Hi Friends! 

I hope you all had a great weekend!

A couple of weeks ago (as some of you know), I spent a few days down in Waco visiting one of my favorite spots – Magnolia and the Silos. During my trip, I ventured to the Magnolia Castle with my mom and girlfriends and discovered firsthand why this place is so special! The castle was my favorite part of our Waco trip!

If you can’t view the photos on this blog, click here.

Although the castle first began to be built in 1890, it didn’t reach any sort of completion until 1913. From this time to 1977, the property and castle structure thrived and in 1977, under the guidance of its owner, the castle received historical designation. Unfortunately, during the 1990’s until 2019, the castle wasn’t well maintained, causing damage and the need for great repair. That’s when the heroes of our story (hint, that’s Chip and Joanna) stepped in and purchased the castle. And, of course, their main mission: to restore the castle to its intended glory! To learn more about the castle and the story behind its renovation, click here.

Although I had seen enough pictures, watched plenty of videos, and dreamed plenty of dreams to feel like I had been there already, I realized quickly that there was no way everything I viewed or dreamed could capture the magnificence of the castle and the experience it gives you!

One thing that left a big impression is that the design throughout is careful to maintain the integrity of the original structure, even its earliest iterations from 1890. While I love the style we now so quickly associate with the dynamic Gaines duo (who doesn’t love all things Magnolia?!), I appreciate that this project displays the value of keeping the history of the castle in tact, even down to the design elements and choices. Here are a few of my favorite photos that I took during our trip.

It was not surprising to find special moments around every corner, but as soon as I walked into the dining room I was just amazed! The level of detail is outstanding, and I LOVE its moody vibe! From the wallpaper selection to the painted black ceiling, guests at this table must feel completed enraptured by the deep colors and the dark atmosphere, exhibiting the perfect touch of ambiance.

Because the style of the castle is so very different from the many projects completed by Magnolia, during the process, Joanna Gaines developed a full line of paint colors to complete every room. Though encompassing a range of colors, including a family of white tones, this line is rich and full of deep tones, giving a beautiful nod to the history and story of this enchanting structure. Check out the full line here.

magnolia.com

Also, while we were there, we ate at a fabulous Italian restaurant nearby. Characterized by authentic Italian cuisine, Moroso more than delivered on service and taste! It is an ABSOLUTE MUST when visiting Waco! Below our some pics of the yummy dishes we ordered: Ravioli Di Zucca, a delicious butternut squash ravioli with sage, & classic wood fired pizza, Margherita style!

I want to give my girls a big shout out for being my traveling buddies and happy companions during our visit and tour of the castle! I would do it again in a heartbeat!

PLANNING A GIRLS’ TRIP TO WACO 2025

And in case you missed it, this is not my first trip to Waco, in fact it is my 7th trip : ) In a recent blog post, I shared all about our stay at the  Gathering Oaks Retreat Center and announced that I’m considering doing ladies Waco Trip for any FunCycled fan in early 2025 and renting out the whole retreat center!! To read the full blog, click here. AND If you’d be interested in learning more about this, and being on the email list for more detailed information, please fill out this form.

BOOK A VIRTUAL DESIGN APPOINTMENT TO GET THE FIXER UPPER LOOK IN YOUR HOME

Do you love the design style that Joanna Gaines gets right every time? Well, I would love to help you get that done for your home, too! And the best part is, you DO NOT have to live in upstate New York where I do. In addition to my in home design consultations, I also offer virtual design appointments for people all over the country! To learn more, you can visit the Interior Design Services Page. And if you would like to book a virtual design appointment, you can complete the form on our Contact Us Page and indicate you would like a virtual design appointment. It would be a pleasure to work with you!

Thank you all for following along! If you’d like to get this blog in your email once a week, please sign up for our weekly newsletter by adding your email in the little box below my picture at the top of this page. 

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We offer interior design, kitchen cabinet painting, and custom built tables, barn doors, and repurposed furniture. Thank you, again, for working with us and for taking the time to spread the word about what we do. 

