Ep 1. Tidal Wave of Tile

In season 3, episode 1 of Bargain Mansions titled "Tidal Wave of Tile," viewers are taken on a journey as Tamara Day, the mastermind behind this home renovation series, sets out to restore a vintage Mediterranean-style home built in 1929 in the sought-after Loose Park neighborhood of Kansas City.

Tamara Day, a talented and seasoned designer, is known for her signature style of blending modern elements with historic charm to create stunning spaces. With a keen eye for detail and an unwavering dedication to saving old homes from demolition, Tamara always goes the extra mile to turn rundown spaces into elegant and comfortable homes that also retain their original character.

In this episode, Tamara sets out to tackle the challenge of renovating a massive 5,500 square foot home with eight bedrooms and 4.5 bathrooms. The house boasts grand arched doorways, exposed brick walls, and ornate trim woodwork, but it’s in a dire state and in need of an extensive overhaul.

As Tamara steps into the home, she's overwhelmed by the sheer amount of tile she encounters, from the walls to the floors, to the ceilings. Tamara remarks that the house has a "tidal wave of tile", and it's apparent that the theme of the episode is to tame this wave and create a space that feels both cohesive and tasteful.

Tamara decides to begin her work in the kitchen, where an outdated layout and lack of counter space make this crucial area of the home awkward to use. The first thing on the renovation list is to remove the original tile floor and replace it with a more modern and durable tile. Tamara then removes a large brick column that blocks the line of sight from the kitchen to the living room and dining room. With the column gone, it opens up the space and creates a more modern and unified feel throughout the main floor.

Next, Tamara heads upstairs to tackle the bedrooms and ensure the house has well-designed and spacious sleeping quarters. Each bedroom boasts its own unique tile pattern on the walls, so Tamara has her work cut out for her to make them look cohesive. Tamara makes the decision to carefully remove some of the original tile in the bedrooms and then meticulously place it in a way that highlights the original Mediterranean character of the home.

To add the necessary design elements to the space, Tamara installs beautiful wainscoting which adds depth and a modern farmhouse feel to the areas where she had to remove tiles.

Throughout the episode, Tamara also surprises the team with a unique and creative way to incorporate the home's many tile pieces. Tamara transforms the leftover tile pieces into a stunning mosaic in the home’s entryway, creating a beautiful and tasteful design element that marries the past with the present.

As the episode draws to a close, viewers are left in awe of Tamara's exceptional design and her ability to turn a worn-down home with a theme of tile into a modern and chic space, while still maintaining all of the original character of the home. The episode is an excellent introduction to the new season, and it's clear that viewers are in for a treat as Tamara takes on her next challenge, all with a heavy dose of creativity and dedication.