John & Craig

John and Craig's family includes two boys (ages 6 and 11), a dog and a cat. 

They have Floor Plan H and Elevation C.  Craig specializes in modern residential real estate.  If you're in the market for a Mid Century Modern home in Los Angeles  you should visit ValleyModern.com.  Should you have the pleasure of meeting Craig, you'll feel like you're with a character out of Mad Men.  It's quite appropriate to buy a MCM home from him. 

John is a teacher at our neighborhood school.  He walks to work everyday.  I look forward to my daughter being in one of his classes in the distant future.  We have a bit of Mayberry in our neighborhood.  We're all very involved in our school, our community and in each other.  It's what makes this neighborhood so safe.  

To me, the distinguishing details of John and Craig's home are the clean lines and clean space.  Their house always seems to be immaculate despite having two boys. Their decoration is also clean, white and minimal.  It's evolved over the couple years we've known them.  They added the dark accent wall in the living room in the last year.  I think it adds great contrast to the space. The master bedroom has much more color and the house overall his more colorful details here and there. 

Here are some shots of their home.  

This is one of my favorite spots in their house.  The open feel of the house, the plant in the corner, the globe lights, the color of their door and the Nelson wall hook just makes me love this perspective point.

A challenge for me when photographing our homes is how different a room will feel/look throughout the day.  The change of daylight really impacts our homes on the inside. Some rooms are most beautiful at specific times of the day while others just change in mood.  

John takes care of the garden and plants. He has an incredible vegetable garden.  It's quite amazing.

Eastwood Estates Brochure

"Luxurious living in the San Fernando Valley"!  This tag line cracks me up!  I don't know why. Maybe because I never considered this house to be a "luxurious" purchase. Anyway, so this is where we live.  We have Floor Plan F and Elevation B.  Our unique feature is that our carport is in the back of the house instead of the front.  We live on a corner lot so this gives us a sort of enclosed or protected feeling to our backyard.  It also gives us the option to seamlessly do a second story on our carport one day and to fully enclose it to a regular garage.

In the upcoming weeks I'm going to post pictures of some of our neighbor's homes.  What I love that our "freighbors", as we all call each other, have similar tastes and the same or similar homes.  Yet, you can clearly see each couple's personality come out in the way each home is decorated and remodeled.  Almost all of the families have children.  I also love to see how the spaces in the homes are divided into family, work and children's use to accomadate each family's needs .  

Some homes have had drastic renovations.  All beautiful.  Some have been kept as close to their original state as possible.  I will refer back to this brochure to give you a clearer picture of how the same home can look so different and yet always fabulous. 

Corbin Palms Brochure

One of our neighbors is a huge follower of the Mid Century Modern movement and it's architecture. His home is beautiful. He has followed the history of our neighborhood probably better than anyone else who lives here.  I'd even say he knows more than the first or second owners who still live among us.

He let me borrow the two brochures of the communities in our area.  We have always called our hood "Corbin Palms".  It turns out our section was actually called Eastwood Estates. It was the second phase, not the first, that William Krisel built with Dan Palmer and the Alexander Company. The two phases are very close to one another. The Yellow Metro Line divides us.  Back in 1955 it was a railroad track that was the stopping point of one and the starting point of the other.  

The layouts of both Corbin Palms and Eastwood Estates are almost identical. The biggest difference is that Eastwood Estates are larger and have air conditioning. Apparently, the only complaint people had about their homes was their size. They were too small so Krisel built the second phase bigger.  To think that today we all complain about our "larger versions" being too small with too little storage space. Living in this 1950's home it's clear that we've learned to live with more "stuff" over the decades. 

So, here is the Corbin Palms brochure.  If anything it's great to look at the graphics from back then.  Take a step back into the era of "Mad Men".  

In the Bedroom

Our bedroom needs changes. First, my favorite set of sheets has ripped. We had to throw the pillow cases away today.  Yesterday I took their picture and said goodbye.  I'm kind of attached to them because six years ago it was the first "gift " I gave D.  


We had just stared seeing each other on the set of a Revlon commercial campaign.  Like a good bachelor his bedding was not exactly up to par. At the end of the job I bought the duvet and pillow cases used for the set with Halle Berry. They were from Restoration Hardware and I've been amazed at how soft and durable they've been.  D loved his new sheets but I'm not entirely sure it was because of the high tread count.  I think the idea that Halle Berry had been in his "bed" was part of the appeal.  


