Red Flags In Chip & Joanna Gaines' Relationship That Hint There's Trouble In Paradise

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Chip Gaines and Joanna Gaines have long been one of the most beloved couples on TV. The two married in 2003 and later shot to fame on HGTV's "Fixer Upper," working alongside each other to upgrade properties. But it's their relationship that may need a renovation next because the long-time couple has a few red flags we can't ignore.

The two have been very open about their struggle to stay together early in their marriage. Speaking to People in 2023, Chip admitted they had to work seriously hard on their communication to stop their relationship from falling apart. "We pretty quickly had to say, 'We're either going to go at each other and blow this thing up, you and I trying to fight each other about every nook and cranny, or we can figure out how to come together as a team,'" he shared. "We've had our challenges. I don't want to belittle that piece of the equation," he added, admitting it took work to stay together. Joanna also alluded to concerning early trouble, having told People seven years earlier, "Early on we had our fair share of fights and figuring out where the boundaries were." But that's not the only hint of potential trouble in paradise we've noticed.

While most couples can leave work and their co-workers at the door to decompress at home, Chip Gaines and Joanna Gaines don't have that luxury. Joanna admitted that working with her husband had blurred the lines between work and home life, which isn't a great sign. "I think the challenge is it's hard to shut off," she told People in 2023, admitting she and Chip struggle to know what to speak about besides work. "We've tried to be like, 'Let's go on a date and not talk about business' ... So I don't know. Sometimes there's no clocking out," she added. A Closer source doubled down on the supposed problems work has caused in their marriage, claiming the following year, "What was once a marriage is now mostly a business." They added, "They have changed — but nothing has changed as much as their marriage!"

Not only is the couple struggling to find things to talk about eyebrow-raising, but not being able to switch off from stressful work commitments could be detrimental to their marriage and cause burnout. It's important the two set clear work/life boundaries so they can rest and recharge and give each other space when they need it.

Joanna Gaines wasn't blown away by her future husband on their first date — and we can understand why. "It wasn't love at first sight for Chip and me. For one thing, I was typically attracted to guys who were more on the quiet side," she told Magnolia Journal (via People). She added she was hesitant about going out with Chip again after they failed to click. "I somewhat instinctively checked his penchant for risk and chatty nature as two reasons we probably wouldn't go on a second date," she said. The TV star also opened up about that fateful day in their book, "The Magnolia Story," revealing Chip wasn't bothered about making a good first impression. "He didn't even have a plan for our date ... He didn't apologize for being late, either," she said. That's a red flag, as it suggests Chip didn't respect Joanna or her time.

Chip has also admitted he had to change himself to make his relationship with Joanna work, telling People he wasn't interested in a serious relationship when they began dating. "I dated girls whose goal in life was to get married and have kids. They had it all planned out, but I was too selfish. It was about me and what I wanted to do," he said. Chip added that in order to make things work with Joanna, "I had to make a lot of changes. I had to be a better person." Chip's lack of thought for Joanna and the two being on very different pages at the start of their romance is a little concerning, and it would cause a major issue if he ever slipped back into his wild ways.

Anyone who has seen Joanna Gaines and Chip Gaines on TV will know they're opposites in many ways. Joanna tends to be the quieter of the pair, while Chip has the bigger personality. "Match made in heaven is not the term you would use to describe us," Joanna told People of their romance, admitting they're more a case of opposites attracting each other. She suggested that their differences can be a good thing, sharing, "But when we mixed our personalities together, it created a spark."

Though Joanna doesn't seem too worried that she and her husband have so many differences, it's not exactly a green flag. "Opposite personalities introduce conflict into a relationship and forego the benefits that come from having a shared perspective on the world," Angela Bahns, associate professor of psychology at Wellesley College, explained to The Knot. If Chip and Joanna struggle to see eye to eye because of their differing personality traits, it could make it harder to understand one another and their disagreements tougher to resolve.

Though a couple being together 24/7 seems sweet, if they don't feel capable of enjoying time away from one another, it's not always a good sign. Writing in "The Magnolia Story," Chip Gaines and Joanna Gaines shared, "We function better together than we do apart, and I don't think either one of us has ever felt the urge to say, 'I need a break from you.'" The problem here? A lack of independence is a relationship red flag science says to watch out for. It's important for couples to have a healthy amount of time apart, and the Gaines' constant cycle of living in each other's pockets at work and home could cause problems. As Nicole Moore, celebrity relationship expert and "Love Works" podcast host, told Women.com, "It becomes a red flag when one partner doesn't trust their creative vision enough without their partner's input."

It's imperative the Gaines enjoy a little time alone or with friends to avoid developing an unhealthy, co-dependent relationship. Anchor Light Couples & Family Therapy recommends couples spend around 30% of their time away from one another. That creates space to miss one another and ensures both have experiences they can talk to the other about, sparking exciting conversations.

On the surface, it may sound romantic for a married couple to openly state divorce is not an option. But it could also be a problem. "Our superpower is that Jo and I are not quitters," Chip Gaines said during a joint 2021 interview with "Access Hollywood." He admitted he doesn't ever consider leaving his wife and their five children but noted, "Divorce or leaving one another is not really an option for us. And so, somehow, that little foundation has definitely served us well because things have definitely been challenging."

Despite Chip and Joanna facing countless divorce rumors, Chip had previously claimed in 2017 that they would never go their separate ways. After an X, formerly known as Twitter, user alluded to rampant split speculation, Chip posted, "Won't ever happen.. you can take that to the bank! #loveOfMyLife."

But divorce is an option for a reason. Though it should never be undertaken lightly, and there are plenty of options to consider first (such as finding out if they need marriage counseling), no one should ever feel trapped in their relationship. Although commitment to marriage is admirable, the idea that they'd never consider divorce, even if it was the better option that would make them happier, is concerning.