Here's What To Know About HGTV's Divided By Design
Over the years, HGTV has served up plenty of home renovation shows featuring spouses. Some of these couples have gone on to become major stars for the network, including the likes of Chip and Joanna Gaines of "Fixer Upper" fame, "Home Town" stars Ben and Erin Napier, Egypt Sherrod and Mike Jackson from "Married to Real Estate," and Tarek El Moussa and future ex-wife Christina Hall, who were married when "Flip or Flop" began, and divorced by the time the series ended.
In June 2024, fans would meet HGTV's latest power couple, Ray and Eilyn Jimenez, stars of the new series "Divided By Design." Based in Miami, the Jimenezes bring a pretty significant twist that hasn't been seen in those aforementioned couple-based shows: they're actually competitors with each heading up their own design firms as they aggressively compete against each other for clients. "We do the exact same thing, but we don't work together," Ray explained to HGTV. "We're the competition."
One might assume that being partners at home and rivals at work could lead to friction, but for these talented designers, the situation adds some extra spice that brings out the best in both of them. "Despite opposing design aesthetics, the couple thrives on the rivalry and finds inspiration by maxing out the beauty of their beloved hometown," noted an HGTV press release. Keep reading to discover all there is to know about HGTV's "Divided By Design."
Divided By Design is inspired by the real lives of Ray and Eilyn Jimenez
"Divided By Design" stars Ray and Eilyn Jimenez own their own competing Miami-based design firms. Ray is the lead designer of Raymond Nicolas, which takes an integrative, multidisciplinary approach. "I can confidently say, we are one of the first, if not the first, to combine architecture, interior design, and fashion services under one roof," Ray explained in an interview with Authority Magazine. Eilyn, on the other hand, is the founder and creative director of Sire Design, which takes a more traditional approach to interior design.
While competing for clients, the spouses have developed a no-hard-feelings attitude if one of them nabs clientele the other was trying to land. "I wouldn't want to be competing against anyone else besides my better half," Eilyn told HGTV, emphasizing that it's ultimately the client who decides which firm they prefer.
That said, the couple's real-life competition is at the heart of "Divided By Design," with each bidding on a project that only one will win. Then, viewers will be taken along for the ride as the victorious designer works his or her respective magic on the property, following the process from beginning to end. "But regardless of who wins a client," Ray told HGTV, "we're here to support each other no matter what."
Divided By Design showcases Miami style
Given that the respective design firms of Eilyn and Ray Jimenez are both situated in Miami, it's a no-brainer that "Divided By Design" is set within that city. As a result, the designs they come up with for clients are reflective of the characteristic style that's unique to Miami. Those design elements permeate the work they do on "Divided By Design," as both spouses are utterly enamored with the city and its distinctive stylistic elements. "We flirted with the idea of living a few months in New York City for the creative vibe and energy, and we'd love to spend a few weeks out of the year in Colorado for the adventure, but we'll always call Miami home, especially because our family is here," Ray explained in an interview with HGTV.
Meanwhile, viewers of "Divided By Design" will likely have their preconceived notions shattered about what Miami design encapsulates. "Miami was very, very white — glossy white floors, some red lacquer — and it was a little bit tacky," EIlyn told Aventura Magazine. "When you think about what Miami design was 10 years ago and what it is today, it's much more elegant and sophisticated."
That's evident in the series' very first episode, which finds them competing for a $150,000 renovation project and hunting for a middle ground in a reno for a couple's contrasting ideas — he wants something dark and masculine, she prefers light and tropical — that's also reflective of the home's Florida setting.
The show is anchored by Ray and Eilyn Jimenez's amazing love story
Ray and Eilyn Jimenez met in 2016 and tied the knot a few years later during a lavish destination wedding in Barcelona. "We booked this beautiful villa, had chefs prepare our meals, and stayed up late into the evening listening to music," Eilyn said of their nuptials in an interview with HGTV. "We all had a great time."
While the two have been happily married since then, it's easy to speculate about how the combative premise underlying HGTV's "Divided By Design" might impact their marriage. The short answer: it doesn't. In fact, they feel that it actually strengthens their bond as a couple. "Our energy and vibe is so connected," Ray said. "When Eilyn is on a low frequency, I try to bring her back up, and when I'm feeling down, her silliness gets me into a better space. We're the perfect embodiment of each other."
The secret to maintaining happiness at home while competing professionally is compartmentalization, something that Ray has become quite good at managing. "I have to for my mental sanity and mental health," he explained in an interview with People. Meanwhile, Eilyn emphasized that they both find it important to ensure they have time for each other, outside of work. "At the end of the day, we care about our relationship," she said. "He's my best friend, so nurturing that is really important to us."
