This Fixer To Fabulous Transformation Was Stunning But Viewers Agree One Part Stands Out
Dave and Jenny Marrs specialize in taking outdated or uninspired houses and transforming them into something special. At times, it can be something as simple as embracing unconventional paint colors for a front door, and sometimes, it can be something more involved, like completely transforming the face of the house. However, when they really knock it out of the park, fans notice. In Season 5, Episode 6 of "Fixer to Fabulous," the Marrses transformed a couple's outdated McMansion into something a little more modern and architectural. The easiest way to do that was to doctor the front of it, which had a dingy portico, uninspired landscaping, and an old-fashioned door. They redid all three elements to create something truly special, and fans on social media agreed.
"So this house, first of all, it's huge," Jenny told the owners during the reveal (via HGTV on YouTube). "We wanted to make sure we were looking at the whole budget for the whole project. How do we make the biggest impact? And when it comes to the exterior, it was right here." Jenny pointed at the entryway, which boasted a contemporary door, fresh landscaping, and a modernized portico that looked more "new build" and less "early 2000s development." Take a closer look at the details below.
How they modernized the entryway
The first thing the Marrses had to tackle was the outdated portico that connected their circular driveway with the front of the house. It wasn't an easy task, as the columns had decorative cutouts, making them look like they were made from a series of stacked boxes. It also gave them somewhat of a corporate building feel, so the Marrses transformed them into something a little simpler.
"We actually squared off these columns, there's no grooves," Jenny Marrs explained in the reveal. "It gives it a cleaner, more modern [look]." The couple also found the portico to be cold and uninviting thanks to its plain ceiling. To make it more welcoming, they covered the ceiling with wooden boards which added some warmth. "Dave and his team did an amazing job adding wood paneling to the portico ceiling," Jenny explained in a blog post. "It ties in the natural wood from the new front doors, and makes the entrance to the house look even more spectacular."
The front door usually makes the biggest statement in a home's exterior, and the one they started with was a dark mahogany brown that was too visually heavy for the house. It also had a half-circle transom window, which felt outdated for the aesthetic they were trying to create. So the Marrses swapped in a taller front door with glass panes. "Then, of course, the biggest change is the new front door. The front door felt a little bit dated so we really wanted everything to be modern," Jenny explained.
What fans have to say about the entryway
The Marrses had a budget of $185,000 to transform the large house, so they were able to tackle a lot of key areas. For example, they swapped out the small and cramped cherry wood kitchen cabinets for floor-to-ceiling black cabinets. However, fans couldn't get enough of the impressive transformation of the exterior. "What an entrance!" one commenter wrote on YouTube. "WOW! Talk about a statement home. Absolutely stunning!! That kitchen is to die for! But can we talk about that entrance, I mean, seriously! Exquisite," another shared.
Others really enjoyed the wood detailing on the portico's ceiling. "The wood ceiling in the outdoor entrance ties in beautiful with the front door," one viewer shared. The Marrses chose those rustic accents to meet a requirement the couple had. "The Powell home in last night's episode was inspired by Art-Deco-meets-Mediterranean style," Jenny Marrs explained on Instagram. They decorated their home in Mediteranean style by teasing out the natural elements used in that style, such as wood and glass. However, they kept it modern with the boxy, unfussy square shapes.