Happy FunCycling Friends,

Sarah ;)

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Hi Friends!

How are you? I hope you’ve been checking out our Instagram and Facebook feed over the last week because I’ve shared some of my Magnolia Market trip. If not, follow along today. I’ll be sharing more throughout the week. I’ve been to Texas many times to check out Joanna Gaines new designs, restaurants, and the other fun surrounding Waco. I believe this was my 7th trip, and I can tell you without a doubt, the best place I’ve stayed is at the Gathering Oaks Retreat Center. The 3 bedroom, 2 bathroom farmhouse that we stayed in is located right next to Chip and Jo’s farmhouse so we could see their farm animals roaming around. We dreamed that Chip and Jo would come up to the fence and say hi (it didn’t happen though – dang it).

I’m considering doing ladies Waco Trip for any FunCycled fan in early 2025 and renting out the whole retreat center!! If you’d be interested in learning more about this, and being on the email list for more detailed information, please fill out this form. Here’s a pic of me and the gals from this trip!!

If you have trouble viewing the photos on this post, click here.

We adored our stay in a farmhouse chic, full house with a view of Chip and Jo’s farm!! Check out some of the beautiful rooms in our stay at Gathering Oaks!

It was quiet, clean, styled so beautifully, and oh so fun!!! It’s a 20 minute drive from Waco, but I think it’s WELL WORTH IT to be Chip and Jo’s neighbor for a couple of days.

We, of course, visited Magnolia Home, Press, the Silo Bakery, and Magnolia Market.

I’ve been really excited to check out Ferny’s at Magnolia for the first time! Even though it had fewer plants than I pictured it having since it’s a plant store, it still had a really cute design.

Since my last visit, Jimmy Don opened a JDH Iron Designs store right across the street from Magnolia Home! Jimmy was so kind! He remembered me and came right over for a big hug, met my friends, and signed every piece that we bought from him!

If you’d like to book a night at the Gathering Oaks Retreat, head here! If you love all things Magnolia, check out our other Magnolia Trips here.

There is a box at the top right of this page to enter your email address to receive notifications by email when I post something new on this blog. Please sign up today! 

If you like what you see, please like FunCycled’s Facebook page or Instagram page to keep up to date on the newest finds, vote on colors and give your input on our creativity. Or book a Virtual Design Consult with me for help in your home. 

We create custom furniture and will deliver for customers in upstate NY and offer shipping throughout the US. Send us a note with what you would like using our contact page. Or buy something that we’ve already designed from our Shop Page.

Happy FunCycling Friends,
Sarah ;)

Hi Friends,

If you’ve followed my blog for long, you probably already know that I go on an annual trip to Waco, TX to visit Magnolia Market and enjoy all the Chip and Jo Jo makeovers that I can find!

Last week, I went again to check things out, but this time I met up with a group of friends on the trip. We started by staying at the Gathering Oaks Retreat which is a PERFECT spot if you’re going by yourself and you want to stay in a tiny house all the way up to renting the whole place out for your company retreat or wedding. Usually, I stay in the tiny house, but this time I stayed in the 2 bedroom cottage and brought my dear friend Nicolle from Bluebird Home Decor. Gathering Oaks invited me to stay with them and asked that I just share about the experience with all of you. I couldn’t have asked for a better experience! The rooms were stunning, the newly remodeled bathroom was jaw dropping, and the outdoor area was a blast! I invited a group of girlfriends over for drinks and cheese. We sat outside and had the option of playing outdoor games like corn hole, ping pong, golf, or enjoy the pool/hot tub. Check out all out in pictures:

Outside our 2 bedroom cottage!

My bedroom 💕

The newly remodeled bathroom. Swoon!

Nicolle’s Room!

An adorable kitchenette area.

One of my favorite parts of staying at Gathering Oaks is the fact that it’s across the street from where Chip and Joanna live, so you can take a quick walk past their house. This is us… being creepy stalkers. Taking a selfie with their house behind us. Don’t worry, we didn’t try to get close. Even if I wanted to! Haha!!