Ray and Eilyn Jimenez have very different design aesthetics
As viewers of HGTV's "Divided By Design" will no doubt notice, the stylistic elements that Eilyn and Ray Jimenez bring to the table are substantially different. "When clients reach out to both of us, we bid for the same jobs," Eilyn told HGTV. "However, Ray and I have different design perspectives and approaches when it comes to each project."
The key area in which they differ is that Eilyn's design ethos is one of sparse simplicity, while Ray is drawn to the opposite approach, embracing different textures and layers. "He's more of a maximalist and I'm more of a minimalist," she explained in an interview with Heavy, but added, "However, we both appreciate aspects of each other's aesthetics." Despite what would appear to be a pretty basic schism in their stylistic approach, they're able to offer each other meaningful feedback when required. "But at the same time, we lean on each other for advice," Ray added. "We compliment each other when we do a great job. We also do our best at taking in some constructive criticism once in a while."
And while their approaches to design might differ, there are various other aspects of their respective businesses to which they can completely relate. "The best part about working in the same industry is that we understand the day-to-day and can offer each other unconditional support to manage it all," Eilyn explained to Caribbean Magazine.
Divided By Design reflects Ray and Eilyn's respective heritages
It's interesting to observe that "Divided By Design" stars Eilyn and Ray Jimenez both grew up in the same neighborhood in Hialeah on the outskirts of Miami. In fact, their respective homes were situated on the same street, and they both went to the same elementary school. Amazingly, they never encountered each other until a mutual friend introduced them in 2016.
While both are Latin American, each comes from a markedly different culture. Eilyn's heritage, like many residents of Miami, is Cuban, and she works with other Latin-American women at her firm Sire Design. "I love it because I think it's super empowering and we work really, really hard," she explained in an interview with Today. "And I think one of the things that Latinas have a lot is that will to feel like they have to prove themselves, because we do."
Meanwhile, Ray's roots are in the Dominican Republic, although he doesn't technically come from there. "I was born in Puerto Rico before making my way to Florida," he told HGTV. Bringing their respectively rambunctious clans together for their wedding was an experience Eilyn said she will never forget. "Combining our close-knit Cuban and Dominican families was priceless," she recalled to HGTV.
Their ongoing home renovation is a part of Divided By Design
While each episode of HGTV's "Divided By Design" features spouses Eilyn and Ray Jimenez competing for a client and tackling that particular renovation project, the series also follows the ongoing renovation of the couple's own home — which wound up taking way longer than either of them had anticipated. "We're going on four years now," Ray told HGTV of the project, which required gutting the place completely.
While much of the actual construction is completed, merging their differing design aesthetics has been a bit more complex. "There are times when Ray wants to push the limits a little further and I want to scale back a bit, but it's all about reaching an equal medium," said Eilyn. "It's been a lot of fun to build this house together. Melding their respective design styles has understandably been a work in progress, but one that's proven to be successful overall. "The fact that we're able to merge [our] two styles effortlessly is pretty special," Ray told Today. When speaking with Aventura Magazine, he also added, "We do it with our clients so we should be able to do it ourselves."
By March 2024, however, the project appeared to be nearing completion, and maybe it will end up on the list of the most incredible home transformations in HGTV history. "Designing our personal home has been a fulfilling journey filled with so much creativity and passion," Eilyn wrote in an Instagram post. "Every corner and detail tells a story that we can't wait to share!"
Ray and Eilyn inspire each other even when competing
While the notion of two spouses competing against each other on television — even on an HGTV home-renovation series you may have forgotten about — may seem counter-intuitive to fostering a solid marital relationship, showcasing that aspect of their relationship on "Divided By Design" is something that Ray and Eilyn Jimenez have taken in stride. As Eilyn told HGTV, they've been in the design business for long enough to recognize that certain designers click with certain clients for certain reasons. "So much about choosing a designer to work with is connection-based. If someone picks Ray over me or vice versa, it may have nothing to do with our design presentation but how a homeowner clicked with one of us on a personal level," she explained. "In the end, we're always cheering each other on."
While facing off against one's spouse to win a bid on a design job might seem to be a marital minefield, Ray insisted that hasn't been his experience when going up against Eilyn. "This fosters a healthy competitive edge and pushes us to be better and better every day," he told Caribbean Magazine of their onscreen rivalry in "Divided By Design."
Eilyn also believes that the level of competition actually brings out the best in both of them, spurring them to do their finest work. "We draw a lot of inspiration from one another," she told Aventura Magazine, "but we flourish independently."
