Tarek El Moussa and Christina Haack have been busy this past year. El Moussa married Heather Rae Young, and Haack got engaged to Joshua Hall. Even so, these former spouses still manage to renovate houses together, and have just rolled out Season 12 of “Flip or Flop.” The show, after all, must go on!
In the season premiere, “Takeover Flip,” El Moussa and Haack take on a three-bedroom, three-bathroom fixer-upper in L.A.’s Highland Park neighborhood that another investor had tried, and failed, to finish. The house is in lousy shape, with half of it only partly rebuilt.
Nonetheless, El Moussa and Haack buy the property for $780,000, hoping to renovate it for $160,000. And in the end, El Moussa is sure this is one of their very best flips. Here’s why, and how your own home could benefit from some of their hard-won wisdom.
A new door can add massive curb appeal
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When El Moussa and Haack first see this house, they’re not at all impressed.
The previous investor had torn down the walls and the roof in the front living room, leaving very little to the front of the house. So they rebuild this area and add a new front porch. Then they paint the house white with gray trim.
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Still, Haack knows this home isn’t quite finished.
“There’s one more thing I think we definitely need: a better front door, something more modern, some wood and glass.”
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The team installs an elegant new door that matches the modern exterior. It’s a perfect addition that pulls the whole exterior together.
Make the range hood a statement piece
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Inside, Haack and El Moussa decide to give the kitchen a Hollywood glam design, choosing black cabinets and a white tile backsplash with gold accents. To pull the look together, Haack suggests a range hood in black.
El Moussa isn’t sure about the surplus of darkness.
“Don’t you think it’s too much black?” he asks. “Black hood, black cabinets?”
“No, because I’m thinking that we’ll incorporate a little bit of brassy gold,” Haack replies.
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Sure enough, the team installs a black hood with gold accents, which perfectly complements the rest of the kitchen.
Haack is proud of her choice: “That hood was key.”
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With the kitchen design done, Haack and El Moussa realize there’s something missing in the living room design.
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El Moussa suggests faux ceiling beams to match the flooring, and Haack loves the idea.
“That will really accentuate, like, the high ceilings and everything, and I think when you walk in that’ll make everything pop,” she says.
The beams cost $2,500, but the look is certainly worth it. The beams add some much-needed character to this new living room.
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Use similar but not identical tile in the bathrooms
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Tarek El Moussa and Christina Haack Back Together, Again?! ‘Flip or Flop’ Season Premiere Reveals All appeared first on Real Estate News & Insights | realtor.com®.