Family of 14 Wins Home Makeover

By Charles Bassett, NEWS 9

OKLAHOMA CITY -- An Oklahoma City wife and mother of 12 children was granted a home makeover auctioned off by Chesapeake Energy. The auction was part of a fundraiser for the local chapter of the United Way, and the highest bidder happened to be the wife's husband.

Laura Babb reviewed paint colors and fabrics for the family's living room and dining room.

"We always say to each other, surely there is somebody in Oklahoma City who can do this sort of thing, you know, they're just not on T.V.," Laura Babb said. "There's somebody who's talented, we just got to find that person."

Laura Babb's husband Brian Babb won the makeover in a charity auction and gave it to his wife as a birthday gift.

"I found out a couple days later I was the winning bid and I was like, ‘That's awesome,'" Brian Babb said.

Wife agreed, saying it ranked high on her list of best birthdays ever.

Lauren Makk, an Oklahoma City native and TLC's Trading Spaces designer, helped the family in the makeover process.

The team will give two rooms a new, fresh look that's also functional.

"I'm not coming in to dictate a design," Makk said. "I'm coming in to get their opinion and see what they want to do and how they want to live in this space."

The family consists of Lauren Babb, Brian Babb, and 12 children, 10 of which still live at home.

"They've already adapted this space to their large family," Makk said. "I just hope to add to it."
The rooms are scheduled to be finished by Friday.