The Night Chip Gaines Showed Up at my House

This past Monday night I heard a smashing and crashing coming from the downstairs hallway that leads to the garage. It was pretty late at night and I could not figure out what was causing all the noise. When I went to investigate, this is what I found…

My very own Chip Gaines

…my very own Chip Gaines. :-)

Chip and Joanna Gaines of Fixer Upper

If you don’t know who Chip Gaines is, he is demolition half of the decorating duo from the hit HGTV show, Fixer Upper.

When I told Ed that he was reminding me of Chip Gaines, he said… “Who?”

When I told him that Chip is the guy from Fixer Upper, he kinda nodded and said… “Oh”.

He doesn’t watch the show, but knows it is the only show on HGTV that I watch. He has passed the screen a few times when I have been watching the show and Chip is doing his thing… demolishing and gutting to make way for his wife, Joanna’s decorating visions.

Powder room before

When I asked him what made him want to start demolishing the vanity in the powder room so late at night, he told me he couldn’t sleep and he knew that I wanted to remove the vanity to make way for a new one and that I needed his help. It was a project that I figured we would take on at the end of the summer. He figured since I had started painting the hallway of darkness, he would start the demo.

Home improvement just like Chip Gaines

What a sweetie. XO Helping me make my decorating visions come true, just like Chip does for Joanna. :-)

He usually helps me with my many projects on the weekends as he is busy with his own work.

If you have been following my blog for a long time, then you know he lost his job 7 years ago when the economy tanked and his company downsized.

He has done consulting ever since, but for the last 3 years he has been mentoring a very smart group of robotocists out of the University of Pennsylvania. It is quite exciting what they are doing and Ed has become a big part of it.

It is a startup company, spun off out of UPenn that is using robotics to not only help the blind, but big box retailers and more. You can read all about it here: COSY.

Ed worked on demolishing the vanity until he had it gone which only took a little over an hour, then he took a shower and was tired enough to go to sleep.  If only the remodeling could go as fast.

decorating-ideas-for-kitchens

So now I have a powder room to add to my painting list this weekend and will be repurposing the bottom half of this into a vanity. I used it as a kitchen desk in my previous house. It didn’t fit in our new house and has been sitting in the garage unused since we moved.

I will keep you posted on my progress. What are you up to this weekend?

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28 Comments

  1. Wow, he is awesome. Now you can get working on that bathroom.

  2. You are a lucky girl!!!

    We have an almost sports free weekend (what?!), so I think I no longer have an excuse to not finish painting my bathroom.

  3. Is the moon still full or something?!? My husband decided to turn on the irrigation pump at 4 am the same night. It is right under our bedroom, and I literally levitated from a deep sleep. My hubby was a roboticist too…first with Shell Oil, then his own company. He is happily retired now. We have 18 people from church coming for a cookout tomorrow night, and it’s a 100 degrees here in Upstate SC!

    1. Diane Henkler says:

      Hi Roxanne – Small world :-) Very cool to hear that your husband was a roboticist. It is a field that is only in its infancy. I hope the weather lets up a little over the weekend for your cookout. Even if it is hot, I am sure you will still have a good time. Enjoy.

  4. Donna Dickey says:

    What a nice surprise! I love that show on HGTV as well. I am refinishing the top of my farm table for the third time!! Hopefully the last.

    1. Diane Henkler says:

      Hi Donna – Third times a charm, right? Hope all goes well for the table top.

  5. Terri/Houston Lady says:

    Hi Diane,

    You and Ed make a great team!! I can’t wait to see what you come up with! I love to watch Fixer Upper. My hubby surprised me and took me to Waco to visit the Silos/Magnolia market this past February. It was a fun trip : )

    Have a great weekend!

    1. Diane Henkler says:

      Hi Terri – What a wonderful hubby and surprise for you. He sounds like a keeper :-) I would love to visit the Silos/Magnolia… someday soon. Enjoy your weekend.

  6. How very sweet of Ed to tackle that project for you.
    I’m painting our hallway. Again! Hopefully the third time will be the proverbial charm. Ha.
    I did a double take when I saw the towel bar by the vanity! We had those exact towel bars when we bought our home in 1995. The year my husband retired from the Air Force and we moved from VA to AL for a job offer he received.
    I recently retired and have pages of “to do’s” in our home. To include removing the dreaded popcorn ceiling.
    Will enjoy some pool time this weekend though and try to avoid the heat.
    Enjoy your weekend.

