Ella Rose Gaines: Chip and Joanna’s Daughter and Rising Design Star

For over a decade, millions of viewers have watched Chip and Joanna Gaines transform houses into homes on their hit HGTV show Fixer Upper. While the couple’s five children have often been mentioned but rarely seen, their eldest daughter, Ella Rose, has recently stepped into the spotlight—not as a child in the background, but as a designer in her own right.

In late 2025, Ella made her professional debut on Fixer Upper: Colorado Mountain House, taking on her first independent design project: a 375-square-foot guest cottage. At just 19 years old, she was entrusted with complete creative control over the space, delivering a design that was markedly different from her mother’s signature farmhouse style. With dark, moody tones and bold color choices, Ella proved she has her own unique vision.

Now a student at the prestigious Parsons School of Design in New York City, Ella Rose Gaines is the first of Chip and Joanna’s children to officially join the family business. This is the story of how the Gaines’ eldest daughter is carving her own path in the world of design.

Table of Contents

• Who Is Ella Rose Gaines?

• Quick Bio Table

• Early Life and Childhood

• Parents and Family Background

• Education

• Career Journey

• Major Achievements

• Marriage and Relationships

• Children

• Personal Life

• Net Worth and Income Sources

• Social Media Presence

• Interesting Facts

• Current Life and Recent Updates

• Public Image and Legacy

• Why People Search for Ella Rose Gaines

• Common Misconceptions

• Final Thoughts

• FAQ Section

Quick Bio Table

Who Is Ella Rose Gaines?

Ella Rose Gaines is the eldest daughter of Chip and Joanna Gaines, the stars of HGTV’s Fixer Upper and founders of the Magnolia lifestyle brand. Born on October 20, 2006, she is the second child and first daughter of the couple. Unlike her older brother Drake, who has pursued a path in athletics, Ella has followed in her mother’s footsteps, developing a passion for design, baking, and gardening.

She made her professional debut on Fixer Upper: Colorado Mountain House, where she designed a guest cottage at her family’s Colorado property. She is currently studying at the Parsons School of Design in New York City.

Early Life and Childhood

Ella Rose Gaines was born on October 20, 2006. She grew up in Waco, Texas, alongside her four siblings: older brother Drake, and younger brothers Duke, Crew, and younger sister Emmie Kay.

From a young age, Ella showed an interest in the same things as her mother. Joanna Gaines told People magazine in 2019: “Ella is like me. I think she’ll follow in my footsteps and have her hand in a lot of things. Right now she wants to cook, be a lead designer and have a donut truck”. Those early interests have proven prophetic, as Ella has since pursued design as a career path.

Despite growing up in the public eye as part of one of HGTV’s most famous families, Ella’s childhood was relatively private. Chip and Joanna have been intentional about protecting their children’s privacy, often keeping their faces off social media and limiting their public appearances.

Parents and Family Background

Father: Chip Gaines

Chip Gaines is a television personality, entrepreneur, and author. He rose to fame alongside his wife Joanna on Fixer Upper. He is the co-founder of Magnolia, a lifestyle brand that includes a home renovation business, a retail store, a magazine, and a television network.

Mother: Joanna Gaines

Joanna Gaines is a renowned interior designer, television personality, author, and entrepreneur. She is the co-founder of Magnolia and the star of Fixer Upper. She has written several bestselling books and is known for her signature farmhouse style.

Siblings

Ella has four siblings:

• Drake Gaines (born February 2005): The eldest child, a college student and baseball player at the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor.

• Duke Gaines (born May 2008): The second son.

• Emmie Kay Gaines (born January 2010): The youngest daughter.

• Crew Gaines (born June 2018): The youngest child.

Education

Ella graduated from high school in 2025. She began attending the Parsons School of Design at The New School in New York City in the fall of 2025.

Her mother helped her move into her dorm room, but Ella took full creative control over the design of her space. Joanna told the Today show: “She is very into design and she has her own, unique style, so I stepped back and I was like, ‘You show me what…’ and I let her do the whole thing”.

Career Journey

Early Interest in Design

Ella’s interest in design was evident from a young age. She interned at Magnolia, sitting in on meetings and learning the family business from the ground up. Joanna has described how Ella was present during pivotal business conversations, listening and showing genuine interest in the company’s direction.

Fixer Upper: Colorado Mountain House

Ella’s career breakthrough came when she was tasked with designing a guest cottage at her family’s 1960s Colorado property for the show Fixer Upper: Colorado Mountain House, which premiered in December 2025.

The project was her father’s idea. Chip proposed that Ella take on the cottage before she began her freshman year at Parsons. Joanna gave her complete authority over the space, allowing her to make all decisions on flooring, paint colors, fixtures, cabinetry, countertops, backsplash, and finishes.

