EXCLUSIVE: Chip and Joanna Gaines ‘Betrayed’ by Daughter Ella’s Design Choice on ‘Fixer Upper: Colorado Mountain House’ Finale

A family feud is brewing between Chip and Joanna Gaines and their eldest daughter, Ella Gaines, as they put the finishing touches on their vacation home in the finale of "Fixer Upper: Colorado Mountain House."

On the new Magnolia Network spinoff series, which premiered earlier this month, Chip, 51, and Jo, 47, purchase a 1960s cabin compound in Colorado that they envision will be a destination for their extended family for generations to come. 

The parents of five credit many "ski trips and spring breaks over the last decade" that were spent in the Centennial State for inspiring them to “carve out a place” of their own in the area.

The "tucked away and hidden" property sits just a short distance from a flowing river and comprises a two-bedroom, 2.5-bathroom main house with a wraparound deck and two guest cottages. The couple quickly dream up grand plans to reconfigure the layout to accommodate their family of eight better.

Having spent “25-plus years” renovating homes and building their business in and around their home base in Waco, TX, the Gaineses find this project marks their first out-of-state fixer-upper.

To ease the challenge of managing such a massive undertaking from hundreds of miles away, Chip and Jo hire a local general contractor, Steve, to be their boots on the ground for the six-month project. 

They also enlist 19-year-old Ella to help revamp the smallest of the two cottages, which consists of a loft space for a mattress, kitchenette, and full bathroom, as her "first design project.” 

Though Ella and her siblings have been largely kept out of the spotlight since 2018 as Chip and Jo focused on family life away from the cameras, Ella’s participation in this series alongside her parents before she headed off to college is something Jo fully embraces.

“The idea that my daughter, who is now an adult, has decided to take on what her mother does and I get to teach her, I don’t know, it just feels like this beautiful full-circle moment,” says Jo, whose “biggest hope with letting her tackle this cottage is [that] it builds confidence in her.”

In the first two episodes of the three-part series, Ella lays out her plan to use moody “greens and blues” for the tiny space, and Jo backs up every design decision her daughter makes.

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

Later in the series, she explains the strategy she’s taken to let Ella lead the way.

“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,” she says.

Yet, in the series finale, due to air on Dec. 23 at 9 p.m., Chip just can’t keep quiet about his disapproval of at least one of Ella’s choices.

In an exclusive clip shared with Realtor.com® from the episode titled “Mountain Dreams Come True,” Jo greets Chip inside the cottage’s bathroom as he lays the tile Ella selected in a checkerboard pattern, and both parents are a bit taken aback by what they see.

“Oh, wow, it’s cubes,” notes Jo. 

She’s not alone in feeling shocked by the selection, as Chip offers his initial impression while kneeling in front of a row of cabinets across from a corner shower unit.

“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,” he says disapprovingly.

Jo retorts, “it’s burgundy.” The clarification on the color’s hue doesn’t soften the blow for Chip.

The proud Baylor University alum is displeased that Ella’s chosen aesthetic invokes the official school colors of his rival college, Texas A&M University.

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

Fellow Bayor graduate Jo appears amused, but she’s able to separate her school allegiance from her commitment to supporting her daughter’s debut design endeavor.

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

Unmoved by his wife’s defense of their daughter, Chip continues with his criticism.

“Ella’s tile selection, she’s got maroon, baby blue, mixed into this template,” he describes. “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 Jo chimes in about how her husband might be interpreting Ella’s design direction, Chip declares he feels “betrayed.”

In an effort to bridge the divide, Jo makes a video call to Ella.

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

Just as soon as Ella responds that she thinks it “looks good,” her dad brings up his issue with it.

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

When Ella and Jo appear to laugh off Chip’s complaint, he pushes back.

“Ella, for real,” says Chip.

Jo points out to Ella that the burgundy shade “reminds him of a certain college,” and Chip confronts his daughter about her choice.

“Ella, do you feel guilty at all?” he asks.

Unfazed, Ella stands her ground.

“No, I like it,” she says, and all Chip can do is respond with a silly face expressing his displeasure.

At this point in the playfully tense exchange, Jo plays referee and calls time on their conversation.

“Oh yeah, she’s gotta go,” says Jo.

Before they hang up, Chip quickly drops his facade and reveals his negative reaction was all in jest.

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

With the disagreement firmly behind them, the Gaines crew moves forward united in their goal of making the remodeled mountain abode a place where they can make many happy new memories together.

And when it comes to the family business, Jo seems to acknowledge her temporary role reversal with Ella during the accessory staging phase of the renovation.

“I feel like I’m the design intern,” she teases in another preview of the final episode.

Of course, the fact that Ella specifically requests additional candlesticks from her mom only makes the symbolic passing of the torch seem all the more real.

The series finale of “Fixer Upper: Colorado Mountain House” airs on Dec. 23 at 9 p.m. on Magnolia Network and HGTV.