    1. Diane Henkler says:

      Hi Vanessa – The previous owners of the house must have really liked the shell towel bars since they were in the upstairs bath, too! Ohhhh trends… they come and go. I am sure in about 8 years we will see something like it become popular again, perhaps tweaked, but inspired by past designs. Hope pool time helps to keep you cool over the weekend. Enjoy.

  7. Linda Weeks says:

    Chip and Ed are both good guys. Your place is really coming along! Enjoy!

    1. Diane Henkler says:

      Hi Linda – They are for sure. :-) I hope things in Maryland are going well and will be cooling down over the weekend.

  8. Melissa Leach says:

    You and Ed make such a great team, just like Chip and Joanna. I can’t wait to see the reveal. The vanity is going to be a great focal piece.

    My plans for the weekend include refinishing the metal dining table on our patio. I’ve already done the four chairs.
    It gives me great satisfaction to see an old piece become new again. Once it is done we can lay our new patio rug I have been dying to put in place. Other than that, I’ll spend some time in the pool :) It is HOT in NC.

    1. Diane Henkler says:

      Hi Melissa – From the weather reports I saw, it looked liked NC was in for some strong storms last night. I hope they cooled things off. I know what you mean about the satisfaction you feel when you see what you can do with a little effort to bring old things back to life. I am sure once the set is done, you will get many years of enjoyment sitting around it. Stay cool.

  9. That’s so adorable! XO How sweet. Can’t wait to see what the new vanity looks like. =)

  10. Elaine Williams says:

    Entertaining old friends, our 30 year old daughter, her fiance (they are getting married in Granada on 4/1/17) and her French Bulldog Moose this evening. Hubby is home recovering from a left knee replacement (ugh!) but is doing the cooking. He makes the most delectable hand patted and seasoned burgers and wings! He’s quite handy in the kitchen and outside too. With the help of neighbors this past week he put in a curvy stone pathway from the deck to my pool – looks beautiful. God bless Ed. He got downsized but managed to rise back up. Not everyone recovers.

    1. Diane Henkler says:

      Hi Elaine – Your hubby sounds amazing. Cooking and laying a stone path after having knee surgery. He should be a poster boy for all those who go through joint replacements. :-) Ed has worked hard to find a job after his layoff. It never happened so he had to look outside the box so to speak to find another path to employment. He calls it creative employment. He isn’t making much now, but does love what he is doing. Hope you have a great weekend.

  11. Mary Heicher says:

    Finishing up the paint in the bathroom. I can’t wait till it’s done. The the ceilings in the living ans dinning room are next. I swear it’s a never ending list :)

    1. Diane Henkler says:

      Hi Mary – I know what you mean. You start one thing that leads to the next. When you are doing your projects, know you are not alone. My list is never ending, too.

  12. He’s a keeper! Have fun this weekend! ;)

    1. Diane Henkler says:

      Hi Donnamae – He is. I feel so lucky that I married a guy that isn’t afraid to dig right in. It was fate for sure that brought us together. Enjoy the weekend.

  13. Romeogirl says:

    Hmm, my Chip remodels in boat shoes also and usually his best shorts!!!

  14. Sheryll $ Critters. says:

    Oh I love your Ed. I only have a boyfriend and it is a real miracle if he does any simple thing to help me! I had surgery last Thursday (the 16th) and on Friday I had to install a window AC, because it was just so flipping hot. So when he came to check on me he did straighten it for me (just too heavy for me to get it right). Then I had to listen to him fuss at me for doing that. Hello!!!!!

    Me, I am looking forward to my high school class year’s, yearly get together today and tomorrow. No remodeling for me till at least Sunday.

    Please give Ed a few extra kisses for all us gal’s that don’t have one like him?

    1. Diane Henkler says:

      Hi Sheryll – I will surely give Ed some kisses for you. Sorry to hear that you recently had surgery. I hope you are feeling better soon. A trip down memory lane with your high school friends sounds like a lot of fun and just what the doctor ordered. Fun times! Enjoy!

  15. Diane!! You are one LUCKY LADY!!
    I am in Fl helping my daughter recover from a CS and taking care of our adorable newborn grandson! Also his 3 1/2 year old smart, sweet, and funny brother!!
    I am blessed!
    Have a wonderful weekend!
    Ps I am looking forward to returning to cool, crisp Maine!

  16. So nice to have a partner in your design projects – just like Chip and JoJo! Went over to the Cosy page – very innovative company with vision for the future not only assisting corporations but also the visually impaired! Ed must be very happy, and I hope you enjoy your first summer in your lake home!

  17. Catherine D says:

    Does your husband give handyman lessons to other husbands?
    I’ll sign mine up. :)

  18. You are, indeed, a lucky woman!