‘Flipping Across America’ Reveals 5 Hacks To Make Small Rooms Feel Big

By Jillian Pretzel
Dec 18, 2020

Ever wish your home had a bit more space? Then the latest battle on HGTV’s “Flipping Across America” reveals renovations specifically for small homes that you might consider trying in your own abode.

In the Season 2 episode “Small Houses, Big Flips,” Ken and Anita Corsini of “Flip or Flop Atlanta” (pictured above) go up against Page Turner and DeRon Jenkins of “Flip or Flop Nashville,” both buying petite homes that need a ton of work. Both teams paid about the same price for their homes; but in the end, only one of them makes a huge profit.

Read on to find out what the winning couple did right, and learn how anyone can style their own home so it feels roomier than before.

1. Quilted mosaic accent tile adds big personality in a tiny kitchen

kitchen
This backsplash gives the kitchen some great color.

(HGTV)

Right away, Anita and Ken know they’re in for a challenge. Their three-bedroom, two-bathroom house in Atlanta is especially small, so they need to make every inch of this home count in order to impress buyers.

One feature they decide to add is a quilted mosaic backsplash, which uses a collection of different tiles to bring a unique look to the kitchen.

“It’s almost going to look like a patchwork quilt behind the stove,” Anita says, “and I think it’s going to just add a lot of pop and playfulness and color.”

When the backsplash is finished, it looks beautiful. It brings a lot of personality to the kitchen, and the one-of-a-kind design makes this small house seem extra special. These mosaic tiles may cover only a small section of the kitchen, but they make a big impression.

2. Have two floor types meet in a unique way

flooring
The floors needed a lot of work.

(HGTV)

Another problem with Anita and Ken’s house: The floor is horribly warped and droopy. They need to spend a good chunk of their budget making the floors safe and sturdy, so they decide to go all out with a playful flooring design.

While kitchen floors are typically tile and living room floors wood, the proximity of these two spaces makes you wonder whether two different flooring types will clash in the middle. But Anita solves this problem by having the kitchen tiles and living room wood meet in a unique way.

flooring
The tile even peaks out from under the island.

(HGTV)

Anita chooses a large hexagonal tile for the kitchen, which she thinks will enhance this home.

“I know it’s a small kitchen,” she says, “but if you use bigger tile in a small space, it can make the space feel bigger.”

She then has the living room’s wood planks carefully cut so that both materials fit together perfectly.

When the house is ready to be toured, the floors look amazing. The playful flooring move adds a sense of separation to the kitchen and living room without closing them off.

3. A narrow table can fit in almost any size space

table
Anita Corsini knew this small space would need particular furniture.

(HGTV)

Even after the renovation, this Atlanta house is still small, and though it’s big on style, Anita knows that it needs the right furnishings to make this space look fully functional. She chooses a lot of bold but space-saving pieces, like a compact couch and a set of petite coffee tables, but she knows the kitchen space will be tricky to stage.

She ends up ordering a rectangular table to place along the wall. This table may be narrow, but it does provide a formal dining space, a feature that most buyers would want in a home.

“I really want to show our buyers how to get maximum usage out of a small space,” Anita says. In the end, her table proves that even a small house can have everything.

4. Wide steps can make a porch feel larger

house
This house needed an update.

(HGTV)

Meanwhile in Nashville, TN, Turner and Jenkins want to give their $80,000 house a beautiful front porch. After all, an outside sitting space can be a big asset to a small home. Yet they soon run into issues with the front porch steps.

The concrete steps have sunken down over time, so these flippers need to either raise them, or cover the original steps to make them match the height of the porch.

house
Now, this porch is beautiful and welcoming.

(HGTV)

Since both solutions cost about the same, Turner and Jenkins decide to cover these steps for a brand-new look.

“We covered them with the pressure-treated material that we used for the porch so it all blends right in,” Jenkins says.

In the end, the porch and the steps look great. The wide wood planks make the small home look larger, and the light tone gives the exterior a fresh feel.

5. A claw-foot tub can still work in a small bathroom

bathtub
DeRon Jenkins didn’t like the idea of reusing this tub.

(HGTV)

It’s clear to Turner and Jenkins that the bathroom needs to be completely redone. In particular, the claw-foot tub is taking up tons of space.

Still, Turner likes the tub and hopes that they can still use it. They decide to rearrange the bathroom to accommodate the piece, and have it refinished to give it a more modern look.

bathtub
This old bathtub now looks new!

(HGTV)

“Not only did we get the tub refinished, we added two-tone color,” Jenkins says when the bathroom is done. The new look, with a gray bottom, black feet, and white interior, give this old bathtub a more contemporary vibe.

Plus, the tub matches the new black, white, and gray tile Jenkins and Turner choose for the bathroom. Now the tile and the tub work together perfectly for a modern bathroom that also feels much more spacious.

Who wins this round of ‘Flipping Across America’?

Both teams work hard on their renovations and both homes look great, but only one team fetches an unexpectedly high profit.

Jenkins and Turner had bought their Nashville home for $80,000 and spend $65,000 on the renovation. They accept a bid for $205,000. After closing costs and commission, this leaves them with an impressive profit of $50,000.

Meanwhile, Anita and Ken had bought their Atlanta home for $75,000 and spend $80,000 on the renovation. They list the house at $284,900 and end up accepting an offer for $280,000. After closing costs and commission, they take home a stunning $119,000 in profit.

While the “Flip or Flop Atlanta” team ends up winning this round, both of these small homes end up being big successes.