Tarek and Heather Rae El Moussa's Best Home Flips

Tarek and Heather Rae El Moussa, hosts of The Flipping El Moussas, have successfully ventured into another partnership outside of their marriage: flipping high-end homes. For more than a decade, Tarek's success with his house flipping business has only grown. Now, it’s time for Heather to bring her vast knowledge of luxury real estate into the picture. As one of the country’s most famous real estate agents, she knows what’s needed to attract upscale buyers. Ahead: The couple shows just how awesome their joint efforts can be. (Spoiler alert: These before-and-after photos are impressive.)

No need to agonize over what should stay and what should go in this space from Heather and Tarek's The Flip Off: “The third bedroom was small, and the one design choice was a nasty blue carpet!” Tarek says. “Bedrooms can be boring, so we’re bringing in an artist to paint a one-of-a-kind mural on the wall,” Heather says. “We’ll add a workstation and finish it up with some shelves.”

Reoriented and restyled as a snug but sophisticated space for adults, this bonus room now features a multisurface mural with soft, swaying palms. Rattan window shades, a woven flush-mount pendant and a pair of caned nightstands amplify the room’s subtly tropical theme. Textural weaves, knits and bouclés layer the bed.

For this Flipping El Moussas renovation, Tarek and Heather — acting on a tip from Tarek’s mom — undertook this substantial renovation for an investment property in the Anaheim Hills. The sizable home, built in Spanish revival style, boasts four bedrooms, three baths and a generous 3,160 square feet — but the interiors were dated and in need of a refresh. Prior to the remodel, this primary bedroom included a walk-in closet and a fireplace, but the layout of the suite was less than ideal.

Tarek and Heather reconfigured the space with large picture windows, as well as this seating and reading area that opens onto a deck balcony — capitalizing on the gorgeous hillside views. They kept the fireplace and added recessed lighting and exposed wood beams, which complement the Spanish architectural style. Natural wood, a comfy-casual sofa and a largely neutral palette help create a relaxing vibe.

Prior to renovation, this Orange County property — a midcentury ranch home in Westminster, California — had been empty for years. The kitchen came with an exposed wood ceiling and beams, but the space hadn’t seen updates in decades. Cabinets and appliances were worn and dated, and the overall kitchen vibe might best be described as dreary.

The newly renovated kitchen has gone from drab yellow walls and brown linoleum to a dazzling showplace with white upper cabinets and wraparound tile backsplash offset by brushed stainless appliances and modern black kitchen hardware. Lower cabinets and pantry doors in a natural wood finish offer a pleasing contrast with the white stone countertops and upper cabinetry.

Continuing the pre-reno lackluster vibe, the living room, located adjacent to the kitchen, was dominated by browns and beige — including the faded gold wall-to-wall carpet and yellow-stained walls from years of cigarette smoke.

After the removal of an interior wall to create an open flow between the kitchen and living room, Heather brightened up the living space with new drywall, fresh white paint, a tongue-and-groove ceiling, recessed ceiling lights and a striking accent wall that features bench seating, floating shelves and art display lighting. Other enhancements to the living area include a vent-free wall-mounted fireplace and casual, contemporary furnishings. “I actually love doing these smaller houses,” says Heather. “I feel like overall we can do more with the budget we have — and just design the heck out of them.”

This bedroom, like much of the house, had walls that had been damaged and discolored by years of cigarette smoke. In some cases, heavy smoke contamination requires not just a fresh coat of paint but replacement of the actual drywall.

The guest bedroom remodel completely transformed and freshened up the space. It included a geometric wall treatment in shades of blue, white and ecru — tying in with the relaxing, neutral shades selected for the furnishings, bed linens and throw pillows.

The El Moussas planned to coax this dated kitchen into the 21st century by reimagining it with a neutral, “modern Zen” feel.

The duo knocked down interior walls to create an open-plan space, then added an expansive island with a family-friendly attached dining table. The laundry room became a “dirty kitchen” for stashing dishes and prep materials while entertaining. A bar with custom wine storage would make the home memorable. Heather lobbied for high-impact, bespoke details like custom cabinetry in contrasting white oak and walnut.

Prior to this renovation in Laguna Niguel, California, the driveway dead-ended into a small patch of lawn and underutilized backyard space. The backyard was overgrown and divided into sections that made the spaces feel cramped.

Tarek and Heather's renovation opened up and reconfigured the outdoor space, creating a backyard oasis that incorporates a modern gate and privacy wall, fresh green sod, new landscaping, an outdoor kitchen, a firepit and this raised deck with a casual seating area.

One glance at the carpet in this room proved it was time for a refresh. The home’s exterior has a traditional Spanish aesthetic, so Tarek and Heather decided to renovate with a modern Spanish style in mind.

The result: The team laid dark ebony floors throughout the entire home to provide the perfect foil for pretty-in-neutral walls and furnishings. An embellished rug not only adds softness underfoot but also establishes major texture. The once-white brick fireplace is covered in stucco, a nod to the modern Spanish design of the home.

Tarek and Heather’s Flip Off living room sat on a slightly lower level than the rest of their home, and a craggy fireplace compounded its gloom. They addressed those obvious missteps in their initial demolition and were able to devote the full two weeks of their makeover to make the space functional and beautiful. Heather lobbied for investing in a full wall of custom cabinetry.

A 16-foot bifold door spanning the transition between the living room and pool patio cost more than $10,000 and required an extra week of work, but its effect on the new living room is undeniable. Layered with natural materials and soothing organic neutrals, the space now oozes the cozy California character that buyers pay a pretty penny to enjoy.

The exterior of Heather and Tarek's Flip Off home was lacking to say the least. In the front yard, the path to victory would be literal: The El Moussas would focus their funds on creating a new walkway that beckoned visitors in style.

Poured-concrete pavers with alternating widths set into an all-new lawn create a graphic and contemporary vibe. In lieu of demolishing red brick skirting the exterior, the El Moussas painted it a crisp black that contrasts with the white paint and handsome wood siding they chose for the upper portions of its face. A new roof tops off the transformation.

“Older houses like this don’t even have a primary,” Heather notes. “We have to create one.” She and Tarek planned to build a small, dedicated hallway that would connect this decent-sized bedroom to its own bath, then swap out the two itty-bitty windows in the wall adjoining the pool deck with a slider to give the room a resort-like feel.

What a difference wide-open walls and natural light make! More custom woodwork and grass cloth wallpaper texturize and heighten the wall behind the bed. Plush monochromatic bedding develops the "relaxed retreat" atmosphere Heather and Tarek knew buyers would love.

With an undersized window, a cramped shower stall and an underwhelming vanity, this gloomy space needed a six-figure pep talk. The El Moussas planned to lighten it up with a skylight above an expansive new shower, then dazzle buyers with a double vanity loaded with smart features.