50 Spots of Shade

We are now in full fall and gearing towards winter. The temperatures have dropped quite a bit by now but not too long ago it was incredibly hot.  I started writing this over the summer and am finally getting back to it now, so keep that in mind as you read on. 

Our electric bill in the summer is usually crazy expensive!  I hate being in the San Fernando Valley when it's hot.  Our house was built in the mid 1950's. People must have been more tolerant of being uncomfortable back then. We had no insulation in either the ceiling or walls making it difficult to stabilize the inside temperature.  No matter how long the AC runs it never cools down.  Then we made some changes to the house and the bill and my hatred have both been tamed!

First we added insulation!  That was a big move!
Next we added more shade to our back patio by doing this:

We used sailing sails. I shared more about it here.

We covered the area between the house and the carport with shade sails. I shared more here. 

And we used exterior curtains which I wrote about here.  

The entire back wall of the house which is usually fully exposed to the sun is now shaded!  The electric bill went from $1000-1200 every two months to the $700 range!  The house has on many occasion been TOO COLD in the summer. We've had to turn the AC off!!!! I can't even believe I'm writing this! 

Before the changes, during the months of June, July, August, September and part of October the AC ran non-stop!  Now we don't turn the air on until noon on a 100 degree day and 2-3pm on an average summer day.  It stays on until around  6-7pm. We get in the pool so we turn it off again and then we turn it on when we are getting ready for bed.  Three out of four of us need it cool to sleep well.  Majority rules.  

I've noticed that even when it's 80 degrees inside the house it's tolerable because it's shady. But if it's 80 degrees with the sun hitting you then it's unbearable.  The shade has helped tremendously!  

Potted is Celebrating 10 Years!

Potted is one of my all time favorite stores in all of LA.  They have unique things and their store is so well done and inspiring that you want to linger and then take it all home. Which is one reason why they are celebrating 10 years!  

Potted also happens to be co-owned by Mary Gray, one of the few people who gave me a break when I first came to Los Angeles. Mary was an established and successful set decorator when I was trying to break into the film industry.  She took me on without knowing anything about me and let me shop for her.  She was also kind to me. It is so rare to experience kindness when you're starting out in the industry.  

As time went on Mary gave me another huge opportunity. She let me decorate a set by myself. It wasn't just any set. It was a big commercial with multiple sets. Barbara Ling was the Production Designer and Bob Richardson the DP.  I remember holding my breath as they both walked in to look at the set for the first time. But, I figured if Mary trusted me it should be ok and it was.  Since then, and after, me leaving the film industry Mary has been a role model and mentor.  Her store doing well is not surprising.  She is incredibly talented with impeccable taste and a heart of gold. Why would she not be doing well?  

The LA Times did an article on Potted last week.  We happened to be passing by on our way back from downtown so we stopped in.  It's not just my favorite store, it is also P's.  She loves it! She's developed an affinity for air plants and the unique pots that suit them best. Potted has plenty of both.  We bought a few things including this lovely planter by Esther Pottery from here in Los Angeles. I'm absolutely in love with it....along with everything else in that store! 

Friday Night Lights

"And God said let there be light"!  That's how I felt when we turned on the new backyard lights for the first time! It was magical!  Now that we're into fall, with shorter daylight hours, I'm very happy they are extending the use of our pool deck.  

HOWEVER....there's one problem in this picture.  Thank God I have smart, kind friends. And thank God I post lots of pictures to Facebook.  When my friend Lonnie saw this picture he sent me a private message. In the kindest way he pointed out that I had an electrical wire running right over our pool.  And in the kindest way he pointed out that electrical and water do not mix.  Anyone else would have said "hey dumb ass do you plan on electrocuting your kids"?   And he was the one and only person to point out this grave mistake despite the picture getting quite a few "likes".  So I am very grateful to Lonnie.  Since then we've repositioned the lights at a safe distance around the pool, not over it. I like the configuration in this picture better but aesthetics must take a back seat in this situation!  

I learned a few things while doing this project, besides fully understanding the fatal combo of water and electricity.  Here are a few tips if you are looking to string your own lights. 

