Joanna Gaines says Chip’s decision to buy a mansion in Waco, Texas, without consulting her left her “probably the maddest” she has been at him during their 23-year marriage.
The Fixer Upper star, 48, discussed the purchase on the November 5th episode of Kylie Kelce’s Not Gonna Lie podcast. Chip had bought the property roughly three and a half years earlier, convinced he had found a bargain.
His plan depended on someone else seeing the same potential. He believed the mansion’s views of Lake Waco would attract a buyer willing to take it as it was, allowing the couple to resell it without undertaking a renovation.
The purchase eventually became the subject of Fixer Upper: Chip Bought a Mansion, a six-episode series following the couple’s efforts to get the property ready for its next owner.
Joanna Gaines Left the Mansion Untouched for Three Years
Chip handles much of the couple’s real estate business, Joanna explained, and knew she was likely to reject another project. She also pushed back on the idea that their familiar television dynamic, with Chip buying something and expecting her to fix it, was scripted.
“I did not touch it for three years,” she said, according to PEOPLE.
Her position changed when she became more involved in reviewing the business figures. With no buyer and the ongoing expense of owning the property, she decided they needed to act and agreed to take on the renovation.
Once she committed, Joanna wanted the show to acknowledge the circumstances behind the project. She told Kelce that she and Chip needed to find the humor in the situation and make that part of the series.
The Renovation Came With a Three-Month Deadline
An earlier trailer, published by PEOPLE, showed the couple facing a three-month renovation deadline. Inside, the mansion had heavy draperies, ornate wallpaper, elaborate iron railings, a grand staircase and a private elevator.
The redesign called for updating the rooms while preserving architectural details such as the home’s trim, moldings and millwork. Joanna also sought advice from fellow designers, while Chip looked for ways to offset expenses, including selling salvaged materials from the property.
Despite her initial resistance, Joanna told Kelce that the work taught her a great deal as a designer. The experience became one of her favorite seasons to film.
A Prospective Buyer Preferred the Mansion Before Its Makeover
As InStyle reported, Joanna explained that photographs of the finished rooms were being kept off the online listing to avoid spoiling the show. Anyone browsing the property was still seeing its original interiors.
On the day of the renovation reveal, the couple’s real estate agents called about a qualified buyer who wanted to visit and was interested in making an offer. The woman, however, had fallen for the old photographs and was unhappy to learn that Joanna had removed the red-and-gold finishes.
Joanna offered to walk her through the house and explain the changes, but the woman never came. The reaction left Joanna joking that Chip might have been right about leaving the property alone.
The mansion remains listed for $7.39 million through Magnolia Realty. The brokerage records 14,047 square feet on approximately 5.7 acres, with six bedrooms, eight full bathrooms and three half bathrooms. Other features include a wine cellar, gym, billiard room and media room.
Fixer Upper: Chip Bought a Mansion premieres with two back-to-back episodes on Sunday, December 27th, beginning at 9 p.m. ET on Magnolia Network and HGTV.