If you want to book a room for a group of girlfriends, I highly recommend the Two Bedroom Cottage.

Ok, now that we’ve got the stay taken care of, let’s talk about what to do and where to go.

If you like to shop and linger, I’d say plan to spend the whole day at Magnolia. Magnolia Press (their coffee shop), opens the earliest at 7am. So I’d say be there around 8am to enjoy a cup of coffee and maybe a chocolate croissant then get in line at the Silo Baking Company because it’s the place that always seems like it has a line when I visit.

Up next, head to the main Magnolia Market area which is beautiful!

Take selfies in the plethora of selfie worthy spots. Say cheese!!

Grab lunch at one of the food trucks!

Then head to the cute shops along the back side of the Magnolia Marketplace.

Remember, the market doesn’t stay open really late, so plan to go out to a nice dinner after a day of shopping, or do what we did – go back and have a ladies night at the Gathering Oaks. It was so much fun!

For the 2nd day of your trip, start the day with breakfast at Magnolia Table.

Do your own self driving tour of some of the Fixer Upper house flips next!

If you didn’t get time to on the first day, head to the Magnolia Home and check out all the furniture and rugs. I love this spot! And look at this mirror installation! It is amazing : )

Up next, head to the Little Shop on Bosque. It’s where everything started. Jo’s first storefront. Now, they sell discounted scratch and dent items there.

There are countless other things to do in Waco! I like to recommend 2 full days in town. That would probably feel like enough!

We also drove around to find Chip and Jo’s new purchase at that time. A Castle! Pop 3300 Austin Avenue, Waco, TX into your GPS to drive by and see it. You can also read my Magnolia Castle Tour post here, which is updated information from when this post was originally written.

You can now take a tour of the Castle which I recommend. You can also check out this article which features some pictures of the Castle before its renovation–pretty interesting, right?!

Hope this inspires you to take a trip with your friends! Make some memories. Be creatively inspired!

Thanks so much for checking out our post! If you’ve found it, please share with your friends. If you live on the east coast, please check out more of our work… they don’t call me the Joanna Gains of the Northeast for no reason! :)

Sarah Trop

Hi Friends,

I recently went to Waco, TX to explore all the changes at Magnolia. If you are a big Chip and Jo fan like I am, you’ve seen the new shops online, the old church they just had rebuilt on the property, Magnolia Press, Magnolia Home, and so much more! I usually go to Waco every year to check out what’s new and get new design inspiration. The 2020 COVID pandemic made me miss a year, but I wasn’t going to let it stop me in 2021. I’ve already had COVID in the last three months so I wasn’t as worried about traveling during this time. For those of you who are thinking about a trip there in the middle of the pandemic, I thought I’d share my experience so you can know what to expect (or at least what I experienced).

If you want to read more tips and tricks about traveling to Waco, check out our other blog post here!

First, let me start with the stay! I LOVED staying at the Gathering Oaks Retreat Center while in Waco. It’s clean, cute, away from the city a bit, and when you turn left onto the main road to head into Waco from the retreat center, Chip and Joanna Gaines’ house is on the right. It’s basically across the street from this property! When you’re in Waco for all things Chip and Jo, that’s the best way to start the day, I’d say.

Gathering Oaks Retreat Center

We stayed in one of their tiny houses and it’s SO ADORABLE. It was comfy and had everything we needed to relax at night.

The tiny house we stayed in!

A huge thank you to Lacy and Brandon for having me stay this trip!

The first thing I wanted to do while in Waco, since I’ve been there many times before, was find the house where Joanna Gaines records her new cooking show.

I had to call in some help from my friend Carrie because I was having troubling finding it. It’s actually only about 10 minutes past the Gathering Oaks Retreat Center. Pop in the address 401 E Avenue A, Valley Mills, TX 76689 and it’ll bring you right to the house. It’s private property so don’t actually try to go onto the property (even if you really want to like I wanted to!) lol.

401 E Avenue A
Valley Mills, TX 76689

Joanna Gaines Home for Cooking Show

I also couldn’t wait to check out the new Magnolia Home store. I have recommended so many rugs, pillows, furniture, and more from her product lines. So to see it all in person felt like Disney to me! It was beautiful.

