"A Single Man" Home For Sale

An LA modernist gem is for sale...the home that served as a background for Colin Firth's character in "A Single Man". Nestled among the oaks in Glendale at the foot of the Verdugo Mountains, the building, designed by architect John Lautner, was ahead of its time with large expanses of glass and a decidedly indoor/outdoor feel. Constructed of redwood, concrete and glass, the two bedroom, one and a half bath residence can be yours for $1,495,000.

Habitat Homes

Habitat for Humanity will be building three new homes in the Washington neighborhood of Long Beach, as well as refurbishing a nearby residence. This and other neighborhoods in the city have recently received new attention from the City Council now that downtown is well underway in its revitalization. This is a very positive development. For many years it has appeared that the focus of attention was only on downtown at the expense of the majority of residents in other less affluent areas of the city.

When I first moved to Long Beach I lived in a tiny studio apartment not far from the habitat location by Drake Park, so I know first hand that the area can be a little rough. But it is rich in architecture. Many craftsman bungalows, Spanish and colonial revival homes grace the area, but that's for another post.

The groundbreaking was on a very stormy Saturday morning and was attended by Mayor Foster, Councilman Robert Garcia as well as Congressperson Laura Richardson of the 37th Congressional District.

According to the speakers, there will be approximately 100 foreclosed homes in the area that will be purchased with grant money by the city, fixed up and sold to low income city residents. This is a great idea. Empty houses encourage blight and crime. Taking this existing housing resource, fixing them up and returning them to the people who live there will encourage these new homeowners to have more of a steak in their own neighborhoods. This can only benefit the neighborhood and city as a whole.

Currently the site is a muddy vacant lot, but in a few months there will be three new homes for some lucky Long Beach residents!

Better Lighting for Better Living

First of all, I hope you're not using a single light fixture mounted to the ceiling in the center of the room. Not only does it create a stark, unwelcoming, tense visual environment, it makes everyone look older and harsh...not something you should do to someone you love unless you live in an interrogation room.

There is nothing worse for a room or for a gathering than bad lighting. Nothing. Get yourself a couple of table lamps and maybe a floor lamp. You should have at least three areas of light spread out so you can create pools of light that create interest with light and shadow...this softens the look of the room and gives people a more flattering appearance. You may need more lamps, but start with three and experiment.

My best lighting secret is to use a dimmer on every lamp with an incandescent bulb. A dimmer can dramatically change the look and feel of a room just by adjusting the intensity of light. Turn it down very low and you have the effect of soft candlelight and you even save energy in the process. Crank it up and you can do surgery if need be. Ikea has an inexpensive dimmer (called "dimma"....those crazy Swedes) that I use on all of my lamps. Only $7.99.

Take my advice and get a dimmer for each of your lamps. Now. Seriously.

New Grocery Store for Downtown Long Beach

The old Vons grocery store serving downtown Long Beach has at last been torn down. Although a critical business for downtown residents, I'm glad to see it go. Although I'm usually a fan of saving old buildings, its functionally obsolete and has been an eyesore for years. The new Vons being constructed will be a great upgrade for the neighborhood and will maximize space in the crowded downtown area by having parking on the roof allowing for a larger store. This will be what any downtown needs and in many cases just don't have...a decent grocery store that serves the local population.

I'm especially happy to see that the design of the building will look upscale and modern, and will not have any Tuscan architectural references which are so common in Southern California. We live in the 21st Century far from Italy! I just wish the builders in South Orange County had been aware of that little fact, but that's another post.

Unhappy Hipsters

I love modern design and I love Dwell magazine. Sometimes, though, Dwell and it's featured homeowners can take themselves a little too seriously. Here is a site that pokes a little fun at all of that hipster seriousness.

Winner at the Villa Riviera

Most of the units open to visit were very nice and you could tell that a lot of thought was put into their overall design. This was not a competition. But if it was I would have to vote for this unit as the absolute winner!

This owner has created a space that reflects his personality as well as doubles as a showcase for his diverse collection of art. A county worker by day and an art collector by night, he is not afraid to use every square inch of wall space to show off his bold contemporary collection. 

  

Not everyone can pull off this kind of look. All of the art is generally related but is framed differently adding even more visual excitement. Stark white walls highlight the art which gets great light from the mostly northern exposure. Because of the white walls and generous light, the space feels open in spite of all of the art which could have had a claustrophobic effect. This is a fun space that is not overly thought out, feeling like it has grown organically as the collection has grown over time. This is definitely not a "serious" space. 

To keep any feeling of chaos to a minimum, he has wisely grouped similar sculptural items into collections creating a strong cohesive statement.

He has left a few nods to the building's history by leaving the existing wood unpainted and using some vintage light fixtures...see the crystal chandelier in the first photo. Even the window treatments have a vintage feel. This contrasts sharply with the playful subject matter and tone of the contemporary art, creating a tension which makes the space much more interesting.

So many people are afraid to be really "out there", choosing to go the easy route and decorate in a manner that's safe, and end up with a room that's rather pedestrian and dull. I think its great to walk into a room and have some idea of the personality of who created it.  Here is an example of a someone who definitely loves art and loves living with it. The result is an exciting space that's inspiring as well as a pleasure to experience. 

Yes, its crowded. Yes, its quirky.. And yes, its fantastic.

The lesson here: Be bold! Don't be afraid to express yourself!

Touring the Villa Riviera

Rarely does the local iconic building, the Villa Riviera in Long Beach, California, open it's doors to visitors. In fact, its only happened once before after it's recent multi-million dollar renovation. I've always wanted to go inside and take a look, and I was excited to finally be able to get the chance.

The outside of the building is spectacular. After the sensitive renovation, the building looks fresh and sophisticated. It's clear that the money was well spent on the outside.

After viewing the impressive exterior, I have to say that most of the common areas are somewhat of a disappointment. The large main lobby lacks any warmth and sophistication, and the furniture is sparse and under-scaled. The hallways are equally underwhelming, feeling dark and dingy with artwork consisting of old prints of well known paintings that are generally cheaply framed. I get the feeling that the bulk of the renovation money was spent on the exterior. Hopefully money can be allocated in the future to freshen up the interior common areas to bring them up to the level of the perfectly executed exterior.

The good news that there were many residents willing to have strangers (and critical designers) trudge through their homes. Most of the units are very nice and all of them have great views! The top units have fantastic panoramas of the Los Angeles basin as well as the Pacific Ocean from the South Coast of Orange County to Palos Verdes and beyond. This photo shows Downtown LA and the surrounding mountains barely visible in the distance.

This photo shows the view down Ocean Boulevard. The round building on the left is the International Tower, another iconic Long Beach edifice. What a treat!

The Villa is also known for its many carved gargoyles surrounding the roof line.

Many of the owners were clearly intent upon keeping with the general design of the building with their own interiors. Generally most of them were successful. Some even appeared to be little changed from the day the Villa opened. This is a source of pride for these owners, although I think I would find it difficult to live a modern city life in a home where one feels like stepping back to 1920 when crossing the threshold. In my opinion, the most successful units were those that did a lot of updating to reflect living in the 21st Century, while letting the building's newly burnished exterior speak to the building's historic past.

One of the renovations that stood out was a tiny unit with a closet-size kitchen. The owners made a dramatic statement in a very difficult space with black granite, white Ikea cabinets and (mostly) stainless appliances. A simple, fantastic solution with a very modern twist. This renovation is clearly a reflection of the young urban couple that makes daily use of it.

I'll be sharing my favorite unit in a later post. Here's a hint...it has nothing to do with the kitchen above!