha laughs]
-This is our file room that's behind there. -Okay.
If we ended up finding a bigger office could we move that and then push this open
so we could do a nice communal table.
Yes, but it'll be good to keep like some cabinets because we have snacks here
-Yeah. -[Chip] I see.
-Games here. -I could do like this really pretty built-in thing
-[Chip] Sure. -that's cabinets, games, whatever you need.
I would love for this to feel like this beautiful kind of space where they come in
and they know this is special. We're eating, we're dining together.
-Exactly. -This is community but I need it to be practical too.
-Sure. -I wanna understand what is this homework space
-or the activity space, so can we step in there? -Sure.
Okay.
You know, it's so interesting when I look at the floor plan
cause that's what I've been kind of studying and how when you actually step in the space
-It's smaller because the ceiling are so low-- -Sure.
So now I feel like, "Oh wait I have to reimagine this room" 'cause--
-Right. -In my mind--
Yeah, the square footage is great but the ceiling height definitely does
-It's a trick. -make you feel a little more claustrophobic, it's like
going into a fun house and I like to stand in front of the mirror
-that makes me look skinny, this is sort of like that -[both laughing]
-the ceiling's height-- -and then when you come from the dining room
-where it's much taller, and to come here-- -Yes!
Makes you feel like you've kind of crawled into a hole a little bit.
The key in the space that was what do you need the space to be
so that as we're designing, I was thinking of doing some built-in type things
What I'm thinking about is you know if you could just imagine this being a den at home.
-Mmm-hmm. -Where we play activities, watch TV, we want it to be
-an activity room, you know just doing all kinds of stuff -Sure.
-just versatile. -That helps, okay.
Let's pretend like you step in, there's some built-in cutie little desk,
there's a reading nook and then like an art table,
-with an easel and all these art supplies -Right.
-and then opening this wall. -Sure.
-Some of these design tricks we can do to make it feel -Go a long way.
-bigger, today for us -Yes.
it was just more stepping in the space and hearing in these main rooms what do you need.
I wanted to see a bedroom just to see is there a bedroom this way or that way?
-It's down this way. -This this the biggest one?
-Mmm-hmm. -[Chip] Alright, y'all lead the way.
[Joanna] In a typical bedroom, you've got two, three, four beds
So we have four beds, we have another bedroom that has four beds.
-We have two that has one bed and two that has two beds. -Okay.
Practical question, but like the bedding.
Who provides the bedding? Is that something the home provides--
-We provide that. -[Joanna] Okay.
But they do sometimes like one just came and she brought her bedding from home.
Like they come with their stuffed animals--
-[Chip] I was just saying look at these stuffed animals. -[Joanna] I know.
But I love the charm and the unique personality that each of the bed kind of represents.
So say we got bedding and then if the girls wanna use their own they can.
We could configure this so that it's more of a specific look in each room
There's a rug and there's a little cute art thing on the wall or something like
-to make sure that it just feels like home-- -Yes.
-[Joanna] in a unique way. -[Chip] There is nothing traditional about this,
I mean this is an emergency shelter
that has to practically meet the needs of 16 young ladies.
-And you couldn't do this job unless you love the kids. -Exactly.
And I wanna you know open my own place like you know later down the road.
-Wow! -I'm retiring...
[all laughing]
Don't go anywhere, sounds like you got a place.
I think what this really stretches all of us to see is that home
for a lot of people isn't a safe space
But Trasha just being a success story and coming through this...
this house and being on this exact same journey that so many of these girls
that are in this facility have been through really gave me a lot of hope
Today is demo day.
Favorite day of the week.
-Favorite day of the year. -[construction noises]
Favorite day of my life.
[loud construction]
I would say our number one concern here is obviously the privacy of these girls
and so we're only gonna be really highlighting four of the rooms but we're tackling
this entire home, but there's a little bit of a change in the main bedroom we had walked
with Ms. Cartwright, she'd asked if we could move that to the other side of the house.
So in this new bedroom when I was looking at the plans, there's something there
that I want Chip to kinda sniff out.
-[forced sniffles] -so as we start moving forward
I need to know what I'm working with in that room.
-What's the problem in here, yo? -There's really no problem
-it's just I need you to delicately take-- -[cable clutters]
the dry wall out.
