While Joanna Gaines will always be known for her big impact, big budget, big bulldozing transformations, her latest series, 'Mini Reni', which focuses on more bijoux spaces, might just be my favorite yet.
The first glow-up in Joanna Gaines' Mini Reni series is a beautifully organic modern space that stopped me in my tracks. But if you missed the premiere episode, don't fret.
Posting on Instagram earlier this week, the designer and Fixer Upper star shared a behind-the-scenes tour of the earthy yet elevated Southwestern-inspired foyer and dining room. It’s warm, textured, and layered in that effortlessly Joanna way – and the best part? It is entirely shoppable in the Magnolia Memorial Day sale.
As someone deep in the trenches of my own home renovation (though nowhere near Joanna's scale), I love a good reno series to follow along with. But sometimes you can't always relate to such dramatic renovation ideas, which is what makes 'Mini Reni' feel so aspirational.
I’m constantly looking for ways to update my spaces without starting from scratch, and Joanna's proved that sometimes, all it takes is a lick of paint, some lovely terracotta tile, and an eye for styling.
'This was our entryway and dining room project that we just finished,' Joanna explains in the video. 'Some of my favorite things in this space [include] this green – this is Remote Trail Green, one of my favorite green paints. This was an existing built-in that just needed a little bit of an update, so we added these beautiful cabinet door fronts, added some hardware, a little bench moment here, added in some pillows,' she says, taking us through the small tweaks she did on this relaxing entryway.
In just a few key updates, Joanna completely reimagines the vibe of this previously underused entry, transforming it into a space that feels lived-in and welcoming. 'What I love about this space is it feels so much bigger, it feels organic, it feels natural,' she adds.
This earthy yet rich green paint was inspired by foliage and made for Joanna Gaines' The Lakehouse from Fixer Upper days. It has warm undertones, rather than cool, which makes your space feel grounded and pairs wonderfully with brass hardware, as Joanna's used here.
Taking a closer look at the space, it shows that design doesn’t always have to mean a full gut job. Sometimes, it’s about letting the space evolve by bringing in some added texture, color, and a little storytelling piece by piece.
'What I love about 'Mini 'Reni' is it shows that you can do a little and have a really big impact and for me, I think that design is more than just what it looks like, its what it feels like, and it feels right when I'm standing here in this space,' says Joanna in another recent post.
In the dining room, seen above, Joanna created the perfect balance between curated and casual. It's the kind of room that invites you to stay a while, and if you're wondering how to decorate connecting rooms like this foyer and dining space, you ought to take notes on the tonal thread that weaves throughout the two spaces.
'The dining room, to me, what I love about it is that it's showing people that a simple paint refresh and just some added texture and detail really doesn't cost you a ton of money,' says Joanna via Instagram. She explains how they bought a simple 4x4 post from a lumber store and used it to create a refined ceiling beam above the dining table. The final touch was hanging the Calder Chandelier above, which has set Magnolia's comments alight with requests for links to shop the statement dining room lighting idea.
Shop Joanna Gaines' 'Mini Reni' dining room and foyer makeover
'I wanted to show you some of the things I grabbed from the Magnolia store to style the space with,' says Joanna in the video. 'The Ollie Dining Table, the buffet a.k.a the Suri Sideboard, all of the chairs, everything I styled this space with is very tonal, very earthy, and organic.'
If you're as inspired as I was, below are just a few of the pieces from the 'Mini Reni' inviting dining room and foyer that you can bring home to create the look for yourself. And with 20% off sitewide in the Memorial Day home sales, there's really no better time than now to recreate her shoppable scheme.
We all know that, by now, Joanna is a dab hand at designing rugs. Just look at her new Joanna Gaines x Loloi rugs collection or the timeless Ingrid, which she styled under the table in her Mini Reni. It's subtle without being boring and full of charm.
When Joanna pointed out the mix-and-match Farrah Table Lamp in her reel, I instantly looked it up. I love the glossy, bottle green lamp base that she's paired with the rattan scallop shade in the video. I've got my eye on some of the blockprint shades as I'm loving the tiny florals trend for summer.
The warm, rusty terracotta tones of this pillow perfectly balance the green paint used in the entryway makeover. The little bench, great for putting on your shoes, has sparked some inspiration for my own entry, and I'll definitely be adding some textured pillows like this.
While I totally love the idea of these chairs alone, I'm so impressed by Joanna's way of styling them up at either end of the dining table with the Rinna Dining Chairs mixed in. I'll be stealing that trick of simply swapping the end chairs for a budget-friendly dining room upgrade.
In order to lay the foundations of a really striking tablescape, you're going to want to begin with a tablecloth or runner and some placemats for your guests. Made from woven seagrass, these boho braided mats are durable, organic, and a great base layer for printed napkins.
I'm a big fan of having a floral display on every table, and there's something so chic about a vintage-style terracotta vase. Joanna styled hers with a few of the Oversized Schefflera Leaf Branches, but you can also spot some Real Touch Dahlia Bloom Stems in the background too.
The chandelier that sparked a barrage of Instagram comments. Calder's minimalist yet textured design brings warmth and helps to zone the dining table in this open-plan space. I love its rustic nature, and each piece is one-of-a-kind.
Sip and serve in style this holiday weekend. Magnolia's exclusive glassware is also reduced in the deals. The fluted, antique-inspired fluting gives these coupes a timeless yet chic edge that is also seen on the matching Fluted Wine Glass.
Of course, any good dining room makeover requires a really good dining table. The Ollie is Magnolia's take on a traditional trestle table with a more shapely silhouette and beautiful organic wood pattern and graining.
I've always admired Joanna Gaines's ability to create spaces that feel design-led yet welcoming and liveable, which is exactly what she achieves in these mini makeovers – every detail feels thoughtful and warm without being overdone.
The best part is, every key piece is available to shop from Magnolia in the sale, so if you've been waiting for a sign to refresh your space, this might just be it. And if you're looking for further inspo, 'Mini Reni' is available to watch now on Magnolia Network and Max, airing each Wednesday through July 9.