So, we need new sheets but we'll be moving up to a king size bed soon.  I'm going to hold off on the  purchase.  Good bedding is so expensive. Ikea has cool looking sheets but I don't like the feel of anything below 400 thread count. I've actually bought sheets as high as 1200tc but they rip too fast.   Even 600 is not very durable.  400 seems to be the perfect balance of softness and durability.  Also, the higher the thread count the fewer design choices there are available. I'm not sure what style of sheets I want either because I'd like to change the look of the room entirely. I do LOVE the "Ring of Asters" sheets from Anthropology....but they are $270 for a king size set!!!!  I do love their design.  

  


Anyway, here's our bedroom how it stands today.  Not my ideal aesthetic but these pictures will serve as a history of where we are at this point in time and where some of our pieces came from.

Our bed has a story.  It was given to me as partial payment for designing a production designer's website.  He had been out of work for a while and couldn't pay me completely. Instead, he let me choose a piece of furniture from his second home that was full of furniture.  I had just moved to LA and had no bed so this was my choice.  

The new $5 dresser and the horrible sconce that I want to replace as soon as is financially possible.

Three months after P was born we still had no glider.  My back was killing me.  This was the choice I made on a day when P wouldn't stop crying at the store and I just wanted something comfortable.  I had my eye on a few other modern gliders but I was unsure of their true comfort. I was at my wit's end.  The chair at least comes with a back heater and massager....yes, massager! 

The wool blanket on the chair comes from our farm in South America.  It was made with the wool from the sheep we use to have.  I love the look of this blanket and D loves it's weight. I just might have to use it as the starting point to select the rest of the bedding.

My beloved Jonathan Adler lamp. I saved for this baby. I bought it for my studio in Santa Monica, in the days before I knew D.

These last two pictures were taken during a later part of the day when you can actually see the interior and exterior of the bedroom at the same time.  I love the light in here.  The large philodendron type plant you see outside came free from Craigslist, which is why I don't know it's name.  I did not think it would do well in this spot but it has taken off beautifully. Now, I want more to fill in that entire space and make it feel more lush.  

Changes....

I haven't posted in a while because I've been debating as to how much I should openly share on here.  This news affects the progress of how fast (or even slower) I'll get projects finished.  It's very early to be revealing this but it changes everything so I will share....


I'm pregnant.  There are women who power through projects while pregnant. Not me.  I'm exhausted beyond words on a daily basis.  I'm also one of those nutty, hippie, organic moms who worries about everything that comes in contact with me. From paint fumes to nail polish I try to be as chemical free as possible.  It's incredibly hard to do when working with epoxy resin, spray paint and grey water. 


I was working on a few DIY projects that I didn't want to reveal until they were finished. Now, I'm going to need the help of my husband to get them done.  This is going to be an interesting challenge but one that I think will bring us closer together.  He's not that handy around the house. I think it's because he was never introduced to home repairs, not because he doesn't have the skill.  He can repair timer belts and all kinds of other things underneath the hood of a car.  If he can do that then he can spray paint....although this is the last thing he spray painted.  

Dare I let him put the finishing coat on an oven door?


This seems like a good point to talk about and remind myself of why I started this blog.  When we moved into this house all my time was taken up with the birth and care of our daughter. One day I was so frustrated by our lack of progress that I wanted to move out. I wanted to find a place that was finished.  Then I found a picture of the house just before we moved in. I realized we had done a lot considering our circumstance.  The realization prompted me to keep record of how we are evolving....and KriselKeeper was born.


I've noticed in the last two years that parents of young children manage to do complete DIY remodels of their homes. I'm not one of those parents.  While focusing on projects it takes away time and attention from the child when they need it the most, in their infancy.  I'm ok looking at our decrepit front yard as long as I see my daughter blossom.  As she gets older she won't need/want me around as much and the house will start to take shape faster. The house will always be here. My daughter's youth will not.    


We also have no supportive family here to help us. My family is in Florida and his family.....lets just say they're in Alaska.  There is a blog I absolutely love.  Ashley Ann: under the sycamore. Man, this woman is talented. A mother of 4 young children, brilliant photographer and crafty with sophistication.  I feel like a slacker when I read her blog, but she has a huge supportive family.  All the difference.  


On a different note I could use all of my new found friend's support on here.  This is my fifth pregnancy and I have one child. You can do the math.  I had to terminate one at 6 months pregnant due to hydrocephalus. The baby had no cerebellum.  And I had two miscarriages just recently in the last four months.  If you have an extra positive thought or prayer send it my way.  Daily, I'm visualizing a healthy, happy child in my arms.  So far things are going well.....but it's still early.


So, I will continue to do a good amount of research for future projects.  I will try to do as many projects before the kid is born (like the king size bed that we will definitely need) and I will continue to tell you all, all about it.  Thanks for being here with me as we evolve in our home.

