As you know, in Phoenix, it is nearly impossible to do anything outside due to the summer heat. During our recent trip to California, I could not wait to get outdoors and enjoy the beautiful temperate climate and the sweet ocean breezes.

I was born and raise on the East Coast and I believe that each ocean has its own smell. The Pacific has a more subtle fragrance~~an intoxicating combination of salt and sand and less moist than the Atlantic.

My husband and I took a long, circuitous walk to the beach~~exploring the hotel property and capturing pictures of the various flowers and foliage.

The shots of the beach are from Crystal Cove State Park, one of my favorite beaches (and featured in the movie, Treasure Island 1918 and Beaches 1988). The resort is Marriott’s Newport Coast Villas.

Usually, within 3 days of being near the ocean, I begin to finally relax. But this year, it’s not happening as quickly as I would like.  I’ve tried exercising, staring at the ocean, appreciating each and every flower I see, but I cannot seem to settle in. I’m not sure why but I am hoping that writing this blog post will help sort out some of the cobwebs.

The property is beautifully landscaped, with an abundance of flowers, textures and colors.

There are many places to sit and enjoy the view.

Nestled in a bluff overlooking the Pacific Ocean, the resort is designed like a Mediterranean villa.  There are numerous fountains and abundance of tiled roofs.

This is the view from the main lobby overlooking one of three pools on the property.

They have fountains and ponds with Koi fish and lily pads.

We have been coming here nearly every summer for the last several years.  The children bring friends and love the proximity of the beach.  It is such a beautiful place!

It is hard to believe the last few days of summer are wrapping up.  School begins SO early in Phoenix~~August 7th.  No one is looking forward to the end of summer and the beginning of the back to school routine, but it happens every year.

Life goes on, doesn’t it?

We had a WONDERFUL day celebrating the 241st anniversary of the independence of America!  The Annual Bull Frog Loop parade (Bull Frog Loop is the name of our street) goes by our cabin.  It’s the perfect time to host a brunch for our neighbors and friends before the parade.

Here in the mountains, everyone decorates their cabins for the holiday so there is an abundance of flags and patriotic symbols.  This year we added more red/white/blue flag bunting to the deck railings.  I purchased this homemade wooden flag from a sweet dad and his two sons who were selling them on the side of the road.

For brunch, I made my egg casserole and fresh cherry coffee cake, (both recipes I have shared on previous posts).  We also made my new favorite go-to salad, Orange, Strawberry, Avocado with Citrus Poppyseed dressing (by one of my favorite bloggers, Monique at Ambitious Kitchen).  We rounded off the menu with fresh berries, Mimosas and a special cake for dessert.

I found these red/white/blue roses at Safeway~~I thought they would make a nice centerpiece on the table.   The girls laughed at me but I bought them anyway! The older I get, the more they laugh at me….go figure.

Our cabin is at approximately 8,000 feet altitude so it’s a bit of a challenge to bake here.  The girls and I decided at the last minute to make an American Flag Cake. I saw a post about the Top 30 July 4th desserts published by Country Living and this one looked interesting.  Baking at this altitude requires a bit of science and a lot of chemistry.

My daughter, Elisabeth, added the raspberries and blueberries on top of the delicious buttercream frosting. There were lots of oohs and ahhs when we cut into the cake.  Isn’t it amazing?  Surprisingly, with the high altitude adjustments, the cake was moist and all 8 layers worked out to really look like a flag!

We set up a self-serve buffet and then went outside and waited for the parade. This sweet homespun parade was started by Susan Palmer-Hunter. Years ago, Susan was so surprised that there was no July 4th parade here.  So, with determination she started one.  Susan and her husband host this parade every year. The much-anticipated parade has now grown and several hundred residents get to enjoy (and participate, if they like), in this very fun, patriotic event.   From decorated golf carts to bikes and floats, this parade represents the best of America. Here’s a glimpse:

Not only did this family participate in the parade, but they made cupcakes for all!

What a fun play on Red Cups!

And here is my good friend, Tracy, as Miss Bingo!

