Celebrity Style

Joanna Gaines's new project is her 'biggest' to date – and it's unlike anything she's ever done before

'Jo and I are out of our element to some extent, but we’re up for the challenge': Chip and Joanna reveal their most daring fixer-upper yet

Joanna Gaines
(Image credit: Alamy)

When we thought we'd seen Chip and Joanna reach their career highlight with the castle, they took it to another level, yet again. 

Introducing Fixer Upper: The Hotel, the couple's latest renovation project (Mini Reni's aside), is described by producers Warner Bros. Discovery as their 'biggest' to date. As we saw the Magnolia founders take on a historic property in Fixer Upper: The Castle, Chip, and Joanna are once again working with an early twentieth-century property (built in 1928) in Downtown Waco, Texas. 

'When you think about a 50,000 square foot remodel, this is the big leagues,' Chip says in the footage below. 'This is what you dream about, and I think Jo and I are out of our element to some extent, but we're up for the challenge.'

Everything we know about Fixer Upper: The Hotel

Comprising six episodes, the series will premiere in November 2023, following the opening of Hotel 1928 in October (yes, the name is a nod to its construction year). 

Originally designed by Herbert M. Green & Co. of Dallas and Roy E. Lane of Waco, this former Karem Shrine Building is a local landmark – serving as a beautiful example of early twentieth-century Moorish Revival-style architecture. As per the hotel's website, Chip and Joanna designed the space to 'welcome locals and visitors alike with a sense of home in a bygone era' – so we can expect lots of soft neutrals, rich textures, and antiques in every room. 

'For us, this project represents everything we are most passionate about – hospitality, restoration, and home,' the couple shared via their blog. 'We've always been firm believers in the value of a home, as a place but also as a feeling. Our dream for this hotel is that it would serve as an extension of home to every guest who comes to stay.'

Once complete, Hotel 1928 will feature four floors of 33 custom-designed guest rooms – and a restaurant, a ballroom, and a rooftop terrace. It is only a short walk away from Market Magnolia at the Silos – home to Joanna's iconic cupcake shop, Silios Baking Co. (from Fixer Upper season 4). 

We're keeping an eye out for any spoilers in the run-up to the hotel's official opening in October – but in the meantime, we have Mini Reni (and Joanna's book, available below), to keep us occupied. 

Homebody: A Guide to Creating Spaces You Never Want to Leave | $20.79 on Amazon

Homebody: A Guide to Creating Spaces You Never Want to Leave | $20.79 on Amazon

Joanna Gaines walks you through creating a home that reflects the personalities and stories of the people who live there. Using examples from her family farmhouse and a range of other homes, this comprehensive guide will help you embrace your authentic design style. 

Megan Slack
Head of Celebrity Style News

Megan is the Head of Celebrity Style News at Homes & Gardens. She first joined Future Plc as a News Writer across their interiors titles, including Livingetc and Real Homes, before becoming H&G's News Editor in April 2022. She now leads the Celebrity/ News team. Before joining Future, Megan worked as a News Explainer at The Telegraph, following her MA in International Journalism at the University of Leeds. During her BA in English Literature and Creative Writing, she gained writing experience in the US while studying in New York. Megan also focused on travel writing during her time living in Paris, where she produced content for a French travel site. She currently lives in London with her antique typewriter and an expansive collection of houseplants.