6 months ago today...

Six months ago today my father passed away.  He died of cancer.  He was 64 years old.  The pain of most losses generally pass as time goes by.  However, the loss of a parent is different.  For me the void remains and I've been told it doesn't really ever go away.


My dad taught me what I  know about doing home repairs, wood working and building in general.  I think of him every time I do work on our house.  I thought of him as I organized the garage because I know he would have enjoyed working in the space now.  My dad helped us on big projects every time he visited from Florida.  Even after chemo treatments he would come and tear out tree stumps, re-adhere fallen fireplace tiles or fix our non-draining tub.  During his last visit, when he couldn't walk much and eating was painful, he still helped me fix a vintage toy crib I was restoring for my daughter's 2nd birthday.

Actually, when I think back at what my dad taught me specifically, I can't remember any one particular skill. I do know he taught me how to find the problems and come up with solutions, specially creative ones.  He also taught me that the most expensive solution generally isn't the right solution.  And junk isn't always garbage.  Often it's the solving piece of a puzzle.


I also learned from watching his mistakes.  When in doubt at Home Depot, buy both options and return the unused one later.  It saves time and gas money to not make a million trips back and forth to the store.  The cheapest solution isn't always the right one. Somewhere in the middle seems to be the best bet. If it works, but doesn't look good, it still needs to be fixed.  


Besides all the little projects around the house, my dad did two major projects to the house I grew up in.  He built an additional master bedroom and bath, which turned our 1960's Florida home into a 3 bedroom, 3 bath from a 2/2. He also extended a part of our kitchen-pantry to included another storage room from the garage.  He added a window to this room to let in light all the way into our dining room.  

I helped him with both of these projects. I remember doing demo work with a sledge hammer to make the window hole and to breakdown an existing wall.  It started out as fun and ended up being hard work.  I remember being made to help him with the construction of the room.  I was a teenager at the time. I wanted to be out at the mall with friends. Instead I was helping him level something or wheel-barrow bags of cement.  Today, I'd give anything for that time with him and to learn so much more.


Many years later when I was back home from college I wanted to redo the walk-in closet in my room.  I asked my dad for help and he said no.  He said he'd advise me but I had to find a plan and do the work myself.  I was so angry with him.  I couldn't believe he made me do my project alone when I had to help him with his.  Turns out, me doing it by myself taught me more than if we had done it together. I learned not to rely on my dad for solutions and I earned his respect because I didn't give up on my plan and finished the closet.  


I really miss my dad.  I keep thinking he's in Florida and I'll see him in a few months. Every now and then the reality that I'll never hear or see him again sets in hard.  As I do more things to the house I want him here so bad.  I realize now that throughout my life my dad was preparing me for this day. The day that I would have to fend for myself because he couldn't be around to help me.  The void is still here and nothing could have prepared me for that.

Vertical Garden Walls

(via Wooly Pockets)

I've been thinking about vertical gardens lately.  I have two walls in mind where I think they would be perfect.  I want our backyard pool area to feel lush.  A good chunk of the surrounding pool space is all concrete. To give this space a lush feel I think a vertical succulent garden on the wall of our carport, facing the pool would do the trick.  


This is the wall I'm talking about. I will talk about the sail and the Dodger seats on a later post.:

The second wall is the one facing south in the back grassy area.  I have two predicaments here.  First, I'd like to grow veggies and herbs but I don't want to take up ground space. I want to leave our lawn intact, to a certain extent, so the kids have a place to play.  


Second, because our home was built in the 50's the walls have no insulation.  This south wall gets beat by the sun all year around.  We've debated with getting into the walls and pumping some eco-friendly insulation but we know the electrical needs to be looked at and possibly redone.  Both D and I calculate that we need an EXTRA $12k of "catastrophe" money the day we decide to break into the walls.  We think we'll find some really messed up electrical thanks to the people who did the previous remodel.  


So, my solution to these issues is to build a green wall about a foot away from the house.  I'm nervous about building right on the wall because of the creatures and water. I'm not sure just how much of either will permeate through the walls.  Also, building a trellis of sorts a foot away will allow airflow between the veggies and the house.  I can grow my veggies vertically and it'll create a sort of insulation and shade the house from the sun.  


These are some pictures and websites I found in my search for inspirations.


Wooly Pockets of course. 
Patrick Blanc this man has done some seriously amazing work. I think he is the man behind the original idea.  He's a French botanist.  
The Stir has this post about the topic.
NY Times article with history and in-depth look at the subject. 

CB2 has these squares on sale right now. $49.95 from $129

Wooly Pockets

Via Apartment Therapy

Apartment Therapy