Connected to the Magnolia Home store is the new Magnolia Press coffee shop.

At this point… I wanted to scream, “Is there anything they don’t do well??”. It was stunning. The lavender latte was sublime. The staff were all so friendly. I couldn’t get enough of all of it! The space sparkled with vintage charm. Hunter green and gold complimented each other in the most sophisticated way. Geometric patterns and pops of white sharpened the designs and brought it into 2021 trends that also feel completely timeless. Well done, to the team at Magnolia Press. You knocked it out of the park!

Another new favorite for me was the church building that they moved to the center of the new section on the Magnolia property. It’s a quiet place for reflection, prayer, or to sit and chat with friends. It’s absolutely stunning. If you’d like to read more about the history of moving the church to this location head here.

If you look to the right of the church in the picture above, you’ll see a grouping of new small shops. They are on both sides of this area. All of them are owned by Chip and Joanna, but they all have different names. The names each have special meaning to Chip and Jo (ask the workers in each store and they’ll tell you the story behind the name). This was another really fun new addition to Magnolia. I loved the jewelry shop and craft supply store. Both are filled with items that you won’t find at most stores so it feels local and small business even though it’s not.

Of course the iconic Silos, food trucks, and main Magnolia Market never disappoint. I would say the difference in these areas compared to other years – the staff was a little quieter (I’m guessing because of the masks), they didn’t have staff to take your pictures (probably because of COVID). It was hard to get good pictures, and the main store felt not quite as filled or staged as it was in other years. I hate to even sound like I’m complaining because I still loved it, but this year that was the main difference. The mantles weren’t decorated with as much detail, the jewelry corner was gone, Chip’s corner was gone, and the back area was a bit sparse. I’m guessing that’s because they are using many of those items in the smaller shops now so it may take time to fill in and fill up the larger market. The prices seemed higher to me this year, too.

The front display at the market was beautiful though!

The lines weren’t bad and they were keeping good track of who came in and out to keep the numbers low. We waited only about 10 minutes to get into the Market. They require everyone to wear masks once you get into the entire area (outside grounds, too) so expect that while you’re there. Obviously, you can take them off while you’re eating at the tables, but no where else. The seating area is much larger and the grass area has been expanded by the food trucks so it looks really beautiful!

OF COURSE we had to go to the Magnolia Table while we were visiting… twice actually. lol The food was just as amazing! The staff wasn’t quite as perky as they usually are, but still good. The wait was about 45 minutes each time. You can make reservations now which I wish I knew before I went because I would have made them ahead of time. Make yours here. We waited 45 minutes the first time and 30 minutes the second time.

A huge thanks to my sister in law, Tasha, for joining me on this last minute trip, enduring my endless photographing and excitement, and enjoying it right along side me! My girl! 💕

Oh, and we can’t forget the Silo Baking company.

Sooooo gooood!!!

I’d say you could easily spend 2-3 days in Waco and have plenty to do if you’re a Fixer Upper fan! It’s so relaxing and fun! If you have any other favorite spots in Waco, please share them in the comments below!

If you need any upstate NY design help, remember… I’m your girl! If you’d like me to help with the design in your home (can be done virtually to help anyone in the US), let me know. We also sell painted furniture, build barn doors and tables, and paint your kitchen cabinets. Let us know how we can help you!

Thanks for being the best funcycler’s around! 

Sarah Trop

Hi Friends!

As you know, I just got back from a trip to Waco, TX! Some people have asked me why I went or what there is to do in Waco. It’s the town where Chip and Joanna Gaines have their store Magnolia Market and their restaurant Magnolia Table. It’s also where they’ve recorded all of the home makeovers for their show Fixer Upper.

My bestie, MaryGrace, and her daughter Elise were planning a trip and I asked if I could tag along to explore for you all and share what I found. This my 3rd trip to Waco and it really doesn’t get old to me. I loved every minute. I tried to get Joanna to meet me with a video about it, but she never called. lol I was about 10 steps from her mom though. Does that count??

