It's the inside that counts.....a visit to Magnolia House
It was dark when we arrived to the Magnolia House that evening, but lights from inside glowed radiating out welcoming us to the iconic front gates.
Like thousands of others, I had previously taken the 20 minute drive outside of Waco to drive into the four corners of Mac Gregor to see the famous house that Chip and Joanna Gaines had renovated from the ground up leaving the bones of an 1910 house intact, rebuilding it from the inside out.I had parked in the front and taken photos from every angle and oohed and ahhhed over the carriage house next doorI was even fortunate to meet Mr Rob, the caretaker for the property who of course I had seen on the Fixer upper episodes many times. He chatted with me on the sidewalk as multiple cars drove by, stopped, took pictures, and drove away. “We’ve had stories of people who come here, like the group of women who got in there car from Florida and just drove here to see it. They didn’t know what drew them here, they just knew they wanted to come. So they drove this way, came, took photos, and drove away. They told me they knew there was good here, and we just wanted to be here.”
Tonight my friends and I were a different group of women from Florida who had come that evening, thankfully with a one night reservation, and the house with the lights glowing from within beckoned us into its door we dropped our bags with oohs and ahhhs. All the signature Joanna elements welcomed us, the white walls, the shiplap, the tile. all the details each one of us had seen many times on multiple episodes of Fixer Upper.
As we walked in on this late night on this last stop of our empty nester girls trip through the Hill country of Texas there was a immediate sense that this place was different. Not only because it was beautiful, but because it was inspiredWe have all been a generation of mothers who feathered our nests and our children lives and our homes with much care and detail.And somehow this sweet home that glowed in the evening darkness from the inside out glowed with inspiration and loveAttention to detail, small things that would make you smile. Like ribbon wrapped chocolates in boxes on the tray next to the bed or beautiful soft linens . We walked through each room together, oohing and aahhhhing over each detail. The arrangements on the kitchen counter, each vignette of life pictured on the counter. We moved through the house taking in every detailThe upstairs bedroom, the small nooks and crannies, the coffee room, the noisemakers in a drawer. Each detail was inspired and laid out in loving detail.There is a sense of inspiration, to those small things that would please the heart and soul, and lovingly laid out in each corner and detail Attention to detail
What do I choose to put into my home? Now that I am un-feathering my nest what will my home reflect ? What will these walls be filled with ….love laughter even in these later years when my four children have grown?
Re-feathering. Un-feathering my nest. We six friends have shared two and a half decades of life together. Have been at each others bedsides when babies were born. And when parents were lost. Together we sat in this home of inspiration and watched Fixer Upper episodes in our bathrobes, the ones were this home and the carriage house were builtThese group of dear friends and sisters who have shared our own building and destroying and rebuilding of our lives and home as our children have grown together and left the nest together
This time in Magnolia House was not just a time to ooooh over Joanna’s designs and hopefully take some ideas home to our own homes. But to celebrate and share those luxuries we had never shared together in one place over all these years of friendship. Luxurious soaks in the perfectly tiled bath. Breakfast scones and baked goods from the silos. Together we prepared the breakfast meal together then sat down and the perfectly appointed table. Shared laughter and conversation only old friends can share. Coffee on the porch with bibles and journals in hand and words to strengthen and encourage each other.
This is what we take away from the home on the corner, the Magnolia House. And the invitation to see the carriage house to meet Marianne and Rob once more. The excitement of seeing the green antique door panels in his office and the mail station too much for me, the fixer upper episode junkie. But even more meaningful was the gathering around the table. Hands joined in prayer. For this sweet couple, the Shepherds of this home.
Who open the doors to so many from across the country.
Who are drawn to the light and love that inspires this home.