There's a window behind here and I'd love to not have to replace that window
-[tool clatters] -so if you could carefully
-What? -I'm taking it out of your pay check if you break this window
-I won't break it, there's an 80% chance I will-- -Okay.
-but there's a 20% change I won't-- -Give me those sunglasses
-and put those glasses on. -I didn't even know I had those.
-And this is now-- -I've been looking for those!
Now this is going to be the bedroom
-Well guess what it's about to be. -Babe, listen to me.
-Give me this. -It's about to become a destruction area.
-Yeah I kinda... let me. -We're gonna have a talk
-before I give this back to you. -Let me have that.
She forgot the saw-saw.
I'll be there in just a second babe.
-Watch out! -[saw whirs]
-I have your hammer. -[knocks on door]
[door creaks open]
Such a weirdo.
Oh, so you're not gonna break it!
Babe, there's ply wood behind the dry wall which will make the window completely safe
-Okay, so you get your hammer back. Okay. -Let me have my stuff.
Have fun, be careful!
-[guitar music] -[loud banging]
Your hammer and demo day are like synonymous.
-You can't have one without the other. -[loud bangs]
It's like Thor without his mullet.
[excited exclaim] Let there be light!
[loud clatter]
Oh, shoot! Oh, no!
-Hey Chip, whoa! -I did it.
-I took it out 100% zero breaks. -This is nice.
Can you show me what this window looks like so I can see if they're all the same?
-[shutter flaps] -Yeah, these are definitely aluminum windows.
So I think we need some new ones.
These are the worst, the least efficient windows ever.
I think the girls deserve it.
-They do deserve it, good job! -All right see you later, thanks babe!
[whispers] Yes! She bought it!
-Okay Jenny. -Yes!
So today's design meeting for the girl's home is gonna be a little different
Ms. Cartwright had called and she's got her hands full with the girls
so they're really busy. She'd asked if Jenny could step in and represent them
So today Jenny and I are gonna tackle the design.
She knows the space well, she knows the girls.
I actually got a chance to spend some time with the girls last night.
Just kind of knowing now what they're interested in and kind of their vibe
I just feel really good about showing her what we've got going
and making sure that we're moving in the right direction
Jenny, you volunteer there, you know what the space is, you know what the girls love
and so I thought you would help me make sure that not only is it
-good design but it's practical for these girls -Sure.
-and so that's where I want you to be thinking today -I would love to do that.
I'd say the silver lining here is the idea that Ms. Cartwright and Trasha
not seeing any of the design or the renderings
they will be completely surprised on the day of the reveal
so, that makes it that much more sweet.
So today I'm gonna show you really the main spaces.
When we originally walked the place with Ms. Cartwright and Trasha
-these were the rooms that really stuck out to us -Okay.
You know their activity room, living room and then the dining room.
I just want you to be able to look at it from a practical like--
and also like I don't want it too pink if some of the girls are like "this is too girly"
-so, you can push back on anything. -Sure, okay.
So, this is kind of the black and white sketch
and then I'm gonna show you how it comes to life with color and material.
I think the biggest thing they were saying is like "we want to be able to see these girls
in every space, and so this is the front room.
We're gonna add this metal window, this was our way of opening it up
and then with all the furnishings I was thinking leather or just
what's the most practical thing for these girls.
-It's beautiful! -Okay, one night when I couldn't sleep I was like
looking for wallpaper and this wallpaper
-is something I came across. -Cute!
This is not the scale of it, the scale's actually what you see here, large.
-Okay. -But what struck me about this was just that these
are wildflowers and what I love about wildflowers is how resilient they are
and how they can grow really anywhere.
To me it was just kind of that design statement but also just that hey,
-these girls are strong! -That's beautiful! I think they're gonna love this.
-Okay, moving into the activity room. -Oh, fun!
I'm widening the cased opening so right now it's kind of this smaller opening
that whole wall is gonna really get opened up and it'll be cased so that you can see
and it almost feels like when you're stepping into both spaces
So if you can imagine, you got this little reading nook with activities, games
and this desktop is wood, weathered oak, so we're gonna put the computers here.
This art ledge, I know there's some artists in the house
-There are. -and I kept thinking about just how art is therapeutic
how they can learn, but all of this will basically just be full of art supplies--
-Wow! -and so this can be for homework, this can be for art
That is amazing I am already thinking of a few girls in my mind who are artists
-and they are going to love this! -Sweet!
