Here's What Really Inspired Joanna Gaines' Trademark Farmhouse Style

Joanna Gaines found national fame hosting the HGTV show "Fixer Upper" with her husband, Chip Gaines. Together in Waco, Texas, the couple flips and remodels homes, "transforming the worst house in the best neighborhood" each week (via Cheat Sheet). According to HGTV, "They have worked on more than 100 homes together, combining Chip's great instinct on real estate and Joanna's unique eye for design." But Joanna's career did not begin with her hit TV series. According to the Magnolia website, Joanna opened a humble home accessory store in 2003, shortly after her and Chip's wedding. Since then, the Gaines family has expanded their empire to include "a real estate company, construction company, design firm and residential subdivision, Magnolia Villas," all while raising four kids (via HGTV).

According to Decorilla, Gaines' style can best be described as updated rustic, combining traditional rustic or farmhouse styles with industrial and vintage pieces. Gaines' signature magnolia palette is contrasted with monochromatic wrought-iron light fixtures and hardware features that create a chic take on the farmhouse style often seen in traditional rustic homes (via Homes & Gardens). But the question remains: what inspired the design expert's signature style?