We started the trip with breakfast at Magnolia Table. A couple tips about going there… try to go during off times – really early breakfast or an early lunch. It helps with the wait times. We went around 11am on a Thursday and the wait was about an hour. We tried to go again on a Saturday but the wait was 3 hours long. Another idea is to go and put your name in, if the wait is long, take a drive to some of the Fixer Upper houses until they text you to come back to the restaurant. Fill time in with even more Fixer Upper fun! Need some help finding those? Here you go!

If the wait is an hour or less, you’ll probably have enough to do right at the restaurant while you wait. You can try a lavender latte at the cafe (my personal favorite). You can head to the take out area and shop. You can walk all around looking like tourists (everyone’s doing it) to take pictures of yourself, the pretty building or even be nice and ask other people if they’d like you to take their picture for them. The time really flies by!

After your late breakfast, head over to Magnolia Market at the Silos! I like to go back again right before they close so I can check everything out with less people in the way.

You could have a late lunch at the food trucks in the outdoor area of Magnolia!

Or you can just enjoy the garden areas and swings!

You can also hop on a trolly out front that will take you around the city. There are different spots throughout the city for drop off and pick up so you can shop all the way through.

I also highly recommend visiting Clint Harp’s Studio:

Also, going to see Jimmy Don at JDH Iron Design is always one of the highlights of my trip. He even knew me by name and asked me to stay and catch up with him for a while. Sometimes Jimmy also does pop up markets right next to Magnolia at 401 S 8th Street, Waco, Tx.

You can also choose to stop by some of the shops that have been featured on the show. The airbnb that we stayed at left us a list of those and I thought I’d share that with you, too!

Head over to the Branding the Brazos Sculptures by the bridge. Its a pretty walk and you can have lots of fun trying to climb up on the bulls… or is that not allowed??

Last but definitely not least, make sure you drive out to take a look at Chip and JoJo’s house! 10095 N Highway 6, Crawford, Tx 76638

I’d say you could easily spend 2-3 days in Waco and have plenty to do if you’re a Fixer Upper fan! It’s so relaxing and fun! If you have any other favorite spots in Waco, please share them in the comments below!

Also, check out our store for new furniture available this week:

• 

  Mustard Buffet

Please sign up for our weekly newsletter by adding your email in the little box below my picture. 

Happy FunCycling Friends,
Sarah ;)

If you like what you see, please like FunCycled’s Facebook page to keep up to date on the newest finds, vote on colors and give your input on our creativity. We also offer interior design, kitchen cabinet painting, and custom built tables, barn doors, and furniture. We can deliver for customers in upstate NY and also help you ship throughout the US. Send us a note with what you would like using our contact page. Or buy something that we’ve already designed from our online shop.

Hi Friends!

Welcome to FunCycled! I’m Sarah Trop, an interior designer in Upstate NY who loves to share travel tips. Especially to places with great designs. On our recent visit to Magnolia Market, the Silos, Waco and Magnolia Table, I compiled a list of houses that were on Fixer Upper  that you could drive by and take a look at. This is a fun thing to do on a rainy day or after the store closes while you’re in Waco, Tx. You can check out more of our trips, and tips for enjoying all things Magnolia by clicking here.

1. The Original Magnolia Store (before Jo Jo was famous – she opened this little shop)
   • 3801 Bosque, Waco, Tx

2. Harp Design Studio (Clint Harp makes the custom furniture on Fixer Upper and they redid the house to the right of his studio on one of the episodes).

