When Life Gives you Lemons

Illustration by moi.

I'm due to deliver Baby Quinn anytime between now and June 16th, but that doesn't mean my other baby, Project Maltman, the duplex project I began a while back, is on the back-burner. NOPE. My team of contractors are chugging along... full-force ahead. It's important to acknowledge that I'm used to getting in and out of projects rather quickly (think 3 months max), but this particular renovation has kept me busy for nearly 9 months to date! What came to me as a cosmetic fixer turned out to be a total rebuild. We're talking major water damage, termite damage, asbestos findings, foundation issues... But as the saying goes, "When life give you lemons..." KEEP THEM. BECAUSE HEY, FREE LEMONS.

Well, good things come to those who wait, and the guts of this place will soon be flawless. With that said, I am now focusing on beautifying the joint, but as you can imagine, the cost of reframing, rewiring, replumbing, not to mention the cost of new flooring, new HVAC, new water heaters, and new decks have left me with little wiggle room for the good stuff. Finishes. But constraints can be a blessing. (I'm trying to think positively here!) There's no shame in installing simple subway tile. When combined with black and nickel or chrome hardware, classic subway tile can be totally refreshing.

"I have said that black has it all. White too. Their beauty is absolute. It is the perfect harmony." 

- Coco Chanel

"Bright and airy. Lots of white with touches of charcoal for contrast. Open, modern, relaxed with an industrial and vintage twist." That's what I scribbled in my notebook while brainstorming "the look" at my neighborhood Starbucks. Heaven knows how this project will turn out. It's been incubating longer than my second child...

A peek at what's been cooking in the kitchens. Both upper and lower units. 

Let's start with the upper: 

Pictured to the right of the kitchen is the entryway. More on that space later.

The kitchen's orignal layout was an L with an island. Remember THIS POST? Well, I have since reframed the entry way to the kitchen and have also centered the only window in the space. The kitchen's new formation will be a galley, but the square footage remains the same. 8.5 wide' and 14.5' long. SKINNY! Layout drawings of the two sides of the space here:

It took a while to convince my millworks guy that an offset range looks rad. I showed him inspiration pics like these:

DISC Interiors

Pinterest

Remodelista

Fresh, yeah?! Now one nice thing about this configuration is that the project can save on tiling. Because we're only tiling up to the floating walnut shelf, I suggested we go with a dramatic glossy black Heath tile for a crisp look like this:

 

IKEA

When used in moderation, black subway tile can look incredibly fab. Just enough drama. And hey, if it's good enough for Olivia Pope (I'm a die-hard Scandal fan, and her kitchen backsplash is black), I say it's good enough for everybody.

Back to the entryway. How happy would you be if you were greeted with this Tom Dixon pendant on your way in? 

Instead of this:

You'd be greeted with this:

He comes in several finishes, but at the moment, I'm totally in love with the copper. Decisions, decisions.

Moving on... The lower unit is currently looking like this. 

Demolished and reframed.

This is wall unto which much of the lower unit kitchen will be installed:

The kitchen will be open to the living room and will feature a small island that can seat two. The layout has yet to be finalized, but it will likely look something like this (the island will sit in front of the wall, not next to it):

Because the lower unit does not capture as much natural light as the upper unit (upper unit balconies block a good deal of the sun shining down below), the cabinets will be some shade of white. The island, however, may either get painted a shade of off-black and topped off with a slab of carrara or encased in wood for warmth. Goodness, I can't decide. Some inspiration images:

Pinterest

 Doherty Lynch

Athena Calderon's kitchen as featured in Harper's Bazaar

To save on tiling expense, the strip of backsplash behind the range will likely be stainless steel. I've never installed stainless steel as a backsplash before, so this will be a first. Hoping it looks good. But if I opt to top the island off in butcher block, how beautiful would a slab of natural stone be?

And how cool would it be to have this Brass T fixture hanging above the little island?

Allied Maker

I haven't ordered the fixture yet out of fear that I may change my mind and want to go for two small milk pendants... Thoughts?

This project is scheduled for completion mid-July. Hopefully I'll find time to post more updates. But between Quinn and Maltman (name of the duplex), and Olive, I'm juggling more than enough babies!

Rub a Dub Dub

The previous owner of Maltman (what I've named my duplex), was an artist. This explains her choice of a turquoise bath set. It's actually really nice. Very Peter Dunham. I like her mix of textures! Unfortunately, due to deferred maintenance (think water damage, mold, and rats) in the unit, it's time for a fresh start.

BEFORE

 

While the home was built in '67, it doesn't offer all that many character details to suggest that she was built then. As is the case with the kitchen, I'm thinking of going bright and airy - white with black and chrome detaililng. There isn't an abundance of natural light in most of the baths, so I'm going to have to work with color and reflective surfaces. 

While I love me some white subway tile, Carrara hex and porcelain pedestal sinks, I am fearful that Asta's baths will end up as boring as the baths I am forced to install in my flip jobs. That said, I've been searching for inspiration - just little things - that can elevate what would otherwise be a generic bathroom renovation. I know there's always staging, but I prefer that the room be able to stand on its own!

