Joanna Gaines
Joanna Gaines is an American interior designer, television personality, and author. She co-hosted HGTV's Fixer Upper and co-founded the lifestyle brand Magnolia with her husband Chip, where she serves as Editor-in-Chief of Magnolia Journal.
Joanna Gaines's Bio
Joanna Lee Stevens Gaines is an American interior designer, television personality, and New York Times bestselling author. She co-founded the lifestyle brand Magnolia with her husband Chip in 2003, building it from a home decor shop in Waco, Texas into a multi-platform empire.
Born April 19, 1978 in Wichita, Kansas, Joanna graduated from Baylor University in 2001. She married Chip Gaines in 2003, the same year they opened Magnolia Market and began flipping houses. Her blog about their renovations led to HGTV's Fixer Upper, which aired from 2013 to 2017 and helped popularize the modern farmhouse aesthetic.
After Fixer Upper ended, Magnolia expanded rapidly. Joanna and Chip launched Magnolia Journal in 2016, introduced the Hearth & Hand collection at Target in 2017, and opened Magnolia Press coffee shop in 2019. Magnolia Network launched in 2022, with Joanna serving as editor-in-chief of Magnolia Journal and chief creative officer of the network.
Joanna has authored seven books, including the bestsellers Magnolia Table and Homebody. She and Chip run the Magnolia ecosystem from Waco, where they also operate Magnolia Realty, Magnolia Table restaurant, and the Silos shopping complex. They have five children: Drake, Ella, Duke, Emmie, and Crew.
Career Timeline
1978 — Born in Wichita, Kansas
Joanna Lee Stevens was born on April 19, 1978 in Wichita, Kansas to a Korean immigrant mother and a Lebanese-German father.
2001 — Graduated from Baylor University
Earned a B.A. in Communication from Baylor University, where she interned at local TV stations and spent a semester working on CBS News' 48 Hours in New York City.
2003 — Married Chip Gaines and founded Magnolia Market
Married Chip Gaines and together they opened Magnolia Market, a home decor shop in Waco, Texas, while also beginning house-flipping projects on the side.
2013 — Fixer Upper pilot aired on HGTV
The pilot of Fixer Upper aired in May 2013; the show was born from Joanna's blog about their renovation projects, which caught High Noon Entertainment's attention.
2016 — Launched Magnolia Journal
Started the quarterly lifestyle magazine Magnolia Journal, published by Meredith (now Dotdash Meredith).
2017 — Hearth & Hand with Magnolia collection launched at Target
Introduced the Hearth & Hand with Magnolia collection at Target stores, featuring over 300 home decor and lifestyle products.
2019 — Opened Magnolia Press coffee shop
Expanded into hospitality with the opening of Magnolia Press, a coffee shop in Waco, Texas.
2022 — Magnolia Network officially launched
Magnolia Network launched as a dedicated cable channel replacing DIY Network; Joanna serves as chief creative officer. Fixer Upper: Welcome Home also returned.
