no faux

so, we used a composite paneling for the front room, and it looks great, but for the front hallway i really wanted to use some real wood. it also makes a difference that the faux wood is $19 a sheet vs. the $40 for the real stuff. you could say we are being really selective where to invest.

i had no idea how much materials were going to cost for this home project and i am constantly being challenged with budget creativity. part of my career is about negotiating, but let me tell you...you cannot negotiate at home depot. :) i have a feeling that further down the road you are going to see some re-purposed wood from some of our earlier demo projects.

this brings me to the front hallway. we finally got the paneling up (real wood). the finishing work schedule is still TBD, but we are still enjoying the progress.

the photo through the french doors is from the master bedroom. we decided to put the french doors in to bring in some natural light and last sunday morning when i was laying in bed i realized how much this was the right decision. big shout out to our friends larry and jim for the "free" french doors.

true love

need i say more. valentines never meant so much when pets weren't around. i remember making valentines for our dogs growing up, and the horses, and the ducks....and you get the point.

b-mo wishes you a day full of caring thoughts and something with sprinkles on it.

fruit bearing

well, another weekend up north without a contractor...so we succumbed to the calling of the great outdoors and the 3/4 acres that has not had much TLC in, what we believe, to be about 6 or more years.

one of the many highlights was this little olive tree distraction. we needed to get some gravel at home depot (to use a gift card up), but they did not have anything very interesting in their gravel/rock selection. bummer.

in my shock and awe of home depot not having the gravel, with my head down and on my way from the garden center back into the warehouse box of home depot, i heard something/someone calling out my name. i followed that gentle sing-song of a voice to the place where this olive tree was standing. the 10am northern california sun was glistening just so on those silver lined leaves and branches and it was as if the king was coming to hillside and he demanded this tree/spirit be present.

ok....i'm sure i have totally lost you all in my rambling, but the point is it was a match made in heaven. the real miracle is that it fit in the car :)

the zinc container somehow made it to sf from france and then onto our property, courtesy of my friends coco and fred. it had most recently been a table for the tv and vcr at hillside, but i think it is perfectly outside.

to paint or not to paint

it is more common than not that when we get together with friends, the status of the cabin comes up...hence the conversation of what are you going to do with the walls and floors.

there can be a bit of vacillating as well as difference of opinions (depending on the day and mood), but the touchstone i always come back to is this...paint it all. the small, dark space nestled in the tree's is crying for more light. actually, begging in my opinion, but there goes that "cabin" feel.

as we all know, there are more grand and pressing issues (health, peace, hope,love) in all of our lives that override these trivial decisions, but if you have a moment to share your opinion, i promise to listen. :)

looking forward to the post and reveal of "the floors".

btw...this room is just what the doctor ordered: reclaimed, chipped, practical and you can feel the movement of light.

images hus&hem (fav)

free greens

one of the all time favorite gifts from our new property is the land. when you all come for your visit you will see what i mean. when you open the car door you are taken aback by the potent overwhelming (the good kind i hope) fragrance from the bay trees.

so herbal, so clean...it opens up your lungs and brings a bit of calm to the beaten down city dweller.

i did not know that bay leaves came from big tree's...i just assumed they were shrubs or small plants, but not...big, huge and seemingly invasive trees. these trees are scattered over the 3/4 acres along with many other indigenous trees i have not yet identified.

so, bring your shears and load up for cooking and the best kind of simple and no nonsense arrangements .

these little branches made it back to the city and are bringing a bit of the country to busy movement of the mission district.

loyal friends like craig

so, one confession i have to make is i really do not buy much of anything new (accept some clothes, shoes, mattresses, sheets, towels, you get the picture). character comes with age...i mean furniture of course.


it really comes from an appreciation of history as well as growing up in a very frugal home on a farm, which has instilled a value of simple and i think that comes from moments of not having much. BUT believe me, i made the most of what we did have and to me it was just right.

well, when craigslist showed up in my life almost a decade ago...you could say it was almost an out of body experience for me. instead of hitting up the flea markets, thrift stores, estate sales (which i still obsess over when i have time)...i could browse in the comfort of my own home.

which brings me to my most recent photo. the couch, an old hedredon...purchased several months ago for the cabin. owned by the same woman for over 50 years and you can tell it was very loved. when we went to pick it up, her daughter in law told us it was never re-upholstered and ann (the owner) took a nap on it every day. it is loaded with charm with its current pale blue velvet too :)

as you can see...the cabin is true to form in its hodge podge state of being. b-mo's crash pad in the hills.