Classic but luxe hardware. This wide-set faucet is from the Harry Winston of bath fixtures, Waterworks. Mmm... Waterworks. Set against that soapstone counter, omigosh, I die. 

(By the way, that soapstone topped console retails a hefty $8000. 

Um, yeah. I wasn't kidding about the Harry Winston comment! 

 This wider-than-usual pedestal sink could work great in the master bath.

And that floor. By taking the time to plan out the border on the hex floor, this bath avoids becoming completely generic. And had that wall behind the mirror been painted something other than white? Lovely.

See what I mean? I bit of paint in a white bath never hurt anybody.

 Dark brown paired with brass - a mixture of metals, really - is so luxurious feeling. 

Classic finishes. Do they bore you? 

Not me. I know the cost of Ann Sacks and Heath tile (OUCH!) and have learned to be perfectly happy hanging in my classic finish zone.

 Black trim around the mirror and windows adds so much more interest to the room.
As decorator Jan Powers put it, "Every room needs a touch of black, just as it needs one antique piece."

 Loving the charcoal tub with hex. (Love that even the legs are charcoal!) 

But since Maltman's neither a Craftsman nor Cape-cod style home, 

I'll probably be passing on the siding. 

Subway tile is made fancy with black trim pieces. 

I also dig that striped floor. 

Very dramatic. 

 Love that the designer has tiled around the window. 

And that black paint along the window makes a world of difference.

 Charcoal, brass and white. 

SO GOOD. That hex and the solid piece of slate on top! 

This look is a definite contender for Maltman's baths.

Perfect mix of old and new.

A very pretty bathroom with gray stone tiling on the wall. 

This bathroom is more contemporary than I'd like, but that pedestal tub!

I loving that tub. Must install.

 A classic bathroom. 

This layout will work perfectly for the small baths in Maltman's lower unit.

Time for me to get working on the actual specs for these babies. Will share when done.

Playing Hooky

In your very own nooky! 

The lower unit of my fixer has nook potential. See this?

With a touch of imagination, paint, millwork and upholstery, it can, quite possibly, become this:

 source unknown. plucked from pinterest.

Well, a variation on the same theme... Due to code, I'll need to keep the stair railing. I also can't install a window in the nook seeing that the lower unit of the duplex is located in the basement. But enough with the comments regarding feasibility. A version of this awesome nook is going to be installed in my project fo-sho. I'll install a source of light to make up for the lack of natural light, and ooh, while we're at it, a small shelf for books beneath the bed/bench would be lovely as well!

Renovations can get dull unless you make room in the budget for unique details like fun nooks. 

Follow up photos to come.

On the Side

Some artwork I can't afford to buy by one of my idols, Barry McGee

The purpose of this blog is to waste cyber space as well as physical space. To that end, I think I'm doing a pretty good job. I blabber on about babies and post borderline offensive doodles of boobies, but there's much more to what I've been up to than well, baby and boobs. I've got work-work, and while I haven't shared much about my side-projects here in the past, I think it's high-time I start.

Though my background is in finance and animation (a peculiar but lovely combo) I've always taken an interest in home renovation projects. "Taken an interest in" is to put it lightly. Upon graduating from film school (and newly-pregnant with Olive), I ran the home and apartment renovation arm of boutique real estate development firm, Local Construct. (Read more about what they do here.) During my year with the company, I oversaw the transformation of 10 homes and 4 eight-unit apartment buildings here in Los Angeles - staging the properties to sell/lease once they were completed. Not bad for a knocked-up lady, let alone any lady.

Once my little one was born, I tried to get back into the groove of work, but doing so made me sad. I'd drive to the office and secretly cry in the ladies room. Who knew I'd be one with so many feelings. I ended up accepting the fact that I couldn't have it all, and quit my job when my baby was 3 months-old.

Fast forward to today, Olive is now a full-blown, happy toddler, aged 20 months. She's much more manageable, and I'm finally able to take-on renovation projects again. With the help of a sitter - three days a week - I'm trying my best to make things happen.

My latest project is a 1960s duplex located in the desirable area of Silver Lake. I've decided to name her "Maltman." Here are some shots of the babe in all her fixer glory. We're talking roofing, plumbing, electrical, foundation and cosmetic fixes for two units. The upper unit offers 3 beds, 2 baths, and 1 powder room while the lower unit offers 2 beds and 2 baths.

Here's Maltman from the street.

Her curb appeal at the moment may be minimal, but that's going to change.

Entryway of the upper unit. It's got great light.

The spacious (hehehe) 8.5 foot-wide kitchen for the upper unit.

The brightly-lit (do you sense my sarcasm?) master bath complete with turquoise tub and bidet.

We're going bright and airy. Lots of white with touches of black and charcoal for contrast. Open, modern, relaxed with an industrial and vintage twist. Follow-up posts to come.