The once-solid foundation of HGTV power couple Chip and Joanna Gaines appears to be crumbling under the weight of their increasing fame and fortune, according to recent reports. The duo, known for transforming dilapidated properties into stunning homes, may now be struggling to renovate their own relationship.
An insider close to the couple revealed to gossip columnist Rob Shuter, per RadarOnline, that “Fame has changed both of them, and not for the better. What was once a marriage is now mostly a business.”
Videos by PopCulture.com
The source of tension reportedly stems from diverging professional interests. “Joanna is pushing shows that focus on luxury renovation. Chip wants to focus on renovating modest homes,” a friend of the couple disclosed. “This business conflict has had a major impact on their marriage.” The insider added, “They have changed — but nothing has changed as much as their marriage!”
The strain on their relationship reportedly intensified during the renovation of their boutique hotel in Waco, Texas. An insider claimed, via RadarOnline, “Every day there was another crisis that left them at each other’s throats. They were bickering constantly and getting little sleep. It took every ounce of goodwill to stay on an even keel and get through it.”
Amidst these challenges, Joanna Gaines has publicly acknowledged the need for self-reflection. In a recent issue of Magnolia Journal, per PEOPLE. she wrote, “The part that can be harder is the pausing. Looking curiously at the chaos of my own busy life to try to create some order or fine-tune a few too-familiar ways of living that may no longer serve me.”
Joanna has announced her intention to step back from their bustling business empire. “In the end, here’s what I’m hoping for: the beauty of what we’ll see with this little bit of clarity,” she explained. “There may be some discomfort and awkwardness at first. But slowly, truth fills the space we’re making. Maybe something does need to change. Or maybe you realize that you’re already living the life you dreamed of. You only needed clearer eyes to see it.”
This decision comes at a time of significant change for the Gaines family. Their eldest son, Drake, recently returned to college for his sophomore year, prompting an emotional farewell from Joanna. “Second year in college… saying goodbye doesn’t get easier. Lots of love to all the parents sending their kids off to school this season,” she shared on Instagram.
The couple’s relationship has been intertwined with their business since its inception in 2003. In her 2022 memoir, The Stories We Tell (via Realtor.com), Joanna admitted, “Right now, I’m wrestling with my role in our business. Since 2003, Chip and I have given Magnolia every inch of us, and because it has become so intertwined with who we are, sometimes it’s difficult to make out where Magnolia ends and where we begin.”
