What Chip And Joanna Gaines Miss About Their Lives Before Fame

Since canceling "Fixer Upper" to put their family first, Chip and Joanna Gaines have revealed that while they are grateful to have spearheaded HGTV's fan-favorite show, they miss aspects of their old lives. Indeed, the couple has changed significantly since "Fixer Upper's" premiere, launching a TV network, restaurant, home decor line, and an imprint with Harper, to name just a few. 

Still, Chip and Joanna often look back on their humble beginnings and what they were like before the fame with grateful nostalgia. This includes memories of the early days when the couple logged long hours on their own individual passions. Still, despite missing aspects of the simpler times, they have no regrets in choosing a life on camera, telling People that even though "Fixer Upper" came to a close, they're still "dreaming about ways to make old things new again." 

It's reassuring to know that though the celebrity couple does miss aspects of life before fame, they celebrate their roots and the success of "Fixer Upper" while remaining full steam ahead toward the future.

For Chip Gaines specifically, part of missing the past is recounting his once complicated relationship with the cameras, and longing for past human-to-human interactions. As he explained in an interview with Cowboys & Indians, "As long as things are natural and organic, I'm in my element. But the more staged something becomes, or the more required something becomes, it boxes me up, and I felt like toward the end of the 'Fixer Upper' journey, I felt caged, trapped." 

Thankfully, Chip has a healthier relationship with the spotlight now. It was this isolation that made him miss the reliability of honest, human feedback, especially back in the day when their house-flipping business consisted of just Joanna Gaines and himself. As he told EW, "I live off of people's reactions and expressions and the camera doesn't give you any of that." Naturally, then, it took a while to get used to their new normal. 

During a sit-down with Oprah Winfrey (via YouTube), Chip elaborated on how this loneliness contributed to him losing himself during the filming process too. "Your life is the same, you're the same, and everybody has an idea of what that is, it's just more people know your name," he said, later stressing the importance of being grounded in your individuality, especially as your fame and notoriety increase.

Joanna Gaines, meanwhile, misses the simplicity of life back when it was just her and Chip Gaines, and they had the freedom to make their own schedule in the shop. Since the couple worked early hours in the studio, they were able to peacefully prep and get ready for the guests they'd greet later in the day. This collaboration and one-on-one interaction with customers is also something Joanna misses, telling EW that, like Chip, she's learned not to take it for granted.

With so much time spent alone in those early days, it's also no surprise that the former HGTV stars miss the spontaneity of being anonymous, especially now that their relationship is more public. The Gaines credit this to not just the absence of cameras, but also the late work nights and frequent impromptu visits from friends.

Still, despite missing that earlier season of life, Chip and Joanna stressed that the past isn't keeping them from pursuing new dreams, like strengthening their relationships at home and at work. But, as more business endeavors come to fruition, like their Magnolia baking show, the two continue to prioritize family above all else.