The Designers Behind the Designers on Your Favorite Magnolia Home Shows

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One of the reasons we love watching Magnolia Network home design shows is because they give insight into how designers problem-solve and experiment–and in the most beautiful way, to boot. The genius designers can take a dilapidated or uninspired room and transform it into a gem inspiring us, the viewers, with ideas we can dream of implementing at home.

Shows like Happy to be Home with the Benkos, Maine Cabin Masters, and The Established Home allow us to shadow designers on their home improvement adventures. But designers—no matter how brilliant—don't work alone in a vacuum. These creatives often work in tandem with talented assistant designers who bring valuable advice, a new perspective, and gumption. "Design routine is basically organized chaos," says Chelcie Eastman, lead project manager and interior designer on Happy to be Home with the Benkos. "We work on crazy-fast timelines that really aren’t reasonable. So most of the day isn’t routine. It's ever-changing–but always exciting!"

And, like all good collaborators and team leaders, the big-name designers are eager to shine a spotlight on their teammates. Here, we spotlight three Magnolia Network shows and the design experts who deserve a pat on the back for helping keep it all together.

The Sidekick Designer on Happy to be Home with the Benkos

Season 1 can be found on Max and discovery+.

Lead interior designer Gray Benko uses her eye as a photographer to completely revamp historical spaces with the use of bold color and patterns. Her whimsical style that borders on eclectic is deeply rooted in who she is. "I go purely off of instinct and feeling," Benko says. "I know that I have a special kind of eye for color and design, but I second guess myself constantly. I obviously love color but it is definitely possible to go overboard if the tones don’t work well together." That's where Chelcie Eastman, lead project manager, comes in.

"I'm a good sounding board," Eastman says. "[Gray] normally ends up going with her gut–that's her superpower–but she takes a while to get there. I help her feel confident in her choices. I tell her what I think and she appreciates my honesty. And then I make her make a decision, which she will never do unless forced."

Benko also points out that Eastman is a perfect complement to her, helping with design aspects that are not exactly Benko's forte. "Chelcie is great at spatial decisions and can figure out an amazing floor plan without even trying," Benko adds. "She is such a go-getter and is really good at getting things accomplished."

The Right-Hand Designer on Maine Cabin Masters

Season 9 premieres on Magnolia Network on October 23rd at 9/8c with new episodes every Monday

Restoring unkempt cabins in the remote woods of Maine is no small feat. For one, the remoteness of the locations is a challenge in and of itself. Once, lead designer Ashley Morrill, who steps in to help her brother Chase restore these wild wonders to their full glory, had to deal with a road so muddy that it was impassable. "We ended up renting a boat to get all of the furnishings to the camp," she recalls.

Once on-site, part of Morrill's job is to sort through the clutter—deciding between pieces that can be repurposed and those to toss. For a recent project, she used a broken-down piano to create a new breakfast bar outfitted with the piano keys.

Morrill looks to the surrounding nature for inspiration when it comes to materials, such as Northeastern Pine, to make the cabin design feel as if it is part of the landscape. Her secondary designer, Heidi Andrews, often helps with the finishing touches. "I like to scavenge 'treasures' from the surrounding area," Andrews says. "Pine cones, bark, dried flowers, stones. Some will get a light dust of gold or colored spray paint and find the perfect place on tables, side tables, or shelves." Last season she implemented branches–painted gold–as towel hangers while staging a YMCA kids' camp bathhouse. Arranging wildflowers is the finishing touch for this floral-loving designer.

The Experimental Designer on The Established Home

Season 3 will premiere later this year.

To designer Jean Stoffer, family is everything–she moved to Grand Rapids, Michigan, to be close to her children, and continued her craft on The Established Home with ambitious projects around her new hometown. Taking family ties seriously, she partners with her daughter, Grace Start, leader of the design team for Jean Stoffer Designs.

"I feel more energy now that I am working with my daughter," Stoffer says. "With her fresh take, Grace gives so much life to the work and the designs themselves. She thinks about things a little differently than I do, and it has brought a new perspective that complements mine beautifully."

The projects are classic, with a modern twist. For a dining room, Start chose a bold, high-gloss brown paint (Farrow & Ball London Clay) for the walls and a matte version for the ceiling. "I don't think I would have picked such a dramatic color, but it looks absolutely gorgeous, and I love it," Stoffer continues.

For Start, designing with her mom is more than pushing the boundaries. "Having an eye for design is one thing but running a business, especially a multi-faceted one, is another," Start says. "My mom has talent in both areas and is constantly teaching me the ins and outs."

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