Has anyone else been following this? Aubry Bennion was the first to come forward on Instagram with an 18-part series about the absolute nightmare of a kitchen renovation she went through with Candis and Andy Meredith, as part of a new Magnolia Network renovation show. (You can find ablog version here, but all photos and chat logs are on Aubry's IG.) Shortly after, Teisha Hawley and Vienna Goates came forward with their own tales of working with the show hosts, resulting in homes left destroyed and thousands of dollars in unexpected bills due to budget mismanagement at the least, and maybe straight-up fraud. The Utah Dept. of Commerce is investigating.
Andy and Candis have remained silent, although the accounts reveal they were taking lavish international trips -- during which they billed homeowners for more money -- while multiple homes were left in disrepair. While Magnolia Network has yet to make a public apology, it was announced this morning that the Merediths' show, Home Work, has been removed from the network. The article from The Beehive quotes Andy and Candis as stating, "We look forward to sharing our side of this story very soon."
I'm heartbroken for the homeowners, curious to see if anyone else comes forward with a similar tale, and will be watching closely to see if Chip and Joanna Gaines make this right! It's terrible timing for them as their channel went live on TV yesterday, and people are flooding the comments demanding justice for the jilted homeowners.
EDIT Jan 7th: Candice and Andy have posted a response on their instagram denying any fraud or wrong-doing but being the better people and not telling their side of story.
I went down this rabbit hole on Instagram this morning. I follow several home design accounts but wasn't familiar with these particular folks and have never seen their show but they are associated with the Gaines', who I'd consider the best known in that world.
Andy and Candis are the designers, their account is Old Home Love, and in 2019 started work on their new show called Home Work on the then forthcoming Magnolia Network (Chip and Joanna Gaines' venture). I guess the network launch was delayed with covid but several accounts have come forward in the last couple of days with their nightmare stories of their renos for the show. I've heard before that tv renos are often not of the best quality but these sound like straight up scams. Aubry Bennion on insta has 18 detailed grid posts on her experience.
I'm still digging but figured I'd post in case any one else could add to :)
I'm mainly asking for my wife, although there might be some shows I'd watch. When I go to their website it shows cable/satellite as well as some other streaming services, but sadly not YTTV. Has there been any buzz about it coming to YTTV? If so, I've missed it.
Stupid typo in title. CHANCE. I meant CHANCE. Oh well.
After the announcement that it will hit cable networks in January.
I'm not a big fan of the Gaineses but I'll try to bite my tongue. However, I will say the following.....
(1) I don't like the Scott Brothers either, but I would have guessed they were far more likely to be given their own network before Chip-n-Jo.
(2) If you're a fan of any of the DIY shows on air now, I'm not especially encouraged by this announcement. The wording makes it sound like they won't be making additional episodes of those shows. I think Restored, with Brett Waterman, is probably not coming back.
EDITED TO ADD: I may have spoken too soon, this article says some of the DIY shows will come to Magnolia, but only includes a short list.
Someone commented recently about how HGTV is all about renovation and not true interior design. It stuck with me and is sooooo true. So for those who feel the same, you should give Magnolia Network a try, even if you don’t love Chip and Jo. Their shows really do focus more on interior design and I’m loving it. The best ones IMO are Point of View: A Designer Profile, For the Love of Kitchens, and Home Work. They talk about the details and these people are true artists. It’s really refreshing to watch, no permit issues or foundation fixes. Just true design!
So is it just me or is anyone else offended by the EXTREME level of advertising by Chip and Joanna of Magnolia Network on ID Discovery? That "we'll find our way back home" song is stuck in my head and sickening. I have not counted how many times they are currently advertising in one hour- it seems like the same advertisement plays at least 15 times.
Started to watch “Home Work”, kind of already bored.
Chip and Joanna Gaines launch virtual classes through Magnolia Network https://mcutimes.com/chip-and-joanna-gaines-launch-virtual-classes-through-magnolia-network/
