Ella Gaines Debuted Mature New Look & Proved She's Enjoying College Life
Ella Gaines's debut on "Fixer Upper: Colorado Mountain House" was not only a chance to wow fans with her designs. Although she followed Chip and Joanna Gaines' rule to stay offline until she's 18 and still keeps her online presence lowkey, the eldest Gaines girl showed fans how much she's grown up with her functional, cool girl style on the show.
As a student at Parsons School of Design as of writing, living in the Big Apple likely gives Ella the opportunity to explore her personal style. Her visits home since starting her higher education journey provided Gaines fans with a glimpse of her college glow. She started rocking reddish-brown hair that's slightly darker than her natural light brown locks sometime before late November 2025. Joanna captured it in a picture of the then-19-year-old Ella hugging her 7-year-old brother Crew Gaines before sharing it on her Instagram Story.
The Story's caption featured a quote from Crew, which said, "Mom, is this a dream? Ella is home!" Joanna added, "She's back from college," followed by a heart-eye emoji and a smiley, teary-eyed emoji. It seems like Ella adapted to college life just fine as her hair transformation took a more mature route. She also had a great eye for trends, since in fall and winter 2025, many outlets named red a popular color for the season.
Chip and Joanna's love doesn't meddle with Ella's independence
Ella Gaines clearly isn't a little girl anymore, and she's come into her own as she focuses on her interest in interior design. Joanna Gaines told TODAY in August 2025 that Ella took the reins when decorating her college dorm. The teenager also worked at Magnolia as an intern before attending design school and appearing on "Fixer Upper." But growing up for Ella isn't only about moving away from home for four years. She's building a new, unique relationship with her parents while following in their footsteps.
When she designed a bathroom on the show, Ella surprised her dad with her color selection for the floor tiles. Seeing the deep red and baby blue combination made Chip Gaines think about Texas A&M University, the rival of his and Joanna's alma mater Baylor University. Joanna FaceTimed Ella, so the pair could ask about the somewhat contentious choice. In a clip that Realtor.com got access to before the episode aired, Chip asked, "Ella, do you feel guilty at all?"
But their daughter didn't back down. She replied, "No, I like it" (via Magnolia Network). Chip told Ella, "You did great! I'm only kidding." Ella's response shows she can make her own decisions without outside pressure, and her parents are capable of respecting that. The fake tension seemingly had no influence over Ella's bond with her parents, and her Christmas 2025 homecoming made it known how affectionate the Gaines household can be.