Inside Fixer Upper: Colorado Mountain House, a special retreat shaped by time and texture

Fixer Upper: Colorado Mountain House documents the renovation of a 1960s property in Colorado’s Rocky Mountains by Chip and Joanna Gaines.

The project marks the couple’s first renovation outside the Waco, Texas, area and serves as a vacation home for their family of seven. The property includes a 3,662-square-foot main house and two guest cottages located near a river.

Joanna Gaines says the home stood out during the first walkthrough. “I saw an investment in the future of our family here,” she says, noting that the house had been “well-loved.”

The renovation took place over six months, during which the couple traveled to Colorado about six times. The work required changes to the home’s layout, including expanding the kitchen, adding bedrooms, and increasing natural light.

The series also captures a transition period for the family. Joanna describes adjusting to her daughter, Ella, leaving for college, saying, “I’m in this weird season as a mother right now of learning to let go.”

Design decisions shown in the series reflect how the home was planned for long-term family use, shared meals, and gatherings. The finale airs December 23 on HGTV and Magnolia Network, with the series available to stream on HBO Max and Discovery+.

Renovating the main house and reworking the layout in Fixer Upper: Colorado Mountain House

The main house renovation focused on keeping existing features while changing how rooms were used. The original hardwood floors, brickwork, and fireplaces were kept.

Hand-hewn beams were added to the walls to match the existing ceiling beams, and an artist painted the ceiling wood to align the color. Joanna explains,

“Faux anything kind of scares me, especially when you’re using a lot of real wood, but you don’t even notice.”

The kitchen was moved into what had been the living room because the original kitchen was too small. The new kitchen includes custom cabinetry, iron hardware, a copper sink, brass fixtures, and black soapstone countertops.

Floor-to-ceiling windows were added. Joanna says the space changes with the seasons, explaining that in winter it feels like “preparing dinner in a snow globe.”

A long wooden table that seats 12 was placed at the center of the kitchen. Joanna notes, “Anytime I can gather my family around the table, that’s the most precious thing to me.”

Other layout changes included turning a former galley kitchen into a library and converting an office into the primary bedroom with an adjoining bathroom.

Guest cottages and Ella Gaines’s design debut in Fixer Upper: Colorado Mountain House

The property includes two guest cottages that were also renovated. One cottage was designed by the Gaineses’ daughter, Ella, who was given control of the space before leaving for college.

The nearly 375-square-foot cottage includes green paint, arched openings created from former closets, a built-in banquette, bookshelves, and patterned floor tile in the bathroom.

Joanna says the design choices differed from what she and Chip would have selected. “With such a small space, we probably would’ve gone light,” she says, adding that Ella “wanted it moody.”

The arches became a key feature. Joanna explains,

“The idea that when you step in and can see the pattern on the walls just felt charming.”

The larger guest cottage was designed for the couple’s sons and includes a stone fireplace, added windows, and plaid wallpaper. All three structures were painted green to match the surrounding landscape.

Joanna says the process influenced future decisions, noting that Ella’s work encouraged the family to take more risks in design choices across the property.

The cottage also includes a small kitchen with a hand-painted backsplash and a fabric sink skirt. Open shelving was used instead of upper cabinets. The paint color, Wellington Green, from Magnolia Home, appears throughout the space.

The bathroom floor features a combination of burgundy and pale blue tile, a choice Joanna says was outside her usual approach.

After seeing the finished space, she says the result encouraged the family to approach future projects differently, explaining that it made them “be braver” in later design decisions.
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