And then the dining room.
So this has been I think the biggest challenge trying to figure out
how in the world are we going to fit all 16 girls.
So we basically had to push this wall back
and even had my friend Clint custom build a special table
-'cause of the size. -Wow!
Wanting to add some texture to the walls to just make it feel warmer and inviting.
-This art ledge, where they can lean art. -Yes, beautiful!
So I'm gonna show you one bedroom.
-There's a lot of people that want to give to this project -That's awesome!
Whether that be the beds, the bedding, the rugs, the paint, like everyone
-is like all in. So just thankful to my partners -Oh, cool.
for wanting to be a part, they wanna help in any way and so
each room gets its own little unique design feel
And so redoing these windows and updating it to like a Roman shade
where it's a little prettier and cleaner and give each girl their space
like where they each have their bed.
Even though they're having to share a room it does feel like they have their own space.
-Okay. -They're gonna love it!
Last question. What do you think about doing a garden?
Getting them outside, getting their hands in the dirt and then just all the lessons
-that you learn in the garden. -There is that backyard space that's just perfect.
-I feel like if it was a low maintenance-- -Low maintenance.
-Even a picnic table out there. One or two. -Yes!
-Like it's a great size yard. How can we just make it -Yes!
-a little more interactive. -Yes I think that would be
just a peaceful place for them to go and be other than inside the house.
-It would be beautiful. -So Jenny, we're gonna get started.
-Okay! -I hope you do come and kind of look behind the scenes
-so you can see Ms. Cartwright's-- -Oh, I can't wait
-to see her reaction! -reaction. Okay.
-Thank you Jo! -Thank you Jenny!
I am so thankful that Chip and Jo said yes to taking this on
it's a big project and I just am so thankful for all the intentionality
and the thought and time that they have put
into making this home amazing for these girls.
Ms. Cartwright and Trasha are going to love it and I cannot wait to see their reactions!
[Chip] In order to get these girls back into this home as quickly as possible
we really had to kick things into high gear.
We've replaced the old electrical and we made tons of progress
with adding that window in between the living room and the dining room
but there's this one issue that's gonna be a tall order design-wise.
-This is where I'm struggling. -The ceiling heights?
-So low. -So low, babe.
This is tight, my goodness babe this is six feet, eight inches.
-That's not-- -And that's why I feel so claustrophobic
-because I've only got five inches to work with. -I knew that was coming.
Hey, I mean it! You're always jack with me saying I'm not six foot, how many inches
from the top of this to my head?
-Nine and a half. -If it's eight inches then I'm six foot.
Do you have a pencil on you?
And look, I'm not stepping on my tippy toes or anything.
-You got it? -Got it.
-Look babe, six foot! -So you're six foot?
-At least. -You know, knowing that we've got seven foot ceilings
they're low but if you can make them feel special and pretty I think
then you'll notice oh, these are great ceilings!
You almost have to...
Let me step off from this apple box. You have to stand in your normal environment
in order to really appreciate it.
Now that I see from this perspective it does look a little more spacious.
[mockingly] Spacious.
So Chip, I can't get really excited about a seven foot ceiling
-with drop ceiling tiles. -Okay.
I wanna do those little old ceiling tins, I don't wanna just come back with dry wall
and it just be the lowest ceiling, I want it to be interesting.
-I just need to go find -[whispers] One, two, three
[both laughing]
I need to find this many.
Okay, step in there and then it all of a sudden just comes up.
And now we've got the taller ceilings in here, it's already framed out for the built-in.
[Joanna] Okay, let's go to the bedroom.
I'm gonna frame this up because this is where the entry used to be.
My only question is where are the beds goin'?
So you got two twin beds here, a twin bed here, a twin bed here,
each girl gets her own little night stand, own little wall.
Yeah, and I keep thinking back to that first time that we saw this place
and just how each of the beds were personalized
with their stuffed animals, their backpacks and how each one of them had
different personalities you could almost sense it even then, you know?
I feel like I've been on an emotional roller coaster here you know it's like
one day I'm up, one day I'm down.
Sometimes you come here and you feel a little overwhelmed
we've got kids that are suffering and scared
and having to leave in the middle of the night in emergency situations it's,
it's been really hard.
This is good work, we get to do good work.
