Work on the renovation continues...

Work continues on a house my partner and I own in a beach town here in Southern California. What should have been a fairly quick remodel has turned into a long slog with delays caused by my day job (the nerve!) as well as....well, life. It was a case of "out of sight and out of mind" for a period of time for which I was completely responsible. Had this been a regular job with a regular client this remodel would have been on the front burner and finished. I now believe that the most challenging client I can have is me. What is that saying about any lawyer representing himself has a fool for a client?

There was (and is still) quite a lot to do. The place had sat empty for several years and needed a lot of work just to get it up to 1980's standards. We are having the asbestos acoustic ceiling texture (cottage cheese) removed, as well as the contaminated flooring and duct work. This is scheduled for early November. After that comes plumbing and a new furnace and.....the list goes on and on.

We're both very pleased with how the exterior turned out. It's a different color than any of the other houses on the block and it helps to set it apart from our neighbors. Since this is a very small mid-century house, I decided to keep things simple and big for maximum curb appeal. The subdued paint scheme helps give it a more upscale feeling. The house is not located in Tuscany, so no columns or terracotta, thank you. Two large pots help frame and define the entrance, while the Energy Star rated fluorescent light fixture, believe it or not, gives off a great soft light. Helpful hint--get a very low wattage lamp (bulb) that is "warm white" or a color temperature of 2700 k. It doesn't take much light to accent the front door. The inexpensive 6" address numbers from Home Depot project off of the low wall and reinforce the general mid-century feel.

Once the front door is painted and installed the exterior will be done. Can't wait!