Do Dave & Jenny Marrs' Fixer To Fabulous Clients Get To Keep The Furniture?

Have you ever dreamed of being on HGTV? Since popular shows like "Fixer to Fabulous" frequently share casting calls, it could be easier than you think. Husband-and-wife duo Dave and Jenny Marrs focus on modernizing old homes near Bentonville, Arkansas, carefully staging them before the big reveal. But who really pays for renovations on HGTV shows? The couple's production company currently requires applicants to have a renovation fund of $120,000 or more to be considered for the show. With such a high bar, many people find themselves wondering if "Fixer to Fabulous" guests get to keep all the wonderful furniture used in each episode. 

In a recent Q&A video posted on Instagram, Jenny Marrs said most of the staged furniture is borrowed from local companies who offer it to homeowners at a discount after the show, but preexisting and custom pieces are there to stay. "Typically, our 'Fixer to Fabulous' clients are not budgeting for the furniture," Marrs explained. "... For the most part, they're only budgeting for the renovation." 

Since incorporating staging into a home completely changes the way it looks and feels, the interior designer said she and her team work with local artists, furniture companies, and antique dealers to find unique pieces that fit the newly renovated homes. "Everything that is affixed, like a curtain, stays," she said. "Anything else is offered at a discounted price." If the homeowners don't want or can't afford to keep the staged furniture, it's removed after filming.

Of course, removing everything after a major renovation isn't practical or even possible. This includes budgeted items like fresh paint and newly installed hardwoods, the flooring Jenny and Dave Marrs love using in their homes. The couple also leaves behind light fixtures and certain textiles.

While her husband brings plenty of contracting and development experience to the table, one of the most popular additions in "Fixer to Fabulous" home designs are his custom-made cabinets and other furniture pieces. "If Dave builds something specifically for the homeowners, which he typically does in every project, that ... always stays with the homeowners," Marrs added.

Of course, most homeowners aren't starting with a totally empty house in the first place. Marrs said her designs incorporate any existing pieces of furniture whenever possible, but it can be a little difficult. Because homeowners have to move everything out quickly when it's time for demolition to start, they usually end up storing everything. "When we're doing the walk-through, if I notice a piece that I really like, I ask them to keep it in the garage," Marrs shared with her followers. Production crews then store those pieces separately during the renovation process to ensure they aren't damaged before bringing them back inside for the final reveal.