-It's gonna be sweet. -I can't wait babe.
[construction noises]
[Joanna] Things are starting to shape up at the girl's home.
[power tools drill]
The two by fours are starting to frame out these rooms.
You can see where all the built-ins are gonna go.
It's already starting to feel a little bit more like a home
than an office space, and one of the biggest things that we're trying to make sure
we accomplish in this entire renovation is a space for them when to eat
that they can all be together in this dining room
-[knocking] -Hey Clint!
-What up? -How is it going?
-It's good. How are you? -Welcome back.
We've used Clint on numerous projects and I knew right off the bat with
this home in particular, Clint's my guy.
So I'm gonna have him help me with the dining table.
-So this house actually serves as an emergency shelter. -Yes.
Their max capacity is 16 girls so to me this is one of those
-like heart projects where it's like-- -Yeah.
-How do we create a space that feels safe for them -Mmm-hmm.
-but also beautiful and it's functional -Yeah.
-Okay. -and their biggest thing was
all 16 of them can't fit in the same space so we pushed this wall back.
-Yep. -But now still, 16's a lot to fit even in this space
-Yeah, yeah. -and with this walkway plan
I didn't want to crowd it too much
-cause this is your-- -thoroughfare if you will.
And so to me it was like you know fine,
-if the table ended here -Yep.
-I'm fine with that. -Okay.
How much space do we need on this end for a chair to plug in.
The chairs I ordered are 21 inches wide, is that a standard size?
That's generally okay, I mean your general two foot rules so--
-How many chairs between-- -The two foot butt rule.
-Okay, two foot butt. -[Clint laughing]
You know I think something that's really special about sharing a meal together
with your community is that it just it feels like home.
And the fact that this'll be the first time they've had a table this size
they can be in the same room together, I think it's gonna be really special.
-I say we do white oak. -White oak.
-Make sure it is a more modern, very clean. -Yep, yep.
-No chunk, just like-- -Mmm-hmm.
-Simple and clean. -Mmm-hmm.
You know I love that Clint got to come here.
I think the biggest thing is him understanding the space.
I really like where we ended up, I can see that this is gonna be a really beautiful
space for these girls.
-This is gonna be amazing. -Thank you for helping with this.
-Let me know if you need anything. -I'll talk to you soon.
-Thank you. -Yep, thank you.
-Hi guys! -Hey!
-Oh, looks so pretty.
So today I'm at the studio space visiting the visual display team.
And this is where they create all the magic for the shop and the grounds.
And I'm going to just hopefully get some ideas
on this project for these wonderful girls
-Did you end up going to the house today? Okay. -Yes, we went this morning.
One of the things I think is really interesting about the house
that we have to figure out, there are little girls, then there's teenage girls
so how do we find design that can kind of speak to a really broad range of personalities
and age so I think that's, whereas I'm moving more into this construction phase
I've gotta know like what paint color? And I've already picked the rugs for the room
the beddings, you can play off of that.
-We were kind of swimming with ideas. -Okay.
A wallpaper pop on one wall, wallpaper on the ceiling
we love the idea of doing kind of like painted shapes or painted panels
and then laser cutting words out of them for behind beds.
I love that.
we had so many ideas we thought that maybe starting with that color palette
-that you love would be a great place to jump off from. -[Joanna] Okay.
I have a feeling that y'all are gonna come up with some really wonderful things
and so thank you for helping me with this. I think it's gonna be a special project.
We're ready! we're excited! We wanna be part of it.
I'm excited about what the team is gonna come up with.
The fact that they said that they're swimming with ideas is very promising.
Just what they can do and what they can create is truly magical.
[Chip] We've had a pretty busy week on this renovation.
Jo's got the fabric selected for this reading nook bench.
The dining room table Clint's building is really coming along.
The dry wall's been hung, tape's been floated
and now it's just time for some sanding.
[machine whirring]
-Hey Chip! -Yo!
-Can you come here? -[hoovering]
I'm trying to finalize some last minute kind of design decisions.
Finalize paint colors, Chip is ready for paint
This is crazy, you know how you're always saying lighting
-changes thing, look at that! -Yeah!
-Look at what color that is with this light! -Let me see.
-And then if I shine direct light on it it seems -Okay, hold on.
It's like warm pink.
-Light pink. -That's crazy.