• 808 N 15th Street, Waco, Tx

3. Mid Century Modern House (you can even stay there – check it out)

• 2517 Wooded Acres Drive, Waco, Tx

4. Hillcrest Estate – This was redone by Chip and Jo and is also up for rent on Magnolia’s site.

• 3601 Hillcrest Drive, Waco, TX 76710

5. The German Schmear House – One of my favorite (you can check out inside pictures here)

• 5517 lake highlands drive, Waco, Tx

6. Shotgun House – this adorable house is right near Magnolia Market and you can see inside pictures here.

• 625 S 7th Street, Waco, Tx

7. Pilot Show – yup, this is the house that started it all!! Who would have guessed? So fun to see where they started.

• 121 Castle Ave, Waco, Tx

8. Drama Drama House – I call it that because this is the couple who said Chip and Jo sold them a house in a bad area. When I went by during this trip, half of the front was boarded up because someone drove into the front of their house. Not the best area for sure, but definitely worth a quick drive by.

• 1902 Alexander Ave, Waco, Tx

9. Magnolia House Bed and Breakfast  – this gorgeous home is also owned by Chip and Jo and you can rent it out. One thing to keep in mind is that it’s about a 30 minute drive from the Magnolia Market and Silos.

• 323 S Madison St, Mc Gregor, TX  76657

10. Chip and Joanna Gain’s House! Magnolia Farms! – We stumbled past this house when on our way to where we stayed at the Gathering Oaks. Just pop in the address below for the Gathering Oaks and just before you turn into the resort (about 1/4 mile before), you’ll see their house on the left.

• 316 Canyon Oaks Rd, Crawford, TX 76638

Just a couple obvious things that are common sense to me but just in case… please don’t pull onto any of these properties, try to approach the houses for pictures or stop traffic because you’re gawking. Give people their privacy please! This is meant for a fun drive around town to check out some pretty houses!

Bonus! David reached out and asked me to include his house (so you can have 11 now!). The address is 1403 N 5th St. He also wrote a book if you’re interested in reading it. You can buy it here. His episode is called “Active Boomers want to live near park”.

Here are some other addresses that may also be Fixer Upper’s but I haven’t had a chance to research them yet:

• 2705 Concord Street, Waco, Tx
• 3209 4th Street, Waco, Tx
• 2704 or 2702 Colcord street, Waco, Tx
• 2705 Colcord st, Waco, Tx
• 3317 Castle Drive, Waco, Tx
• 300 39th Street, Waco, Tx

Let us know in the comments if you know other house addresses! I’ll update this post with your helpful info! Also, remember to check out our other posts for more fun in downtown Waco and the Silos.

Thanks so much for checking out our post! If you’ve found it, please share with your friends. If you live on the east coast, please check out more of our work… they don’t call me the Joanna Gains of the Northeast for no reason! :)

Gray Dresser

Gray Mid Century Hutch

Teal Barn Door Cabinet

Green Oak Dresser

White Farm House Hutch

Kitchen Cabinet Painting

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We create custom furniture and will deliver for customers in upstate NY and offer shipping throughout the US. Send us a note with what you would like using our contact page. Or buy something that we’ve already designed from our Shop Page.

Happy FunCycling Friends,
Sarah ;)

Hi Friends,

I just came home from an amazing weekend away with a small group of girlfriends and thought I’d share some tips on how to enjoy Waco, Tx and some hidden gems you may not have read about before. This is my second trip… remember last year’s post Tips for a Trip to the Magnolia Market and Silos.

Waco is lovely and everything Texas is so beautiful to me. I love the warm weather, the sweet tea, the friendly folks you run into everywhere, and of course all things Chip and Jo!

First stop?? I recommend an early start and heading straight to Magnolia Table for breakfast. We tried to be there by 7am each morning. Friday morning there was a 30 minute wait and Saturday morning ended up being a little over an hour wait.  If you want, you can make a reservation ahead of time here.

They have an adorable coffee shop where you can get a drink or snack while you wait for breakfast.

We all tried different meals, but I loved the french toast breakfast. They have homemade tater tots which I’ve never had before, and they were amazing. Then came the french toast served with homemade strawberry butter. SOOOO yummy! The coffee was delicious, my favorite drink was the lavender latte !! You need to try it!! I can’t sing the praises of this restaurant enough! Every detail was so well thought out, the design was basically perfection, and the staff were kind and fun. I loved the black and white with gold accents. the subway tile, and the napkins. So soft and beautiful. The plates were beautiful pottery and the bench cushions were leather. I loved that they spared no expense and did it right. There is so much to be said in that!

