Cozy Home, Magnolia Style

I recently got the incredible opportunity to go to Waco, Texas, to tour the beautiful Magnolia grounds at the Silos. If you’ve ever heard of Chip and Joanna Gaines and if you’ve seen their HGTV show, Fixer Upper, then this place is an absolute dream!

 photos from left to right: Silos Baking Co. by BH, Silos by BH.

Every little detail about this place is perfect. Taking up one large square block near downtown Waco, you can find every inch simply packed with beautifully crafted home goods, mouth-watering southern comfort foods, lush gardens and turf lawns, creatively designed seating areas and even a small baseball diamond! Chip and Joanna clearly poured their hearts and souls into this place and have created such a beautiful and unique gem in the heart of small town Texas that is absolutely worth a road trip or a dedicated day or two to take it all in.

photos from left to right: outside Silos Baking Co. by BH, outside Shops at Magnolia by BH.

There were several instances, touring this beautiful place, when I was rendered speechless. I was overwhelmed with how many thoughtfully designed corners and impeccably placed merchandising there are in one block! I’m sure Joanna is behind all of the absolute genius marketing strategies employed in each and every store. There is just so much to take in!

photo: Magnolia.com

The Magnolia block contains:

• Magnolia Market: small home goods, kitchen items, Magnolia merchandise
• Silos Bakery: absolutely legendary cupcakes!
• Magnolia Press: coffee shop
• Magnolia Home: furniture, rugs, and styled rooms
• Magnolia Seed & Supply: gardening supplies, and Joanna’s own garden to tour!
• Magnolia Lawn: lush turf surrounded by seasonal and local food trucks. There are lawn games and outdoor bean bag chairs to lounge in and many picnic tables to eat at. The small baseball diamond is a part of this area, complete with bleachers to cheer the kids on as they play.

photos from left to right: Magnolia Lawn by BH, Magnolia food trucks by BH, Silos Baking Co. by BH.

What Magnolia has created is a perfect smorgasbord of home design inspiration to fit everyone’s tastes. There’s something there for everyone! I was lucky enough to arrive shortly after the “Shops at the Silos” were newly opened, but I didn’t realize how new they were so I regretfully did not take many photos inside each one. I found photos on Magnolia’s website to share here with you instead.

There are six shops, each with it’s own unique set of items:

• Chapter One: books + paper
• Tried & True: bags + jewelry
• Vie Bien Aimée ("life well loved"): bath + body
• No.16: Men’s provisions
• Reverie: Women’s clothing
• Juniper & Crew: kids + baby

As I was taking it all in, I started to pick up on a few décor ideas and trends that I have seen working their way into our Pinterest home inspiration boards. I’ve noticed that today’s home décor is trending towards somewhat of a mix of Mid-Century modern and industrial, with small hints of farmhouse still lingering behind to soften the harsh edges of the sleek modern vibe. To achieve this look in your house might seem daunting, but I found some great examples of four basic elements that can help transform what you already have into your own inspirational home.

Texture

I know that to say “use texture!” sounds quite vague, but I’ll provide some examples. When we talk about texture in home décor, we are referring to chunky blankets and thickly woven rugs with various kinds of yarn/jute/fabric/thread. We are talking about pillows with designs that stand out rather than being printed on. We are talking about tassels on the end of a table runner, faux fur pillows layered with crushed velvet or leather pillows, wall hangings that contain things usually not hung on walls. To put it simply: combining and layering elements of different materials to create dimension and substance. Don’t be afraid to use many different fabrics, wood colors, and contrasting tones. All of these things, when layered together just right, create texture. My favorite example of unique texture was several wall hangings made of small cut sections of chunky rugs, framed and hung!

photos from left to right: Magnolia Market by BH, Magnolia Home by BH, Magnolia Home by BH, Magnolia Home by BH.

Cement

It surprised me how drawn I was to the use of cement when designing a room! I never thought of the versatility of cement crafting and all the ways it can be used other than in a driveway or in the foundation of a home. Cement can be used to make vases, coasters, planters, plate chargers, even table tops and counters! Cement brings a unique texture and coolness to a room that is unexpected. Some items are so beautifully crafted that you can't even be sure they are made out of cement until you touch them! It closely rivals the beauty, texture and earthy-ness of terra-cotta, which is one my favorite earthenware products.

photos from left to right: cement charger by Magnolia.com, Seed & Supply by BH, Magnolia Home by BH, Magnolia Market by BH.

Greenery

The use of greenery in home design is certainly a no-brainer. A simple pop of nature is the perfect finishing touch to your carefully designed room. House plants (or faux ones, like I use, mostly) bring life to the room, help freshen the air, and can fill holes unlike any other décor item can. I always aim to have at least one piece of greenery in each room, whether it be real OR fake, and it will match any and every décor style. Greenery is extremely versatile and can complement any theme and room type. 

photos from left to right: Magnolia Market by BH, Magnolia Home by BH.

Natural wood

 Out with the heavily stained and painted wood furniture and in with furniture made of wood that remains its nature-given hue! It may seem daunting to try to find pieces that all match, but that’s the beauty of natural wood: each piece is unique and they almost always complement each other when used in conjunction! Barn-wood, bleached wood, teak, mango wood, and birch are all gorgeous wood when used in their natural state. Joanna often uses many different types of natural wood in one room, balanced by the cold industrial black metal and stone and accentuated by soft textiles. Below are some examples of some natural wood items I found at Magnolia. I even snagged one of the mango-wood vases and I’m so excited to find a beautiful spot for it in my home!

photos from left to right: Mango wood vases by Magnolia.com, Magnolia Home by BH, Magnolia Market by cutertudor.com, Magnolia Market by BH

On your trip, don't forget to stop by The Little Shop on Bosque, Joanna's very first store she opened in 2003! Getting to tour the Magnolia market and Silos was like a dream come true. I learned so much from all the things I saw, and I hope I can help inspire you as well to build the Cozy Home of your dreams! 

photo: Little Shop on Bosque by BH.