Joanna and Chip Gaines' daughter Ella takes on moody cottage makeover in Fixer Upper: Colorado Mountain House premiere

Fixer Upper: Colorado Mountain House premiered on December 9, 2025, featuring Chip and Joanna Gaines’ eldest daughter, Ella Gaines, making her Fixer Upper debut, as she took over the cottage makeover alongside her parents as her first design project on the network.  

The 19-year-old’s decision to embark on a journey to design the cottage marked a special moment for her parents, especially her mother, Joanna, who became emotional as she witnessed it.

She continued explaining how significant a milestone it was in her life, calling it a “full circle moment” watching their daughter take on her first major design project. 

Ella is the eldest daughter of five children. She is preceded by Drake, the eldest of all five, and followed by 17-year-old Due, 15-year-old Emmie, and 7-year-old Crew.

The episode saw her enter the cottage with her mother and look around to analyze what she had to work with. After a quick look, she told Joanna that she was “accepting the challenge.”

While it was Ella’s Fixer Upper debut, it was not the first time she redesigned a space of her own.

During an August 19 interview on Today, Joanna revealed that Ella decorated her dorm room entirely on her own when she left for college – Parsons School of Design in New York. 

Fixer Upper: Colorado Mountain House: Joanna Gaines hopes working on the cottage can help Ella build her confidence

In one segment of the December 9 episode of Fixer Upper: Colorado Mountain House, Joanna told the cameras that, despite a “surprise spring snowstorm” the previous night, she was excited to start working on the cottage because her daughter, Ella, would also be there. 

She then mentioned that Ella always had an interest in design, so they looked for houses in Waco. 

However, when they could not find anything, Chip came up with the “fun idea” of letting her “tackle the little cottage as her first design project.”

The part of the cottage that she was assigned was a studio casita, which comprised a loft, a metal ladder to access the loft, a kitchen, and a bathroom. 

Chip described the space as a “she shed,” hoping Ella would enjoy designing the loft. 

In another segment of the episode, Joanna shared that her style in design matched that of Ella’s.

“We both love plants, we love charming, cottagey things, we love story. So, my biggest hope with letting her tackle this cottage is that it builds confidence in her,” she said.

The Magnolia owner added that it was special and meaningful to watch Ella become an adult and step into the role of a designer – something she did.

To her, it was a “beautiful full circle” moment because she got to teach her the steps of the process and also witness her get comfortable in the job.

Ella, who studies at Parsons School of Design, impressed her parents by taking charge of the makeover and making the major design decisions. 

“I’d love it to feel like a little cottage. I think I would love, like greens and blues. I think it would be fun,” Ella said in the Fixer Upper: Colorado Mountain House premiere.

While Ella navigated her first major project, Chip and Joanna remained behind her to assist whenever she needed their help or advice. 

However, they chose not to influence her choices, as Joanna told the Magnolia cameras that there was “no wrong answer” in design – one could do whatever they pleased. 

Joanna stated that she would let Ella choose any color she wanted, even if that meant choosing black. 

“We want it to be moody. I want you to feel like your gut is dark, we go dark,” she added. 

That said, she assigned some “homework” to Ella, giving her the responsibility to choose the flooring type, light fixtures, closet options, bathroom mirror, and more. 

The episode will continue coming Tuesday on HGTV, where fans will be able to watch Ella take on her first major makeover. 

Stay tuned for more updates.