Chip  even made conversation cards to help people talk to each other and have fun! We loved flipping through them and learning more about each other.

Then we headed over to the Silo Baking Company. I know, I know, we just ate, right? We wanted to get there before it was too busy. We ended up being there a little before 9, I think. It was perfect timing. We saved our cupcakes for later when we were hungry! ;)

I enjoyed the toasted coconut cupcake… so delicious!

Then it was time to get shopping at Magnolia Market! I couldn’t believe how much had changed at the store in just a year. New displays, new products and some new layouts.
The back wall in the front section had display after display of mantels. So beautiful….

The rest of the store was pretty phenomenal, too!
Not to mention, the outside – also phenomenal!

We had a late lunch at the food trucks! I tried the pizza and we all enjoyed the Alabama sweet tea! It’s $8 per cup but you can keep the mason jar and refills are $2 the rest of the time. So delicious!! We sat on the swing and enjoyed the sweat tea for a while. One of our favorite moments from the trip.

We went to Spice Market next which is a huge building full of all different vendors. It’s super cute and definitely worth the stop!

Once that was all said and done, we drove to the original Magnolia store on Bosque Blvd – 3801 Bosque Blvd, Waco, Tx.

I love stopping by this store because it reminds me of where Chip and Jo came from and where many of us are. We’re in the dreaming stage, the small step that feels so scary, but we step in and trust God with the rest.

Then we went to see the Magnolia Hillcrest Estate. It’s on a busy road but is a beautiful home with a nice yard.

That filled one whole day… we started the 2nd day out right again with an early breakfast at Magnolia Table.

Then we went over to Harp Design Studio – previously located at 808 N 15th St, Waco, TX 76707.  Harp Design closed their shop in January 2023, but you can visit the website to gain some history of the company.

Clint is the guy who makes the tables and some islands for Fixer Upper and his shop was adorable. It’s definitely worth a stop, and if you look at the house to the right of his store, that was a house on Fixer Upper. The house that Clint originally lived in, but now he rents it out.

From Harp Design studio we went to go visit Jimmy Don’s workshop JDH Ironworks! He’s the guy who makes the signs for Joanna on the show. We were able to stand on the porch and chat with him for about 35 minutes. He was so kind and funny and real. I bought one of his signs, too! I can’t wait to show you that once it’s hanging in my kitchen!

On our way back to Waco, we spotted these in the field! Pretty amazing, huh?
 

After that beautiful view, we went on a driving adventure to check out some of the houses that have been flipped on the show. I’ll share some of those details and the way to drive by to check out Chip and Joanna’s house!

Thanks so much for checking out our post! If you’ve found it, please share with your friends. If you live on the east coast, please check out more of our work… they don’t call me the Joanna Gains of the Northeast for no reason! :)

Here are some new pieces and products available now:

There is a box at the top right of this page to enter your email address to receive notifications by email when I post something new on this blog. Please sign up today!

Happy FunCycling Friends,
Sarah ;)

If you like what you see, please like FunCycled’s Facebook page to keep up to date on the newest finds, vote on colors and give your input on our creativity. Last but not least, let us customize a furniture piece for you. We create custom furniture and will deliver for customers in upstate NY and also help you ship throughout the US. Send us a note with what you would like using our contact page. Or buy something that we’ve already designed from our furniture for sale page.

Hi Friends!!!

We were able to visit Magnolia Market and Silo Baking Company in May! It was a work trip that we have been dreaming about since the Silos opened! As we all know, everything Chip and Joanna touch seems to turn to gold. I didn’t even know who Joanna Gaines was until someone came into our store and said, “Your store reminds me of Magnolia Farms in Texas. We just left there and loved it so much!” That was when they still had their small shop (it’s not open anymore as a store but you can drive by it 3801 Bosque, Waco, Tx). I checked out Jo’s website and designs and felt undeserving of the compliment! They are both so talented!! Check out all their design on Pinterest.