The Design

Ella’s design for the 375-square-foot cottage was bold and unconventional. She selected darker tones, including Magnolia Home’s “Wellington Green” as the primary wall color, creating what she described as a “moody” atmosphere. The bathroom featured checkerboard flooring in burgundy and pale blue—a choice that surprised her father. The kitchen included a hand-painted backsplash, a fabric sink skirt, and open shelving. Architectural modifications included converting symmetrical closets into ceiling arches above a built-in banquette and bookshelves.

When Chip questioned her color choices, Ella stood her ground. Joanna later praised her daughter, posting on Instagram: “I’m so proud of Ella for taking on her first design project! I loved learning from her as she made bolder choices and mixed fun patterns and colors. I couldn’t be happier with how it turned out”.

Major Achievements

• First Gaines child to join the family business: Ella made her professional design debut on Fixer Upper: Colorado Mountain House.

• Completed her first independent design project: Designed a 375-square-foot guest cottage at age 19.

• Accepted into Parsons School of Design: One of the most prestigious design schools in the world.

• Interned at Magnolia: Gained firsthand experience in the family business.

Marriage and Relationships

There is no publicly available information about Ella Rose Gaines’ romantic relationships. She is 19 years old and currently focused on her education and career.

Children

Ella Rose Gaines does not have any children.

Personal Life

Ella’s personal life is largely private. She was not allowed to have social media until she turned 18, and she still keeps her online presence low-key. Her parents have been protective of her privacy, rarely showing her face on their own social media accounts.

In her free time, Ella enjoys baking, gardening, and spending time with her family. She is known for her close bond with her younger siblings, particularly Crew.

Net Worth and Income Sources

There is no publicly available information about Ella Rose Gaines’ net worth. As a student, she does not have an independent income. Her family’s net worth is estimated to be in the tens of millions, derived from their Magnolia brand, television shows, books, and merchandise.

Social Media Presence

Ella has private social media accounts. She was not allowed to have social media until she turned 18, and she maintains a low-key online presence. Her parents occasionally share glimpses of her on their own accounts, often with her face partially obscured.

Interesting Facts

• Ella was named after her mother’s grandmother.

• She was the first Gaines child to join the family business.

• She designed her college dorm room entirely on her own.

• Her design style on Fixer Upper was described as “moody” and different from her mother’s signature farmhouse look.

• She surprised her father with her choice of burgundy and pale blue checkerboard flooring.

• She has five siblings: Drake, Duke, Emmie Kay, and Crew.

Current Life and Recent Updates

As of 2026, Ella Rose Gaines is 19 years old and attending the Parsons School of Design in New York City. She is pursuing her passion for design while balancing college life and occasional appearances on her family’s television projects.

Her debut on Fixer Upper: Colorado Mountain House was well-received, and she has established herself as a promising young designer with a distinct creative voice. Fans are eager to see what projects she will take on next.

Public Image and Legacy

Ella Rose Gaines is seen as the natural successor to her mother’s design legacy. While she has been raised in the public eye, she has maintained a level of privacy that is unusual for a celebrity child. Her decision to pursue design and her willingness to take creative risks on her first major project have earned her respect from fans of the Gaines family.

Her legacy is still being written, but she represents the next generation of the Magnolia brand—a young woman with her own artistic vision, stepping confidently into her parents’ world while making it her own.

Why People Search for Ella Rose Gaines

People search for Ella Rose Gaines for several reasons:

1. Curiosity about Chip and Joanna’s children: Fans of Fixer Upper want to know more about the Gaines family.

2. Her design debut: Her appearance on Fixer Upper: Colorado Mountain House generated significant interest.

3. Her style evolution: Fans are interested in her personal style and how she has grown up.

4. Her education: Her attendance at Parsons School of Design is a point of interest.

5. Comparisons to her mother: Fans are curious to see if she will follow in Joanna’s footsteps.

Common Misconceptions

She is Chip and Joanna’s oldest child. Ella is the second child and oldest daughter. Her older brother, Drake, is the eldest.

She is a public figure who shares her life online. Ella has private social media accounts and keeps a low-key online presence.

She is already a full-fledged designer. Ella is a student who has completed her first design project. She is still in the early stages of her career.

Final Thoughts

Ella Rose Gaines is stepping into the spotlight on her own terms. As the first of Chip and Joanna’s children to join the family business, she is proving that she has her own creative vision. Her design for the Colorado guest cottage was bold, moody, and distinctly different from her mother’s signature style—a sign that she is not just following in her parents’ footsteps, but forging her own path.

With a spot at the prestigious Parsons School of Design and a growing portfolio of work, Ella is poised to become a design force in her own right. While she may always be known as Chip and Joanna’s daughter, she is already showing the world that she is much more than that.

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