Chip and Joanna Gaines hand the reins to daughter Ella in Fixer Upper: Colorado Mountain House

Fixer Upper: Colorado Mountain House documents a rare role reversal for Chip Gaines and Joanna Gaines, as the longtime renovation partners step back and allow their eldest daughter, Ella Gaines, to take creative control of a key part of their latest project.

The three-episode Magnolia Network spinoff follows the Gaines family as they renovate their own 1960s cabin compound in Colorado, with Ella’s involvement emerging as one of the defining storylines of the series.

The property, described by the family as “tucked away and hidden,” sits near a river and includes a two-bedroom, 2.5-bathroom main house with a wraparound deck, along with two detached guest cottages.

After decades of renovating homes in and around Waco, Texas, Fixer Upper: Colorado Mountain House marks Chip and Joanna’s first out-of-state renovation.

The scale of the undertaking and the distance from home led them to enlist a local general contractor to manage the six-month build, while also creating space for Ella to lead the redesign of the smaller guest cottage.

The Gaineses have credited years of “ski trips and spring breaks over the last decade” in Colorado for inspiring them to “carve out a place” of their own in the state.

That long-standing connection framed the project as personal rather than client-driven, setting the stage for Ella’s participation as her “first design project.”

Fixer Upper: Colorado Mountain House and Ella Gaines’ first design test

On Fixer Upper: Colorado Mountain House, Ella is tasked with transforming the smallest of the two guest cottages, a compact structure that includes a loft sleeping area, a kitchenette, and a full bathroom.

The limited square footage placed clear constraints on the design, forcing decisions about color, layout, and function to carry greater weight.

In the early episodes, Ella outlines her plan to use moody “greens and blues” throughout the space, a direction that Joanna openly supports. Joanna says, 

“There’s really no wrong answer. You get to do whatever you want. If you want to paint it black, I’m going to let you paint it black.”

Joanna later explains her approach to working alongside her daughter. She says, 

“For me, it’s stepping back. And where she wants help, or she wants a suggestion, I’ll step in, but I’ve really tried to shut my mouth.” 

The strategy reflects a conscious shift from teaching by directing to teaching by observing, a dynamic that plays out repeatedly across Fixer Upper: Colorado Mountain House.

The most pointed test of that philosophy arrives in the series finale, titled “Mountain Dreams Come True,” when Chip encounters Ella’s tile selection for the cottage bathroom.

As he lays the checkerboard-pattern tile, both parents react visibly. Joanna notes,

“Oh, wow, it’s cubes.” 

Chip is less restrained. He says, 

“As I got to unpacking this, I am not going to lie: I was a tad surprised about the color palette, I mean, literally maroon.” 

Joanna quickly interjects, “It’s burgundy,” though the clarification does little to ease Chip’s reaction.

The moment escalates into playful conflict when Chip links the color choice to college rivalry.

A Baylor University alumnus, he objects to what he sees as a nod to Texas A&M’s maroon. He states, 

“A&M Aggies have no place in any project that I’ve ever been a part of in my life. I think these aren’t ours.”

Joanna counters by reasserting the premise of the exercise. She explains, 

“This is Ella’s project. She wanted some color.”

Chip continues, detailing the palette: 

“Ella’s tile selection, she’s got maroon, baby blue, mixed into this template. There’s no Baylor green, there’s no Baylor gold. She didn’t go to Baylor University, her mom and I’s alma mater.”

When Joanna suggests Chip may be taking the design personally, he responds that he feels “betrayed.” The tension leads Joanna to call Ella directly. She asks, 

“Hi, Ella, do you have a second? He’s laying your tile. Do you like it?”

Ella’s answer is direct. She thinks it “looks good.” Chip presses his case anyway. He says, 

“But you know what’s not right? Maroon tile, babe.” 

When Ella stands firm—“No, I like it”—Chip ultimately drops the act. He shouts, 

“OK, I love you, Ella Rose. You did great. I’m only kidding!”

The exchange underscores the balance Fixer Upper: Colorado Mountain House strikes between humor and mentorship.

While Chip’s objections are framed as exaggerated, the episode ultimately reinforces Joanna’s insistence that Ella be allowed to see her vision through.

With the disagreement resolved, the family moves forward together, focused on completing the cabin compound as a shared retreat.

In a later moment, Joanna reflects on the shift in roles during the styling phase. “I feel like I’m the design intern,” she says, acknowledging Ella’s growing confidence.

By the conclusion of Fixer Upper: Colorado Mountain House, Ella’s contribution stands as more than a subplot.

Her involvement marks a transitional moment for the Gaines family, one in which experience is deliberately handed off rather than simply inherited.

The series frames that handoff not as a farewell, but as a continuation—one that allows the next generation to take part before stepping into adulthood.

The finale of Fixer Upper: Colorado Mountain House aired on December 23 on Magnolia Network and HGTV, closing a chapter that blends family, legacy, and first-time responsibility.

Stay tuned for more updates.