If you are a lover of Fixer Upper, you might want to make a trip to Waco and see the Silo’s for yourself! I’ve compiled some helpful tips for you based on our stay!

The slowest days at the market are Monday’s or Tuesday’s typically. We planned our trip around those days and were so glad we did because it was pretty manageable in the store. Some days there are lines just to get in the store! There are almost always lines to get into the Silo Baking Company.

To start your morning off right, get up early and head to Common Grounds. It’s a coffee shop in Waco really close to Magnolia Market. We stopped by around 7am and enjoyed some coffee before headed to the Silos. The Silo’s Bakery only has drip coffee which is good to know if you like other types of drinks like I do! Here’s pictures of the adorable coffee shop:

Magnolia Market opens at 9am, but the Bakery opens at 7:30am. Your best bet is to head in early to grab your favorite treat before the store opens. We did this on both days of our trip and the line was only to the door, not blocks down like usual. Here’s the outside of the Bakery and some inside pictures, too!

We enjoyed our treats before the market opened!  I had the coconut cupcake with coconut cream cheese frosting and it was SO GOOD! One of the best cupcakes I’ve ever had. John likes a savory breakfast so he went with the prize pig. I thought the pricing was really good especially with all the cute packaging and delicious, fresh goodness!
It was raining that morning! No worries though, when you leave the bakery, you’ll find a seating area with large umbrellas. So we relaxed and enjoyed the rain!

Once we finished eating, we headed into the store! Now, I’m not bright or something because I really thought the store was in the Silos, but it’s not. It’s in this building! You can’t go into the Silos at all!

When I walked in, I fell in love with all the textures, patterns and pops of colors.

The front was mostly home decor and kitchen items. Another part I was surprised about was the flowers. I thought her flowers were real, but they are all fake. They are a high quality fake flower, but I didn’t expect it.

The back has Chip’s Corner and the Demo Day section along with t-shirts and all kinds of home decorations!

Some things to keep in mind! If you’re flying, pack light or maybe bring a second bag for things you buy from the store because, trust me, you’ll want to buy a lot. I ended up buying so much that I had to return some of it the second day. The dollars I spent!!! I thought the prices were fair – a little higher than other places I’ve shopped but given demand I think that’s to be expected. Smaller items have a higher price tag and I’m guessing that’s because people traveling can mostly only purchase smaller items.

You’ll probably be done shopping by noon at the latest. They have food trucks in the back section of their property so you can get a quick bite to eat.

The back section of the property has little plants and garden items. So adorable!

Then I would recommend heading to the front by the Silo Bakery and catching a trolly around the city. Waco isn’t that big so the trolly runs ever 15 minutes and it’s FREE! Who doesn’t love touring a city for free. We went on it and found all the spots we wanted to check out for the rest of the day!

We went to the Findery which is kind of like a blend of Pottery Barn style and Magnolia Style. I would definitely  put this on your trip list!

The next stop on the tour was the [ware]house.  This didn’t have as many small decor items but larger pieces and a cool ascetic.

I couldn’t find a website or address for this but if you are looking at the front door of the Findrey, go straight back and you’ll see the [ware}house. There is plenty of parking if you want to drive your car over.

Up next, I would take a drive over to Spice Village. It has 60 boutiques in one place!! I loved pursuing this store!! So many one of a kind items at great prices! We bought a few things here, too!

Then head out to dinner and relax for the rest of the night! I’m working on a driving tour of Waco for my next post! You’ll be able to check out a group of the Fixer Upper houses from your own car! Just drive on by!!

Let us know in the comments below if you’ve been to Waco and have other spots that you love and I’ve missed so other readers can check it out!

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Happy FunCycling Friends,
Sarah ;)

If you like what you see, please like FunCycled’s Facebook page to keep up to date on the newest finds, vote on colors and give your input on our creativity. Last but not least, let us customize a furniture piece for you. We create custom furniture and will deliver for customers in upstate NY and also ship throughout the US. Send us a note with what you would like using our contact page. Or buy something that we’ve already designed from our furniture for sale page.