Better Homes & Gardens presents The Garden Issue.
Celebrate our Test Gardens 25th anniversary and get tips to make your home and garden shine this spring.
Jenny and Dave Marrs, stars of HGTVsFixer to Fabulous, have mastered an impressive work-life balance.
Credit:Hatch and Mass Collective
They love their work and each other.
And when the footage is edited together just-so, it feels a little like magic.
In 2018, we started with eightremodels.
The web connection liked what they saw and asked for two more.
Now were up to 16 homes a season, Dave says.
Turns out, asuccessful TV showis just the beginning for these creative partners.
Bring the Marrses signature look to your space with the Better Homes and Gardens Collection at Walmart.
That was important to us, Dave says.
They also support a farming program in Zimbabwe with the proceeds from theiryou-pick blueberry farm.
The logistics of this inventive but occasionally crazy life could make the best multitaskers head spin.
How do they manage a frenzied schedule and still show up for baseball games?
How do they maintain those authentic, camera-ready smiles through it all?
Its insane, says Jenny, laughing.
And theres a lot of editing involved.
But its our normal.
A typical day starts before sunrise.
Shes more surprised than anyone that she wakes up on a farm in Arkansas every day.
This is a girl who grew up in downtown Orlando.
The couple met in their 20s while working at corporate sales jobs.
That was their first leap of faith.
Beginning an adoption journey in Africa was the next.
Credit:Annie Schlechter
At first, it was a shock to be surrounded by all the quiet with a houseful of kids.
Now, the peace of the farm is a welcome respite.
After the animals eat, its breakfast time for everyone else.
All of the kids, except for Luke, make their ownbreakfastandpack their lunchin the morning, Jenny says.
We supervise and help, of course, but they are so self-sufficient.
Lunchtime is devoted to phone calls and quick meetings.
The cameras are on all day, and we dont have time to stop.
Mostly, Im glued to my phone, checking on orders, reading texts.
Theres never a relaxed timeline; its always a rush with no wiggle room.
We always need everything tomorrow.
Everything from tile selection andpaint colorsto landscaping is mapped out before production begins.
Jenny makes a point to incorporate elements of the homeowners personal stories into the reimagined spaces.
That work usually happens around our kitchen table at night.
We stick to that blueprint as much as we can.
There are always things that go wrong, orders that are cancelled or delayed.
With construction, so much can go awry.
Sometimes plan B turns out better than plan A.
Other times, we live with it.
By 5 p.m., theyre off the clock and headed to pick up kids at various practices.
Afterward, the kids do the dishes.
Theyre really good at it, Jenny says.
Its been a life-changer.
Then its homework, some downtime, and bed.
The hard thing about working together is its always going, Jenny says.
Were sitting at dinner and Dave says, Hey, did you get the light?
And I say, Oh, shoot.
During challenging times, they come back to their original purpose.
We just look at each other and say, Remember your why, Dave says.
We never could have planned it this way.
It can be crazy chaos, but were so grateful for how it worked out.
Americas favorite small town home renovators share their pro tips for getting a renovation right the first time.
DO hire an architect to draw up plans.
Do it before you take out any studs.
Get a set of plans and then take them to multiple contractors to compare bids.
DONT buy a house before you get an inspection.
Jenny and I always hire an inspector, every time, Dave says.
Thats all they do.
They do it every day.
Spending a little extra money on an inspector is absolutely worth it.
DO invest in a couple of big ticket items, and design rooms around them.
When youre budgeting, choose your really important items wisely and invest in those, says Jenny.
Think about that showstopper thats going to make you happy.
Get that beautiful range for the kitchen, or the light fixture you love.
Find that thing you love and then build the room around it.
DONT be afraid of a little legwork.
DO find a style that you love, and ignore trends.
Look around for inspiration and figure out what the common thread is, says Jenny.
You want your home to reflect what you love, not what other people are doing on Instagram.
Dave adds that the same individualism applies to both decor and function.
Do what works for you.
DONT obsess over resale value.
Its OK to make your home yours.
Go ahead and take a few design risks if they make you happy.
Especially if its paint.
Credit:Annie Schlechter