This is gonna be great cause all the light is gonna be warm light.
So in the dining room I wanted this space to have a moodier vibe where it just felt
just cozier, it felt richer.
-This will be the green we're gonna do. Okay. -I love it.
-Okay what? -That one, the pink.
-Okay, great. -The first thing I always ask a client is
-how do you want your room to feel because I feel like -Mmm-hmm.
that's the most important thing and when they tell me
I want it to feel comfortable, cozy, inviting or I want it to feel like minimal and you know
depending on that word they use help me go into the next phase which is color.
Green is like stability, peace, calm and then the pink is like this youthfulness.
It's a play on psychology more than design in my opinion and
paint more than ever to me feels more powerful in this space
cause they're not gonna walk in and say "oh my gosh I love the design"
it's going to be a feeling they feel and so hopefully we can nail that with color
Text me the color final answer for this, text me the color final answer for the green
and I've actually got one thing I need to show you
-in this front room, okay? -Okay.
-I wanted to show you these tins, they finally came in Jo! -Nice!
-Alright, I think these tiles look great, what do you think? -Beautiful.
I like' em natural like this. You cool if we just keep 'em like this or you
-envision a paint? -This is hard.
If you paint' em it will feel a little bit like this ceiling is a little higher.
So we've got like the green and pink in here, we've got this wallpaper
-black and white on the wall and I think we paint it. -It's cool though, you sure?
-Yes. -Why are you joking?
-Cause I like it raw but I-- -Why are you laughing?
-because you don't have to hold it up anymore. -Oh, you're done?
Yes, I don't want you to hurt yourself, whoa!
-[Chip laughs] Whoa! -Oh, you're like a pizza guy.
-Okay babe so-- -I just want this to feel sweet.
Paint the tin ceiling tiles. Man, these are cool.
Okay Jo, we knocked a lot of stuff out. I'm gonna keep
keep saying it needs to be more like this
-[loud whistle] -I don't like that, I can't do that.
Well babe, when I'm standing I can't hear you when you're like--
-I'll just throw something at you. -[in girl voice] Help, help!
I need your opinion! It's not loud enough.
-Throw same tape at you or something! -See if it works!
-[whistles] Yeah, that'd work! -Okay.
-Thanks Chip! -Yeah!
[Joanne] Things are really moving along at the girl's home.
The custom built-ins for the dining room and activity area are finished.
-[construction sounds] -[Joanne] There's new flooring throughout the house.
And the visual team is getting started on these really pretty installs for each bedroom.
We've got about a week left, we're finishing up.
Chip is finishing up the landscape in the side yard and it's really starting
-to come together, it's funny because before-- -When you say we've got a week
-left, are you talking about on this project? -On this project we have
-seven days left and that counts the weekend, clearly. -We're not gonna make it.
How am I doing on plates? Are we okay there?
You know to a lot of people a side yard or a back yard really is just a side yard
or a back yard, but we're gonna make it a garden. We're gonna make this
beautiful little path, they've got this gorgeous oak tree, I mean
God made this, not me.
We think that these girls are gonna come out here
and hopefully find a little reprieve form the world
-[loud grunt] -People think
picking up rocks and putting them someplace is easy
but I can tell you when you do it the old-fashioned way
which is via flat head shovel and a wheelbarrow
there's nothing easy about that.
[sighs deeply]
[sighs]
-Hi ladies, what are y'all doing? -[everyone] Hey!
So we're just getting everything sketched out so that you can see all the sizes
and what colors are gonna go where and we also wanted to add the ply wood circles.
-Okay. -So that there's some dimension.
And we have all the plywood circles here already so that you can look at those
-and make sure you like the shape and the position-- -Nice!
There's gonna be a fun design element in every one of these rooms.
For me it was what is the first thing they're gonna see when they wake up?
What's the last thing they're gonna see when they go to bed. I really wanted there to be
some type of message of hope or truth on the walls for these girls
to just bring them some life, some inspiration.
-Okay, the terracotta behind it is more like the blush -Yes.
-the blush and then we're gonna do the quote in this-- -The gold
-kind of gold color and it'll say-- -I love that!
-"There's gold in every piece of your story" -Okay,
-So that'll go up over the window. -That is sweet!
I am so excited!
-[Joanne] Thank you so much for helping with this! -[everyone] Thank you!