This parade, and all the red, white and blue, is such a reminder how lucky we are to live in this country!  Thank you, Susan for making this parade possible and gathering our community to celebrate Independence Day.

Also, we want to send our thoughts and prayers to those fire fighters who are working this holiday to manage the forest fires in Arizona.  We are so grateful for their service.  The fire danger is very high here and we pray for the monsoon season rains.

I hope you had a memorable holiday with your family and friends.  Happy July 4th!

 

 

 

I have always liked the look of a French Bistro Chair. I recently had all the staging furniture removed from my Willetta house restoration (see post here), primarily because it was an added expense every month. The house has such beautiful bones,  and it shows well whether it is furnished or not. I did keep the kitchen table in place, but I needed some chairs~~and thought it was a great idea (excuse!) to finally purchase some French bistro chairs.

I have been eyeing the ones at Serena & Lily but couldn’t justify spending the amount they wanted per chair (plus their handling fees). In addition, I was looking for ones I could use both indoors and out.

As a newbie blogger, as you can tell, I don’t have any advertisers or sponsors.  The good news is my blog posts are not cluttered with ads. If I am recommending a product or service, I am not receiving any compensation at all from the vendor/supplier.  I just believe when you find a good bargain or a great product, it’s worth sharing.

In my online search for this retro chair, I happened upon a GREAT price at Joss & Main.  I ordered 3 sets (6 chairs) in the grey/white. They are called Sawyer Patio Chairs. 

For 2 chairs (yes, 2!)  the price was $219.99 (approximately $110 each) with free shipping.  They come in Blue, Blue/White, Grey/White, Red/White and Yellow/White.  I believe they might be currently out of stock on all except the red/white ones.

The manufacturer is Safavieh and in searching them online, I discovered you can buy these chairs at several locations~~Hayneedle, Overstock, Wayfair and Target.  I also discovered that you can get them for less than $219.99, however, most at the lower prices had limited color selections or were out-of-stock and no longer available.

Here’s what I like about them:  The frames are aluminum which makes them lightweight; they are stackable; and the woven wicker is waterproof and weatherproof. Plus they are VERY comfortable and a bit playful.  Their dimensions are : 18″ wide x 21.6″ deep x 34.6″ high.  After the Willetta house sells, I am planning on using these chairs around a pine farm dining table which is outside on our deck at our cabin.

I ordered these chairs on June 21 and received them on June 28th.  The ordering process online was fast and easy and everything arrived in perfect condition. Perhaps with some more research I could have found these chairs elsewhere for less, but I am very happy with my experience with Joss & Main from start to finish. …worth spending a few extra dollars.

As I write this, we are currently up in the mountains.  The wind has shifted and we can now smell the smoke from the fires.  We pray for all the fire fighters who are spending their holiday weekend battling the numerous fires in Arizona.

Be safe and have a wonderful July 4th holiday.

 

 

 

 

After 8 months of extensive renovation, we are proud to show you the results of the 1922 restoration in one of Phoenix’s most lovely neighborhoods.  This Jeffersonian grand dame is worthy of all the time, money and energy it took to make this restoration a reality.

If you would like to see previous posts on this, please click here and here.  For some reason, this renovation consumed more energy than I imagined.  I’ve been contemplating as to why that is so and I’ve come to the conclusion that this house elicited many emotions for me.

First of all, I find it troubling that someone could let this architectural gem deteriorate so greatly.  When it was being built in the early 1920s, it is evident that great care and pride went into every detail.  It is obvious that many people have loved this house over the decades. Yet the last 20 years it sat empty and neglected, sad and lonely.

When you let something like this go, the steep slope of decline happens rather quickly.  My heart actually hurt when I first walked into the house.  I could envision what it was like in its prime~~a home filled with laughter, activity, parties, and celebrations.  But when I purchased it in August 2016, it was filled with debris~~depressed and abandoned.

The Exterior

The home was covered in aluminum siding and the only activity involved pigeons who had taken it over as their residence.  If you look closely, the aluminum siding is falling off and I held my breath hoping the original clapboard siding is underneath.  We stripped all the aluminum siding off (and recycled it). A local company was able to replicate any missing or damaged clapboard.

