Joanna Gaines recently revealed that the idea for their daughter, Ella Gaines, to engage in their newest project came from none other than Chip Gaines. “Chip always told Ella, ‘Before heading off to college, I want you to flip a house or tackle a project,'” Joanna explained during a December 9 episode of their home renovation series (as reported by TV Insider). Initially, they intended to work on a house near their Waco, Texas home, but Ella eagerly embraced the opportunity. “She’s often expressed interest in design,” Joanna enthused. “So, Chip thought it would be exciting for her to take on the little cottage as her first design venture.”

Joanna expressed her hopes that this cottage project would boost Ella’s confidence, noting their “very similar tastes.” Ella, who has appeared with her siblings—Drake, Duke, Emmie, and Crew—in previous “Fixer Upper” episodes, has now embarked on her first significant design challenge. “Seeing my daughter, now grown, choose to follow in my footsteps is incredibly rewarding. Being able to guide her through this is a beautiful full-circle moment,” Joanna shared.

Currently studying as a freshman at Parsons School of Design in New York City, Ella aims to forge a career in interior design, much like her mother. Joanna proudly mentioned that Ella took a very hands-on approach in decorating her dorm room at Parsons. “She’s passionate about design and has a distinct style of her own, so I stepped back and let her take the lead,” Joanna shared in an interview with “Today.” “I allowed her full creative freedom, and it truly reflected what she envisioned.”