-It's gonna be really special y'all! Okay, bye guys! -[all] Okay, bye!
[truck honks]
[Joanne] Oh!
Whoa, that's fun!
I was like "forget this nonsense" so I got the big equipment.
And then once you start getting that baby rolling, you feather it in.
-I mean I can comb somebody's hair with that skid stick. -[Joanne laughs]
-[Chip grunts] -This looks awesome!
Babe... it's coming together!
Before this was a side yard that wasn't used for anything so we can put these boxes in
get them planted, get these picnic tables in.
These girls can come out here and just be out in nature, get inspired,
really excited about how this is all shaping up.
[nail gun bangs]
[drill whirs]
-[snowball thuds] -[Chip laughs] Oh!
-We had the best weekend, it snowed in Central Texas. -Didn't we?
[Joanne] Wow!
-Chip was in his PJs and a very thin T-shirt. -[Chip barking]
[Joanne] Feeding the animals while the rest of us were very bundled up.
-[Chip] I'm tough! -[Joanne] It was fun.
-We still have snow on the ground but yet it's like 84. -No, it's colder today.
I think these tiles look great, what do you think?
I think the fact that they're white really--
-You were right, it makes it look taller. -[Joanne] Lifts it.
But Chip, we're done!
So today is the final day here at the girl's home, um, we are
-finished. Final day for Chip but-- -Final day for me.
But really I've got the rest of the day to put all of the stuff in this house
for the rooms, for these girls and
I just-- I woke up on cloud nine.
You know, I love days like today. It always feels like a wedding.
It's all the things that we've timed from an event standpoint. You know,
Chip is finished with the ceiling tiles
and then, you know, five minutes later Clint comes with the table
and it's literally like this dance and everything has hit the certain timelines
so that I can be done by tonight and so far
everything's smooth sailing.
-[Clint] Oh, my gosh! -[sighs deeply]
-[Joanne] Look at that table! -[Clint laughs]
-I heard some huffing and puffing in here. -There you go.
-Holy cow Clint! -Ay, ay, ay!
I just remember when Ms. Cartwright and Trasha would talk about dinner time
and how there wasn't enough space for all of these girls
and now, knowing that there's gonna be a table that's large enough to fit all of them
it makes me really happy!
[Joanne] Okay, that one'll just go right here!
Long way's this way.
Sweet!
So it's gonna go sofa... sofa.
And then there's two kind of tan chairs we're gonna sit here.
All the final pieces are coming into the house and everything's fitting.
Just right. I think every space is starting to really come together.
Go a little more. Yep, right there! Thank you!
When we first walked into this house it felt very commercial,
felt almost like an office space and we just wanted to add in those details,
those textures. All the things that would just make it feel
a little I guess softer when they step in.
What I love about this project is so many people in the community donated their time
and their materials and the beds, the mattresses, all the rugs, the paint
you name it, I feel like so many people stepped up to be a part of this.
You know it's just crazy to think that with the 16 girls
some will be placed, some new ones will come in and it'll just be something that
will be here long term and it's important
for us as a family and even as many people as we can
within Magnolia to just be a part of this,
so that these girls feel the support of this community.
So the kids are here helping me with all the final touches.
They wanted to help put the games in, the art supplies.
They're really helping me in the activity room.
And all I keep thinking about is tomorrow morning we get to reveal this
to Trasha and Ms. Cartwright.
Okay, this room's done.
I'm so excited, last night I left that house and thought
I love it, I can't wait for them to see this thing!
Ms. Cartwright and Trasha really are gonna be completely surprised!
-Completely surprised! -Yes!
-[Chip] I feel nervous. -I am like giddy excited.
-Let's go! -Do it!
-[Chip] Hey girls! -Hello!
-How are y'all doin'? -We're doin' fine!
-Excited, I'm glad it's come to this point -Yeah.
-[Chip] Alright! -I mean we're just real, real excited.
Yes, well what's been on y'all's hearts and minds these last few weeks
since we saw you last? Any updates we need to know about? Or y'all just ready to rock?
-[both] We're just ready to rock! -[all laughing]
-He wanted to get all philosophical and deep. -[Chip] I was gonna go deep
but I just like somehow rock came popped out towards the end--
-Let's rock and roll! -[Joanne] Okay.
