Gwyneth Paltrow, Chris Martin SPLIT -- Bougiest Separation Ever

Gwyneth Paltrow and Chris Martin have separated ... in the hoity-toitiest of ways.

Gwyneth just announced the split on her website Goop, titling it, "Conscious Uncoupling." She says "It is with hearts full of sadness that we have decided to separate."

Gwyneth says, "We have been working hard for well over a year, some of it together, some of it separate, to see what might have been possible between us, and we have come to the conclusion that while we love each other very much we will remain separate."

That sounds more like divorce than separation.

It's interesting ... in March, 2013, TMZ broke a story Chris made an offer on a Brentwood home. His people told us it was for him and his band mates, but Gwyneth got involved and killed the deal, claiming there was mold.

And this is curious ... at the end of last month, they bought a $14 million Malibu estate designed by one of the most famous architects in California history -- John Lautner. Look at the gallery. It's a pretty masculine house, which suggests this is where Chris will live.

Gwyneth says she and Chris will now set off to "uncouple and co-parent."

And that's the goop.