With a fresh coat of paint, a newly rebuilt front terrace and overhang, new roof, light fixtures and all new landscaping, the house is now back to its former glory.  How fun that my neighbor, David Stanton, is kind parked his antique car in front for these photos.

The Entry

The entry was painted a hideous pink and the gold plaster curlicues were glued to EVERYTHING.  The entry light had plastic, fake crystals, the balustrades were painted gold (more gold!)  and the hardwood railing was painted white.

All the original floors are preserved and refinished~~they are gorgeous!

The Living Room

Upon entering the house, the living room is to the left.  With gold-flocked wallpaper and what appears to be 2 mantles (?), the original hardwood floors are in tact and the room is a very good size.  Thankfully the original chandeliers and plaster medallions are still there.

All the windows needed repair as did the many cracks in the plaster walls.  We removed the baseboard heating system, as well as the wallpaper. Though you cannot see it in this picture, the electrical conduit to the chandeliers was just tacked onto the walls.

Now you can see the gorgeous bones of this room. The ceiling rosettes, crystal chandeliers, beautiful woodwork and original hardwood floors make this room an elegant space.

The Dining Room

To the right of the entry is the Dining Room.  The walls were wallpapered and then painted over, so we removed everything down to the plaster. Yes, behind the piano, that is an exterior window that was used as a bookshelf.  Go figure.

Both the dining room and living room have beautiful French doors that open up to the front terrace.

Here is the dining room after from 2 different angles. What was once a storage area, is now a closet for china, silver, linen and crystal.  Though you can’t see it well in this photo, the concrete floor is hand-painted.  See a previous post regarding that project!

Picture a meal here with all the French doors open to the outside. The original chandelier was missing but I am able to find another crystal one that fits the period of the house.

The Butler’s Pantry

From the entry there is now a Butler’s Pantry where parts of the original kitchen were located.  The plastic door to the left is the former laundry room.  This is now a completely new powder room with a pocket door added for privacy.

Here we have gutted the room back to the walls.  The door in the distance is the entrance to the basement.

This sweet butler’s pantry has oak countertops, crystal pulls and knobs on the custom cabinetry and a skirted sink.

The Kitchen

The kitchen was a massive undertaking.  It spanned two rooms with the sink, dishwasher and refrigerator in one room with the stove in another.  However, there is a lovely, large, brick fireplace which apparently was at one time, used for cooking.

This is now what I am calling the “kitchen cozy”.  A perfect place to sit in a very comfortable chair to read the paper or have your coffee.

There was a tacky addition to the back of the house that needed to be removed.  After structurally supporting the exterior of the house with a beam, we rebuilt the addition and took this opportunity to add a second story which becomes the master suite.

The new flooring is now level with the kitchen and all the air conditioning vents have been submerged in the subfloor. This addition, on the first floor is now the open kitchen/family room.

Great care is taken to put all the first floor air-conditioning ducting in the floors. Insulation helps with sound and keeping the house cool in the hot Phoenix summers.

The family room after.

This is the view from one end of the kitchen to the family room.

The Hall Bathroom

Upstairs, the hall bath was quite a site!  Again, lots of gold on the walls and the ceiling!

Notice the small brass cranks on the window trim. These cranks allow you to open and close the exterior shutters from the inside.

All the bedrooms are off this wonderful upstairs hall.  You can see the hall bath in the background with its original beaded curtain.

With a fresh coat of paint and refinished floors, it looks so clean and elegant.  The light fixture has silk shades and this is a Ballard Designs purchase.

The Bedrooms

The southwest bedroom had the funky bathroom in one corner without any walls. Gotta love the very disgusting fuzzy, pink toilet seat cover!

When we took out the vanity and we discovered an original window in tact! Hard to believe the faux brick wallpaper was “in” once.

With the addition of walls, this space becomes an actual bathroom.