You know typically we're in the front, we pull a billboard but
because obviously for the safety of these young ladies
we don't wanna reveal anything about this property itself.
So we're gonna just jump right into the middle of it. Y'all ready to see you fixer-upper?
-[both] We're ready to see! -C'mon, let's go!
-Let's go! -[Barbara laughs] Alright!
[laughing] Wha-- Oh my!
-I like it! -Oh, wow!
[Barbara moans excitedly] This is beautiful!
-[Joanne] This is the living room. -Oh, this is beautiful!
Wow!
-[Joanne] It's different. -Nothing
-[Barbara] like before! -[Trasha] No!
[Barbara] This is beautiful!
I never imagined this, this is
-beautiful. -[Joanne] Yeah, we went back and forward with the leather
like just wanted some durable stuff in here, the darker rugs,
-we added this window unit and-- -[Barbara] Beautiful!
because I know that you had said,
"Hey, we need to be able to see the girls kind of in every room."
So you got that big window here.
-We loved all the natural light that came in. -[Barbara] Okay, yes yes.
You had the sofa here and then the window-- Felt more like an office.
-Kind of like the waiting room-- -Right, and that's
-It was a waiting room but not as comfortable as this one-- -Sure.
But, this is just great.
-[Chip hums approvingly] -Love it!
-This doesn't look like a facility you know. -[all hum approvingly]
Looks more of a home, so the new girl that come in
-will be more comfortable when they walk in. -Sure.
-Well, you wanna head that way? -Yeah.
Lord, this is just awesome!
This was a doorway and then there was the steps down.
[Barbara] Right, it's beautiful!
-[Trasha claps] I like it! -[Barbara] I mean beautiful!
We tried to open up all of this as much as can like I think.
We didn't want it completely open,
we wanted the dining to stay dining, but I think in every room
we kept thinking,
it's just a powerful thing
-to watch them all interact in that one room. -[Barbara] Exactly.
[Joanne] So I think for us it was, "Hey in this room can we imagine all the girls,
"some of the girls sitting on the floor but then interacting in here."
-I really like the table. -Yes, they can sit here
play games, do homework. But then same in here like
you know you've got the computers for homework, you've got this art section
where they can do art and be creative, reading.
All these little games and activities.
One thing to notice in each room we wanted to have this theme
or kind of a message of just hope and truth and I feel like it because this is
This is kind of the reading room, your homework room.
-Our friend Jimmy Don made the "your story matters" sign. -[Barbara] Yes.
Just to kind of stamp that in their minds and their hearts to know that
whatever they're going through now just like every part of their story matters
-Right. -And then moving into that space with the wallpaper
I think, you know those are all wildflowers.
I saw that and I was drawn to it immediately because the resilience of a wildflower.
-[Barbara] Mmm-hmm. -And I think that symbolism for those girls,
-just their strength and their resilience, you know, -Exactly.
even though it doesn't say anything hopefully that just feeling of who they are
-internally, just their strength is what's gonna -[Chip] Yeah.
-get them through all of this but -I'll be sitting in here
-with them. -[all laughing] Okay.
-This gonna be my spot! -This will be your spot, this is Trasha!
Trasha is just gonna be one of the girls, she's like
-"listen, forget the office, I wanna out here with' em -[Trasha] I am.
-where the action is! -Like, I like to do the stuff they do.
I love that!
-Well, next spot. So the kitchen area. -The dining room.
I remember you saying "we need a space for all 16 of the girls"
-Yes. -So, we did the best we could.
-[all laughing] -Let's see it!
-They're gonna fit! -Alright!
-[Barbara gasps] Wow, man! -[Jo laughs]
-What did we move? What did you do, this is great! -I like this!
Remember your files? We moved them over there. But they're all still intact.
-[Barbara] Oh, this is beautiful, I love it! -There was some lockers
-that were locked on the far right, we -[Barbara] Yeah!
-sort of rearranged all of this and uh... -Wow, this is beautiful!
-[Trasha] We could all sit in here and eat too! -There's 16 seats.
The ceilings were naturally higher in here so that made a big difference
going from this space to here just feels bigger
you have tons of storage, I know you wanted a lot of storage.
But being able to open the space up, thinking about everyone in one space
I knew that was the biggest priority for y'all
-and our friend Clint built this table so it's a-- -[Barbara] You are kidding!