Divided By Design isn't the first TV show for Ray and Eilyn Jimenez
If Ray and Eilyn Jimenez appear to be familiar to television viewers, that's not surprising. In fact, "Divided By Design" isn't the couple's first TV project — that would be "Designing Miami," which debuted in 2022 on Netflix and ran for just one season.
Truth be told, a lot of the elements that were introduced in "Designing Miami" are also on display in HGTV's "Divided By Design." "She's a minimalist with a clean aesthetic; he prefers a maximalist approach. Together, they'll design the house of your dreams," declared a synopsis of what was described as a docuseries, appearing on Netflix's Tudum, documenting the couple's hectic life as interior designers whose respective businesses were in direct competition with each other. Unlike "Divided by Design," though "Designing Miami" found them collaborating on reno projects, while also introducing viewers to their respective families and all that entailed.
That earlier series also emphasized the competition between the spouses' respective businesses, which definitely carried through into "Divided By Design." "There's times where we know who is wrong and we'll just roll with it ... but we're learning," Eilyn pointed out in a 2022 interview with People. However, working together on the Netflix series proved to be something of a milestone for them. "We have our own companies and our own activities that we nurture and grow and depend on," explained Eilyn, "but this is something that we've done together."
The television journey of Divided By Design began on Instagram
Even before the launch of their Netflix series "Designing Miami," "Divided By Design" star Eilyn Jimenez had appeared on television in her capacity as an interior designer. Interviewed by Forbes Global Properties, Jimenez noted that she and a television producer she'd previously worked with maintained contact with each other. While perusing her Instagram posts, the producer noticed the uniquely competitive professional relationship that she had with her husband Ray, and felt it could form the basis for a TV show. "He saw that I was married to my competitor and was interested in pitching a show about our day-to-day lives," she explained, recalling how "Designing Miami" came to be. "Long story short," she added, "a reel was created and pitched to Netflix, and here we are!"
ilyn proved to be a natural in front of the camera. "For me, it was really easy because the cameras just became an extension of myself and the crew became my family," she recalled while speaking with Aventura Magazine. For Ray, however, appearing on camera was a bit more of a challenge. "I didn't really get comfortable until the last couple of weeks," he admitted. "I'd always be thinking in the back of my head, 'Don't do this or don't do that.'" As a result, he's not particularly fond of watching himself onscreen. "I have really only seen the show once," he said.
Ray and Eilyn juggle Divided By Design with their successful design businesses
While shooting the first season of HGTV's "Divided By Design" — and, prior to that, Netflix's "Designing Miami" — Eilyn and Ray Jimenez couldn't just press the pause buttons on their burgeoning design businesses. As one might expect, managing to keep all those plates spinning took a lot of juggling for both as they filmed for their TV shows while also managing real-life clients.
With "Designing Miami," that personal sacrifice paid off as the attention from the Netflix series brought them each increased business — a phenomenon that will likely replicate after "Divided By Design" is watched by HGTV's legions of loyal viewers. "We've been very blessed [that] people are resonating with the work we do and what we bring to the table," Eilyn told Aventura Magazine of the uptick in business they experienced from "Designing Miami." "It brings a sense of comfort because these clients already know our personalities and our work and want to work with us for those reasons."
Besides, when it comes to what they're doing on television, both spouses see "Divided By Design" as a snapshot of a particular moment in their lives, chronicling them in the act of building their future together. "We like to think long term, when our kids and grandkids will be able to see all we've built by watching us on this series," Ray told HGTV.
The key design elements they infuse into Divided By Design
The contrasting design aesthetics of Ray and Eilyn Jimenez are front and center in the projects they undertake in HGTV's "Divided By Design." In fact, their competing maximalist vs. minimalist styles are also influenced by the melting pot that is Miami. "Miami is the epicenter of so many cultures," EIlyn said in a promo for "Divided By Design" that was shared by People.
For Eilyn, that means combining a melange of influences when conceptualizing designs, both for the show and her Sire Design clients. "I love to mix and match old world, new world aesthetics and blend coastal, contemporary, and modern," she explained in a voiceover. That was followed by a clip of Ray, in action amid a demolition, proudly declaring, "I want to rip stuff up!" In his voiceover, Ray described the stylistic elements he prefers to utilize in his designs when working with his firm, Raymond Nicolas Design House. "I really want to bring something unique and different," he said. "Modern industrial is the vibe and aesthetic that we're going for in all of our projects."
When asked why they don't make the obvious step, and combine forces to form their own design firm together, Eilyn said it's "because we like each other too much." Ray then shared his opinion, that he didn't see the point in fixing something that wasn't broken. "What we have going on — it's special," he gushed. "It's different, it's unique."