New rugs with Loloi are here! This nostalgic assortment strikes a balance between past and present, timeless and fresh—intentionally designed to lay a lasting foundation in your home.
Our partnership with Loloi has been going strong for almost a decade, so we thought it would be fun to celebrate this special launch together with friends. We gathered at the Silos, rolled out some rugs at the Castle, and spent an afternoon right here in Waco, Texas, getting a closer look at the new designs. Read on for a recap of the day, and stick with us to the end for a Q + A with Jo!
GREETINGS IN THE GARDEN
We kicked off the afternoon at the Silos Garden enjoying delicious charcuterie and refreshments among flourishing blooms. It was a hot one, so we had plenty of ice-cold lemonade to accompany intentional conversation and garden exploration. Our planter boxes and beds are teeming with flowers inspired by what Jo’s growing this season, and there was no shortage of beauty to take in.
HERBARIUM WORKSHOP
Once fueled up, we headed into the Herbarium for a workshop on the art of flower pressing. An ode to one of Jo’s favorite hobbies, this experience walks guests through the age-old floral preservation process. Plus, everyone gets to make something special to take home and commemorate their time spent in the garden. Many of the dried floral varieties are sourced from the Silos Garden—or Jo’s garden at the farm.
Interested in visiting our recently renovated Herbarium? Learn more and book your own workshop experienceOpens in new tab!
SHOPPING AT MAGNOLIA HOME
Next, we headed across the property for some shopping time. While en route, one of our team members shared history and behind-the-scenes facts about the grounds. The final destination was Magnolia Home, our retail space showcasing the full picture of home—like shoppable room scenes, furniture, and, of course, rugs!
Shop the rooms: Pace Natural Stone Rug (9′ x 12′) | Henley Ivory Blue Rug (runner) | Pace Sunset Stone Rug (9′ x 12′)
TOURING THE CASTLE
After some shopping time, we headed over the Castle—a century-old home renovated by Chip + Jo in 2022. Each room featured a brand-new rug from our latest collections with Loloi. So, we grabbed some mocktails and had fun exploring the space to get a closer look at the recently rolled out designs.
Shop the table: Magnolia Est. Ceramic Round Platter | Green Luna Plates | Cream Scalloped Plates | Amelia Round Placemat | Antique White Eyelet Napkins | Vintage Flatware Set | Elizabeth Bottle Cut Glass Tumblers
Q + A with Jo
To close out a fun day together, we gathered on the Castle lawn for some tea, light bites and a Q + A with Jo. Read on for a few highlights from the conversation!
Q: What's inspiring you the most right now in home design or lifestyle?
Jo: Lately, I've been inspired by all the small things—finding little moments and creating vignettes that celebrate the season we're in. My favorite one is by my kitchen sink. It's this little board with a tiny lamp and everything Crew has found or made and given me over the last couple weeks (flowers, notes, etc.). As I'm doing the dishes, it's a little reminder of this beautiful season of life we’re in.
I love pieces that tell a story. Some may not go perfectly with the thing next to it, but I see all these little reminders that point to a memory. I think the older I get, the more I truly own our home and the story it tells. It’s going to look very different from everybody else's, and that’s ok!
Q: Where do you turn when you hit a creative block or feel stuck?
Jo: A lot of the work I do is on the creative side, so I have to make sure I’m filling myself creatively, too. Oftentimes, I'll be working on a project, whether it’s designing a home or writing a magazine story, and I have to step outside when I’m feeling stuck.
I usually try to start my days in the garden because I feel like it fuels me creatively. There are no words, there's no exchange happening—but there is something that is so wonderful about being outside and letting nature teach you.
Q: How do you keep creativity sustainable?
Jo: The older I get, the more I’ve found I have to stay curious—and in those curiosities, I keep learning. That feeds me creatively. For example, I’ve been learning to make sourdough, and recently as I was making a loaf something came to me for our business—a vision for what's next. If I wouldn't have paused and taken that time to be creative in this other way, I may have missed that moment. So whether it's pressing flowers, creating an arrangement, or making sourdough, I'm always trying to find something that's going to challenge me creatively. I don't want to know how to do it—I want to learn through experimenting.
Q: Was there an “aha” moment early in your career that made you go all in?
Jo: About 20 years ago, I was designing our dream family home in Waco. A local magazine reached out saying they wanted to feature it when we were done, which was a really big deal for me. As they were doing the photoshoot, I was standing in the living room watching all four of my kids. I could tell they didn't know how to interact with the space and I had this realization that it didn’t feel like “home” to them. At that moment, something shifted for me. I didn’t want to design spaces that were just beautiful, I wanted to design spaces where my family could feel seen, known, and comfortable.
The end goal is not to be in a magazine. It’s that my family feels at home. So that was my “aha moment.” Ever since then, Magnolia has been about helping and inspiring people to create spaces where everyone who lives there feels known and at ease. If you can just hone in on that you will create a beautiful story for your family.
Q: For those coming from a non-design background, what’s your advice for building credibility and confidence?
Jo: I also didn’t go to design school! Everything I know I learned from experimenting and trial and error and a lot of trusting my gut. I will say every time I said “yes” to a new project or a new idea it became a moment to learn more. So just keep saying “yes.” That's how you get credibility and confidence. There's something about vulnerability that makes people want to come with you, and they want to cheer you on. When you want to share your story and journey in a vulnerable, honest way, I think people really relate to that and want to learn from you.
Q: What's helped you most in balancing motherhood while running a business?
Jo: To me, it’s not about balance. It's about what's in front of you and how you’re holding it. At Magnolia, we love to celebrate the changing of seasons, and as I move into each one, I’m always evaluating what, in that season, do I need to let go of or say no to. Then, I’ll ask myself what my arms are now able to pick up with that gained space. But motherhood and being a wife to Chip has always been number one. My whole life is aligned by that, so there’s grace, even in the craziest seasons of our lives, because my faith and family have always been my anchor.
Parts of this interview were edited and condensed for clarity.
And that’s a wrap! We’re so thankful to our friends at Loloi for the years-long partnership and helping make this day a reality. Here’s to a season rooted in home—with a good rug to ground you.
Florals: Laurel + Finch
