Joanna Gaines knows what every fixer upper needs, and (alongside her husband Chip) has proven this episode after episode. They’re specifically credited with popularizing "farmhouse chic" in the late 2010s, which I have to admit is always a favorite of mine. However, there’s one aspect of this trend that doesn’t seem to have fallen out of favor… and honestly, I bet you can guess the one Fixer Upper thing fans bring up to Gaines every single day.
I’m not talking about clawfoot tubs or barn doors... or even the newest Fixer Upper project. I'm talking about a certain fever that continues to run hot. When Gaines stopped by Kylie Kelce’s podcast Not Gonna Lie for a quick chat about her new mansion project, the host quickly brought up the aesthetic that Gaines put on the map. (Have you guessed it yet?) That’s right. We're here to talk about shiplap. Check out the exchange below:
- Gaines: I mean I think the word ‘cause even the day we found it I didn’t know what it was called. I was like boards.
- Kelce: Do people still bring this up to you?
- Gaines: Every. Day.
- Kelce: I was going to be like, ‘is it only me’?
- Gaines: No, it’s like #shiplap.
In case you somehow slept through an episode where she used shiplap, I’ll explain it real quick. Shiplap was originally a functional exterior siding technique (primarily for things like ships, coastal homes, or barns) before it became a popular interior design element used during the height of the farmhouse era. Although has it really subsided? Both women were quick to defend the technique, with Kelce even describing it feeling like “a warm hug.” My farm upbringing can see her point as there is something homey about the way shiplap looks.
While shiplap was already around before Fixer Upper, the use of it was definitely popularized by the mom of five. Although when they found it she admittedly didn’t know what it was called. She even referred to the siding as "boards." Still, I'm not going to hold that against her. Fast forward to today, and Gaines still can’t escape it. Once it’s a hashtag, there’s no going back. For this, she blames it on one specific factor:
I’m gonna defend myself here because every now and then I’ll see like on social, it’ll be like ‘the modern farmhouse aesthetic is over.’ Like you hear all this but it’s like in 2013 and 2014 when the modern farmhouse aesthetic was rising. It really was like people wanted the open floorplan. The hardest thing was I would do client meetings at the farm and there was shiplap on the wall so the client would say, ‘I want what your house looks like. Can I have shiplap on the walls?’ Like, everyone got shiplap.
Not sure if this counts as "one of the biggest mistakes" people make with house design, but there is an irony in Gaines’ own aesthetic rubbing off on clients. We’ve continued to see trendy design ideas since she and Chip launched the Magnolia Network, including a livable garden, and I look forward to seeing what they do with the mansion.
For those who don’t know, the couple is facing a new project in Fixer Upper: Chip Bought A Mansion. The title is a bit of a giveaway, but Chip bought an European-inspired mansion overlooking Lake Waco in Texas. Having bought it three years ago, Gaines is now stepping with her signature eye. The series lands on the 2026 TV schedule on December 27 and is expected to have six episodes. It can be watched on the Magnolia Network the day of or the next day streaming on Discovery+ and HBO Max.
However, the real question we should be asking is, will the new project have shiplap?
