Rules of renovation

Easy, right? First rule: get three bids, add them together and that's how much it'll cost.
Funny/not funny. Unfortunately, pretty accurate.
I've come up with my own through the experience of home ownership in this past year and a half: It'll take twice as long as you think and cost twice as much.

Not meant to be a depressing post,  just the reality of renovations and remodels. There are many, many positives to home ownership, even if it involves remodeling. First and foremost- it's yours...(mine, in this case) The time and money put in, belongs to me. (and the mortgage company)

My home included a short list of must-do's. Since the studio that I use for my business is right outside my back door, that was the number one priority. Art pays my bills, must make sure I am always working. Once that was finished, time to head toward the house:

-Kitchen
Not a total disaster, first thing was to attack with white paint on the walls. All was fine until the studio was done and then I began to let the issues of the kitchen get under my skin. The cheapo counter tops and cabinetry combined with the original upper cabinets, the 1 and 1/2" of layers of linoleum. Yuck. I had a very specific list of the most important improvements in this tiny kitchen, that also is the only dining area of the house.
1. maximize storage
2. open up the door way to make a wider opening from the living room
3. create a larger eating area
4. rip out the floor and match the original oak flooring from the living room

-Master bath
-hall bathroom (main bathroom of the house)
here's a photo I took during the last walk thru before escrow closed. Plumbing issues? Uh...Yep. This photo is of an actual mushroom growing through the wall. At this point you may ask why I continued with the purchase of the house. One word: Studio.

-plumbing (whole house needs to be addressed) see above photo.
-landscaping (partially done at the time that the studio was finished, since there's a path that leads to the doors of the studio) I'm a firm believer that one can only tackle landscaping in portions. I have to live in the space to be able to see it's patterns. Weather, lifestyle, light. All of these things affect the way one lives in their homes.

In the meantime, I've secretly added "expand the living room by stealing about 2/3 of the garage's square footage"

highlights from life

when i closed escrow at the end of may, as i explained, part of the upside was the studio to move my business into. along with the studio came this fugly, double wide garage door. since i was starting at the aesthetic bottom, i felt that it did not take much effort to know what had to be done: not close up the space on a building that was extremely sound construction wise, but rather to take advantage of the large opening and maximize on all available light.

before...

after....

I'm not dead yet.

at the prompting of my adorable boyfriend, i was reminded recently that i have a little thing called a blog. i'm embarrassed that i've neglected this blog since, cough, 2012. jeesh. you'll be amazed how much has gone on in that time.

i'll make it snappy:
left this first big little house to move into another big little house to be told my the property manager that the owners of said big little want my house to live their big little life now. (like me, I'm certain)

since my big little house manager also happens to be a real estate agent, he licked his lips and said, "of course I'll help you find a house to buy" and then two months later, we did.

flaming hoop jumping commenced and since june of this year, i am a proud homeowner.

cue my parade. really.

i've not a moment of remorse on this one, folks. not only is this a napa property, in town, with a big little house, backs to a park and walking distance from my sons school, but here's the mind-blowingly awesome bonus: it has a studio.

over on the right there, you may have noticed that i describe myself as a professional artist. i didn't write that for kicks, folks.i am.

now, i have a house that i bought and my own studio. it's 800 square feet of art studio goodness.
15 feet ceilings, and well, when i bought it, it was gutted down to the studs.

but, who gives a shit about the gutted to the studs part. when the opportunity comes to buy a home in napa with a studio...this artist is not stupid. she buys. #womenwhobuythemselveshouses

yes.

so, i've  so many fun reasons to pop back here, between glasses of wine, to update you on my progress.

next time, pictures of the place when i closed escrow and where things are at now.

pinky promise.

best of all,
kate

how to add one square foot to a little house.

dear toilet paper holder thing,

you have, for quite some time now been a bee in my bathroom efficiency bonnet. at only a scant 6x10 or so feet, with two doors, each leading to a wee bedroom, i have been challenged by your space wasting ways.

forget for a moment that you share the room with a claw foot tub. but in a bathroom of this size with zero storage (i'll post about that later) i don't think that putting a roll of toilet paper on an exalted pedestal of brassy goodness does not do much except be a space hog. and in a little house, you'd better have a much grander purpose than offering up a wipe to a dumper.

do i make myself clear?

well, after much thought and consideration...it came to me. it in the form of a brass hook that is originally intended for hanging garments.

i fancied using it in my closet, but feared it would just get overloaded by so many cast off clothes of the day. i love its curvy line and length: 10 inches of committed organization.

i also had the desire to see this lovely organizational tool. i  always appreciate good aesthetics in all things and the humble job of toilet paper offerings is no different.

so, after considering a couple of options (in the bathroom fittings department, which only yielded more disappointing space hog results) i remembered that i'd purchased this charmer of a hook at an antique store here in napa.

since i rent my big little house, i also cleverly installed it by mounting it with screws into the grooves of the wood trim, thereby avoiding the future problems of move-fix-lose deposit.

so you see there, toilet paper holder thingy? i just added one square foot of floor space to my house.
i will put nothing in your place on the floor.  i can do that. i am a grown up. take that!

instead, i will appreciate the 12 square inches of  zen like openness to my bathroom that i choose not to fill.
i will celebrate my cleverness of hanging the essential cleaning master from the simply designed hook.

and when i sit and ponder and reach for the essentials whilst spending my time there, uh, on the perch,
i will think of you, stored in the basement. with your personal can of brasso.

xo,
K

A letter to you

dear chesterfield sofa,

it's long over due that i write this letter to you. as late you've been on my mind and this is my only outlet by which we can communicate.

i first saw you a year or so ago and i must say i was smitten at first sight. i stalked you off and on when i'd deliver paintings and whilst attending an event, even sat on your very self.  you already know, i am sure, how comfortable you are.

then suddenly, you were gone. i looked everywhere, quietly as any good couch stalker would do, but alas you were nowhere to be found. i had to inquire, and found that you'd been put away in storage. humiliating for you, i am sure, but it made me happy, knowing that you were no longer available for others..
you see, we are meant for each other.

but then i saw your listing on first dibs. knowing that others would see your appeal and be attracted to your vibe, i knew that it was time to reach out to you. through the universe as it were.

we're both from the 60's, so we've both got patina. your's is described as "great", i'd say mine is closer to "all that sun exposure in the eighties is showing a bit". i've looked you over and contrary to what your online description says, your condition is a little closer to "a bit time worn" rather than "very good" as described.

 i lived through the 80's as well.  stuff happened, we all got carried away.  that's all i'm going to say.

no offense intended, but if we're to have the relationship that i know we will (in which you move in with me: i hope i am not being too forward?) you must know that i accept you as you are, you slightly funky, bohemian glam hunk of leather and studs, you.

you'll be happy at my house, with me. I promise. spending the day surrounded by other retro-y furnishings will make you happy. you'll feel young again. really. is this why i am attracted to furnishings of the sixties?

i digress.

so chester, if i might be so bold, come live with me in my big little house. 

we will be so happy.

together.

love,

K