had to convert to black and white as the lighting was bad and the lacquered pine walls really put a punch in the sepia tone. (hard on the eyes)

some of our favorite, new neighbors

had another great weekend at hillside. patching walls and working in the yard...and exploring the hood.

about 1/4 mile away, these breathtakingly beautiful guys and gals roam the hills and meadows of the sonoma mountains. i wonder how friendly they really are and if they plan on bringing us some milk as a housewarming (too much ibuprofen...my imagination has kicked in).

photo's taken via phone, but my better half, while i drove. (we did have to stop to get the picture)

not so modern montauk

it is funny when old becomes new and the cycle starts over. this space, in my opinion, is feeling a bit modern..or maybe i should just say "current" as modern is such a lose word with many interpretations.

the "current" look is the perfect balance of textures, colors, and that eclectic mixture that makes if feel effortless and like each room has become a real living space that one calls home. no staging at all.

to me this home is quintessential montauk, it is the only hampton village that has that bohemian vibe, and that is even fading with time. you don't have to look hard to find it though.

i can almost feel the light humidity and the ocean breeze and am hopeful to experience the very missed beaches of montauk this coming summer.

roman and williams don't disappoint, they hit the nail on the head with all their projects, no matter how big or small.

i can't not

....post this photo, its for rachel. i love this image and even though it is not my usual, it is perfectly right for brock street and it is a shout out too. ;o)

refined, playful, classic, modern, dress up with heels, dress down with sneakers, feminine, strong and on and on.

this reminds me of you rachel, and all the adjectives are just a whisper of what defines you.

image

clearing my mind...sleep style

i have read and read and read and..... believed and believed and believed that our sleeping space is suppose to be clear of clutter, tv's and any sort of distraction that will keep us from a pure rest.

that all being said while i am sitting in bed with my lap top on my lap (4 different tabs open), the other desktop computer is playing a netflix show, b-mo by my side snoring up a storm...you get the picture. i am a rule breaker.

i'm wondering if painting the room dark tricks us into night time. i mean if i were living in alaska and needed some dark, this is how i would roll...no questions asked.

i love the risk of this and love the contrast with the white. totally works in my book.

happy dreaming.

top image aubrey road
bottom apartment therapy

progress report

wow, wow, wow! i can't believe another week has flown by and i have not made the time to post. i was just going through photo's and realized i probably have enough to post for a month, so i will waist no time and get started.

photo 1 = front room, only guest room, and if you remember this was a part of the original wrap around porch, which we think was added to the original cabin in the 20's and then enclosed into indoor living space in the 40's. anyway, finally a place to perch during the working weekends. this room is the closest to being complete and i have to say i have to say the silent nights are not bothering me so much more....as i am sleeping in a real bed with real sheets..the sleeping bags are back in storage. whoopie!!

photo 2 = entry hallway, only hallway, originally this was also part of the wrap around porch and you cannot tell from my bad photography...but it is a huge space. i love wood in its natural form and color and if this ceiling had not been stained with the dark brown indoor outdoor stain, we may have kept the original wood exposed, but it was just too dark and thus the paintbrush workout continues (same in front perch room). also, the french doors are finally installed. (these were getting ready to be thrown away by our friends and we rescued them and not they have a home where they are already well loved)

photo 3 = hallway progress. talk about bringing in the light...holy cow it makes a huge difference.

heading back to hillside project in the pm. this weekend will be the hallway finishing touches. all the bead board, and finishing work will be installed and we can start the real painting and lay out the welcome mat for the hallway :). fingers crossed.

61 vs. 71

its a toss up today. we have had a gloomy winter this year, to me..the gloomiest since i moved to sf in 2005. what happens is the sun comes out during the weekdays, then the weekends come along and the gray sky's take over. boo...

well, today the city is going to be 61 and the sun is out and i love being in the city on such beautiful sunny days. so much more productive on sunny days.

BUT, it is going to be 70 something in sonoma valley and boy will it be nice to open all the windows, get some painting done and let b-mo roam the wilderness with the sun shining down on him. i think we better pack up the laundry and get moving now.

have a great, and hopefully long weekend.

image found on aubrey road, and wishing for lounge chairs today