-[Joanne] 14 foot table -[Chip] Yes.
[Joanne] Beautiful. I was looking into like the psychology of colors
and green is peace and calming and stability
and then the blush is more for the like the idea of youthfulness and so
I just keep thinking hopefully these colors without words,
it just makes these girls feel safe and comfortable in here.
It speaks family.
-[approving hums] -[Barbara] It speaks togetherness, you know.
-It... this is amazing. -[Chip] Yes ma'am.
So we wanna show you one of the bedrooms, I know there's nine bedrooms
we're gonna show you one of the bigger bedrooms
so you can see the transformation.
-Sounds good, excited. -Okay, let's go!
[soft gasp]
Wow, oh my!
-[excited exclaim] -Do you remember this room?
-[Joanne] 'Cause we reconfigured it a little bit. -Yes.
-[Joanne] 'Cause the doorway was there, remember? -Yes.
-Oh, wow! There's gold -It even smells good--
in every piece of your story.
-[Joanne] We did metal beds, we knew you were hoping -[Barbara] Yes!
for a metal bed. We added that sign in here for this room
but every room has a fun theme and a color story
so that hopefully each room feels really specific with this beautiful story to tell
-I like this! -This is beautiful!
I think they will love this, wow!
And it's just not your traditional beds, it's
-a bed. -[all laughing]
-Something new we'd have at home. -Yeah.
We put a lot of layers in there like just thinking about all the comfort, so
you know with the layers and the duvets and the soft blankets
that when they tuck themselves in bed at night that it feels safe and no matter
what's going on in the outside that when they lay their head down they feel safe.
[Chip] Even though they're a little uniform today,
we really hope these girls make each of these bed spaces kind of their own
-you know -Exactly.
It's beautiful, I think they will and they'll have fun doin' it.
-Yes. -Exactly
Well we did a little surprise on the side here we wanna show you guys.
-Oh, great. -They like the animals and snails
-and stuff. -Yeah, you got plenty of that back there.
-They be picking them up. -Let's go check it out.
Oh, wow!
-[all laugh] -[Jenny] Hi!
-[Barbara] Look who's there! -[Jenny] Hi!
-[excited exclaims] -[Chip] Come on, come on follow us!
-Oh, hi! -Hey, guys!
-[Barbara] Look at the chairs! -[Chip] How did it turn out? What do you think?
I can't even remember what it looked like!
[Jenny] It's beautiful it's amazing!
[Chip] Awesome! Thank you for letting us be a part.
It is great, we just love everything! Oh, wow! This is just...
[Joanne] So now it's a side yard you can use! All these beds are irrigated
so you don't have to water them
-they'll water themselves. -[Barbara] Wow!
We just thought no maintenance back here, so with the rocks, the turf, the picnic tables.
This can literally be a place where you guys come out and live
in this side yard and play and not have to worry about all the maintenance.
Oh wow, this is great!
[Trasha] Now when they say "let's go outside," okay.
-[laughs] -Yeah, they'll wanna come in here--
-Yeah. -[Chip laughs]
[Barbara] This is just wonderful, they just speak home
it speaks warmth, it speaks caring, it speaks perseverance.
You know, it just speaks all of that and I just cannot say
how much we really thank you all
-for helping us with this project. -[Trasha] Yes.
I'm excited for you to be able to help the girls in their hard times
and now that it's renovated it's gonna help me
help the girls understand that there can always be change.
And that it's okay to be with us even though it's not where they wanna be.
So, it's much appreciated.
It's been an honor to be a part of this from start to finish.
And really what we're hoping is that as they come in to this space,
that it allows them to blossom and really go out and do some amazing thing
and Trasha you've been a perfect example of this, you came into this as scared
and vulnerable, as I can imagine any of them
but yet here you are and had you not told me about your circumstance
and your story, I would've never assumed that in a million years, so
we hope that this project just enables you to make more and more success stories
out of these young ladies that obviously need
-that obviously need a little helping hand. -Yeah.
Well we thank y'all for helping us and Jenny we definitely want to thank you
for reaching out to us. You went an additional mile.
and we really appreciate that.
-[Jenny moans] Thank you, you are both an inspiration. -Yes.
I can't wait to see what you three and these young ladies collectively all accomplish.
You know, thank you for letting us be a part of this project!
♪ My home is where you are ♪
[song continues]