The Master Bedroom

The master bedroom was rather tiny so we created a new master space with the second story addition. Where you see the closet to your right, we walled off a larger section (over the yellow rug), and created a new master walk-in closet. The window, located in the left of the photo is where the opening becomes the new master bedroom addition. Where the bed is located in the background, becomes the master bath.

We build a small deck outside the bedroom~~where there are city lights to be viewed at night.

Notice the window behind the bed.  This is where the new bathtub is placed.

Demolition and Addition

Some of the greatest building transformation took place outside.  The backyard was crammed with 3 buildings~~all rentals units that were uninhabitable.  We demolished 2 of them and opened up the back yard.  We left one cottage and discovered it had been the original garage.  

However, we couldn’t salvage the barn-style doors as they had been destroyed.  Included in the demolition permit was the removal of the addition off the kitchen which was not built to code.  I don’t have any good pictures of the backyard before, however, here is what the house looks like after everything is gone.

Here you can see the second story demolition of the house and the where the future master suite will be located.

The Guest Cottage

Here is the remaining guest cottage/original garage.

By adding new doors and windows, this original garage becomes a sweet place for guests.

The Garage

There was no garage so we add 2 two car one next to the guest cottage. There is an 2 – car automatic garage door on one side and a single car garage door which opens out to the alley. This way you can pull you car in one side and drive out the other.

The Yard

I’m not a big fan of block walls, however, they do provide privacy and safety. I always like to do something whimsical and unique at each house I renovate and this section of wall seems to be the perfect place.

I picked up this bike on Craig’s List for $20.00, cut the seat in half; removed one pedal and split the handle bars.  The block wall was white and we paint both the wall and the bike a great shade of green/gray from Sherwin Williams.

The “bike art” is now a focal point of the back yard.  Once the trees fill it, you may not see it but it’s a fun surprise.  I wonder what other objects I could use for future wall art projects??

The Details

The French tub was a keeper and it is repurposed as a dog bath in the new laundry room. I had the exterior of the tub (which was gold, no surprise there) professionally coated.

Here are some additional  photos of the exterior.

Since I retained the original windows on the existing house, I add Sunbrella awnings over the windows facing west to reduce the sun exposure.

Finishing this project

This is a great shot showing the original house and the newly added (and structurally correct) 2 story addition.  You may note that 3 windows in the upper story don’t match the rest of the house.  I assume this section may have been an old sleeping porch and then enclosed at some point later.  Nearly all the windows are double hung, but these three are casement windows.

I find it interesting that the shutters are only on the front of the house~~which is historically correct.  The shutters actually serve a purpose since the front is south facing.  The upper shutters close via an interior brass handled crank and the lower, larger shutters actually work and cover the French doors.  Very innovative back in 1922 when air conditioning didn’t exist.

I hope you enjoy the restoration journey of this magnificent home.  My work is done and now it is up to my realtor, Madison Hallock to find the perfect person/family for this house.  You can see more photos and real estate details here.

This project could not have been done with the right people working on it. I am blessed with the absolute best crew, who manage to keep the laughter going even in times of despair. Everyone left a little bit of the heart and soul here and we are so proud to breathe new life into a historical home of this caliber.  

Many thanks to the following people for helping me: some before and after shots by photographer, Adam Peter; after photos by photographer, Jesse Fitton; Lola Castle with Castle Designs for her wonderful staging.  I’ve never used a staging company before and Lola was calm, cool and professional even as I was anxiously hovering over her.  I would definitely use her again!  And a big thank you for all the neighbors who tolerated our presence in their neighborhood.  Their words of support and encouragement are so appreciated and welcomed!

Will I do another?

Everyone keeps asking when I will do another one, but I can honestly say, I’m pooped.  I hope to take the summer to recuperate.  Unlike some profit-driven flippers, I do this out of love and respect for older homes and their architecture.  I take this responsibility seriously and feel that renovating and restoring is a way of care giving.  And if you have ever taken care of someone, you know how rewarding and draining it can be at the same time.  As with most things in life,  I always try to leave the campsite better than I found it.  I think we hit this one out of the park!

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