Joanna Gaines’s New Library Radiates Old-World Charm
Magnolia’s HQ just got a makeover.
Updated Oct 15, 2018 12:44 AM
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A bland conference room isn’t exactly conducive to drawing up inventive floor plans or discussing book ideas. But a rich green library outfitted with antique ceiling tiles, a cozy reading nook, and pink velvet sofa? That’s more like it. No wonder Joanna Gaines recently gave the Magnolia office in Waco, Texas, a dramatic facelift by turning one of the ordinary meeting rooms into an old-world workspace.
“I’m continuously amazed at how a can of paint can so drastically change the mood of a space,” the HGTV alum shared in a Q&A interview on the Magnolia blog. The deep forest green color, which she notes is similar to Magnolia’s Beautiful Acres, wasn’t the only dramatic feature that caught our eye. Gaines added welcome character to the room by replacing the Styrofoam-esque ceiling tiles with ornate tin squares and installing thick crown and base moldings.
“With all the detail of the molding, the bookshelf, and the antique ceiling tiles, I didn’t want a break in the action—I wanted everything to be the same color so that the texture of each material could be highlighted in a subtle yet stunning way,” she explains. To achieve that, Gaines chose one color but in two different finishes: a gloss for the custom trim and ceiling, and a satin finish for the walls.
The designer leaves us with an important disclaimer: Never paint a room without sampling the color first. (The tone of the dark olive Gaines chose for her library may vary in a space with different lighting.) Ready to begin testing out swatches? Here are a few shades to get you started:
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