An Interior Designers Dream!

I love to travel. One of my favorite items I own is a scratch off map that hangs in my closet. I enjoy being able to scratch the film on the map after visiting a place (that’s almost as rewarding as the actual visit). Some of the places I’ve been able to scratch off are California, Maryland, Florida, The Carolinas, New York, and Pennsylvania. As I was looking at my map and deciding where to go when my girls get out of school, what was sitting at the bottom waiting to be scratched? TEXAS! I know you’re thinking Texas is huge but as an Interior Designer there was only one place on my mind… WACO (shout out to the Gaines family)! The Silos at Magnolia here we come!  

I’ve always been a huge fan of Chip and Joanna Gaines. They have inspired me in more areas than just design. I love that they don’t have televisions in their home, they live on a working farm, and that Joanna gardens with her children. As I was starting my own family, these were things I had in the back of my mind. Those old school morals and values; the simpler life from a simpler time. I feel that’s what their family exuded and that’s what I wanted for mine. I started watching Fixer Up on HGTV when it first started in 2013, right before I began my own journey into house renovations. I connected so much to Joanna’s style of mixing old with new and loved seeing the vintage, modern, farmhouse designs come alive well. I’m honestly not much of a T.V. watcher but I just couldn’t stop; I was hooked! Seeing them turn these unappealing, horrific spaces into these beautiful, cozy homes was absolutely mesmerizing. Fast forward 10 years, and they have expanded immensely from just a T.V. show. They have a product line, their own network, and a mini city in downtown Waco called The Silos at Magnolia, all while still raising a wholesome family. They are truly inspiring and continue to aid in raising the bar for what I too want out of this field, as well as, my personal life.  

My girls and I started our Texas trip flying into Austin airport and stayed about 45 minutes outside of Waco. After a few days of traveling and getting settled, the day I had been waiting for finally arrived, visiting The Silos at Magnolia. I was so excited, I felt like a little kid on Christmas! It was even more special for me because I was going to experience it with my girls. So many things I wanted to see and visit while I was there but first, what do I wear?! I knew I was going to take so many pictures for obvious reasons, but what if they were there? I needed to look presentable but still portray myself, because you never know, they could be there, right?! So I put on my cutest overalls and my most Texas-y hat while my girls were in their most adorable outfits and away we went. The Uber pulled up to our first stop, Magnolia Press. I didn’t have a clue what that was when we arrived, but man did I quickly find out. It was the most beautifully stunning coffee shop I have ever seen! Stepping into the doors of that shop made you feel like you were time traveling back to an era with more ease. Everyone smiled at one another, people spoke kindly to each other, and although I had never met these people before I felt like I knew them my whole life, weird right? The hazy, sage green cabinets were paired with gorgeous, walnut wood finishes and alluring, gold lighting that tied it all together like a bow on a perfect present. I was absolutely mesmerized as an Interior Designer. These are the same Silos I’ve stared at on T.V. for years and now, here I am. A dream of mine, now a reality. There was a mixture of emotions for me but the feeling “I have arrived”, was at my forefront and it was magically, magnificent.  

My girls and I sat down and enjoyed a chocolate scone in the Parisian style courtyard, then moseyed our way into the exquisite main store. When I walked in, it just felt like home. The patina gold fixtures, the color pallet mixed with wood finishes, the ravishing tile combination made the atmosphere absolutely charming and welcoming. It definitely didn’t feel like a furniture store and I never wanted to leave. We wandered toward the back of the store, when I passed this eye-catching, gorgeous China Cabinet. Come to find out, it was used in one of their shows, making things even more special. It was tall and worn but every scratch looked like it was uniquely placed on this piece. They were like vines of history running through each grain of wood, every tattered piece telling a story of those that loved it before. As we continued to work our way through the store, we came across this magnificent mirror/plant wall. Right before we got to the wall though, my four year old daughter Ava, tripped and spilled her water everywhere! Panic mode started to ensue. All I could think was “OMG, I’m going to be the person who ruins Joanna Gaines store!” I quickly ran to the front desk where a young lady assured me it was no problem. She got paper towels, refused to let me help clean it up, and was unbothered by the incident. I, however, was mortified but everyone who worked there imparted such genuine kindness. I couldn’t help but relate it to Chick-Fil-A employees where everything is their pleasure to serve you.  

Once we finished our adventure through the store, we left through the back doors and what I saw was not what I was expecting. Although, I’m honestly not sure what I was expecting, I know it wasn’t that. It was a little neighborhood! Tiny houses with sidewalks that lead to a big courtyard in the middle with lush green grass and simple benches to sit and enjoy everything that was going on at The Silos. I approached the area and exhaled the minute I walked through it. Maybe it was the sweet magnolia aroma, or the smiles on everyone’s faces but I felt so peaceful. Each little house is a different store with well quality items. From books, plants, clothes or manly type items in Chip’s store, everything was created at a high caliber. If you’re like me, you don’t mind paying a little more when you know it’s going to last for a long time. I’m a huge puzzle lover, so I bought a Silo 500-piece puzzle and I couldn’t wait to do! Along with the puzzle, I bought a cute children’s book about gardening for my girls, which they were excited about as well. The last place in the neighborhood stood a small, charming church. This church was one of the oldest structures in Waco. The Gaines family moved the church to Magnolia and renovated it. I don’t know if it was the beautiful wooden corbels or the old-style pews but this church made my heart skip a beat. As I admired the beauty of it, I couldn’t help but be reminded of where I got married.  

Right past the church, is a lively area directly in front of the actual Silos on the property. There is a wide-open green space filled with games for kids to partake in. They even had a small baseball field! Next to the green space with games was a circle of food trucks with a variety of different items. Our first stop was the grilled cheese station, it was absolutely delicious, and then we followed up at the sweet tea station where you got your own mason jar full of sweet tea! I sat on a bench to admire the gorgeous scenery while drinking my sweet tea, taking it all in, as my kids played in the grass with some new friends they made. A little while later the loud speaker announced “Magnolia is closing!” but I didn’t want too. It was the refresher I needed and genuinely enjoyed in a long time. If I could have stayed forever, I would have but that wasn’t the case for now. Right before exiting out the front door to catch our Uber, we ran into the bathroom and the minute I thought I couldn’t fall in love anymore with the place, I did. From the storefronts to the bathroom, every place was designed with care and intention. It was the simple touches incorporated in the bathroom, like the ripple glass on the door that made you feel like you were in a police station during the 60’s and the huge, functioning, changing station. As a mother, I can’t speak enough about how bathroom changing stations miss the mark almost everywhere. This one seemed like it was right out of your nursery, so you didn’t feel like you had to sacrifice your baby’s health just to change their diaper. While these seem like minuscule details, it’s small touches that make a design top tier, in my professional opinion. 

We truly enjoyed our experience at The Silos at Magnolia but little did I know the best was still yet to come. After making a reel for Instagram that evening, I tagged Magnolia and Joanna in the reel. A day later Joanna commented on the post which meant the absolute world to me. What an undoubtedly glorious dream this trip was in every corner! If you’re visiting Texas and want to know what you should do, The Silos at Magnolia in Waco should definitely be on your list.  

Blessings, 

Kristina 

Check out our work at Dazzleinteriordesign.com

To learn more about the Magnolia Silos Visit them at their website.