1. First these lights are called "carni" or "carnival lights", "globe lights" or "bistro lights".
2. I bought my lights on sale at Target. I didn't know exactly where I wanted them or how many sets I'd need so I didn't plan this entirely through.  After I bought 6 sets of lights and had them somewhat in place I read the fine print on a sticker attached to one of the globes. It said these are not intended for long time external use, 90 days max.  So, I would suggest buying permanent, exterior lights from a place like this.  They have lights meant to stay outside and they have them in varying lengths. The Target lights only allow you to string 2 sets back to back so you are limited in how far you can go from an outlet. 
3. If you are stringing a big section like what I did you need galvanized steel cable to hang the lights from.  You'll need this kind of kit or you can get your cable custom cut at the hardware store with the hooks and adapters that best suit your needs.  You have to consider what your lights will do in a windstorm. You don't want glass globes cracking all over your patio floor. 

I'm so happy to have these lights up. They really make the backyard feel special. If you've been tempted I say go for it!  And for the record, Friday Night Lights is one of my all time favorite TV shows.  Love Coach Eric Taylor!

Vertical Garden

It's been so long since I was last on here.  We had many projects come together during the summer. But, then the girl's started school and I was overwhelmed.  Both girls are now going either full time or part time. You'd think it would give me more time to write.  But to be honest, I needed time to focus on me. Time to hike and go back to yoga. Time for our poor dog Penny who gets whatever time I have leftover from the kids. She is patient but her sad face tells me when she's had enough. Also with the girls being in school comes 40 hours of mandatory volunteer time.  I love being a part of their school community but it doesn't come without it's additional commitments.  Anyway, here I am. I'm back.  I've missed this outlet. 

One project I complete was starting a vertical garden. As I've mentioned before, our west and north walls are very sun exposed.  The only plants successfully growing on the west side are succulents, and not all succulents can take the heat.  My plan, or dream, is to successfully grow edible plants vertically along the entire west wall so when I look out I'll see a wall of green. Here is the beginning of my adventure! 

I think part of what's harming the plants are the ceramic pots they're in. They only intensify the heat. So, I thought what if the plants are "hanging" and not coming in contact with the hot floor? I started looking into Wooly Pockets, which I've been eyeing for quite some time now. But, I wanted a product that was better priced. I want to cover a large space.  I found these on Plants on Walls.  They're 3'x2' and they have a drip irrigation line already running on top so you can plug it in.  I decided to start with one of these. With twelve pockets I could do an entire herb garden.  

Next, I had to figure out how to hang them.  To avoid damaging the fence I thought I'd configure another option.  I saw these palettes below at Whole Foods. It looked like a good way to go. I pulled out my tools and Dave picked up a palette I saw on the curb about a block away.  

I got to use my new Kreg jig and I love it. Can't wait to do more with it!

Construction finished! Mission accomplished! Now time for the gardening. I left that in P's hands which she took care of very well!

The finished product is up and running and doing well. Some of the plants aren't too happy in this spot. Others, like strawberries, are very happy campers. I'm considering doing this section with just strawberries. 

 

I like how the plants look pool side. It's much nicer to glance out from our dining table and see green, green we can eat.  This is the beginning of a good direction.

Feeling very South Beachy

Our back patio faces west.  In other words, we get beamed every afternoon by the very hot sun.  Plant some trees and give yourself some shade you say?  I wish...

The layout going east to west goes like this:
Sliding glass door, covered patio, open patio, pool, fence.  There is no space between the house and the fence to plant a tree without cutting into the concrete.  I worry...about roots invading our pool and cracking it.  I worry...about dropping leaves that cause havoc on the ph balance of the pool.  I hear pine needles are deadly with all their oils.  And we're already having ph balance issues after the pool man kindly obliged to my request of lowering the chlorine.  I making the pool green!

For almost seven years I've schemed on how to give us shade without having to do a complete overhaul of the back yard. There is no way to shade the house without completely shading the pool.  Finding a solution while taking into consideration shaded areas, cost, impact on the pool and style has been daunting.  

Meanwhile, inside in our living, dining and kitchen areas we feel the heat through the windows. We sweat and bake, specially in summer, where it honestly feels as if the sun has her face smooched up against our back sliding glass door! Even after adding insulation to the house we continued to feel the heat a great deal. It was miserable....until I had an idea!  

A very long time ago I remember being in South Beach for a business meeting.  We met at a bar (because that is where business takes place in cities with the word "beach" in their name). We sat in low, white sofa like lounge chairs and the entire outside patio had long, flowing, white curtains. They were useful to block the sun, add privacy and looked romantic yet regal. That was the solution!  Long, flowing, white curtains hung on the outside of our covered patio! And to Ikea we ran! 

We bought 5 Merete curtain sets. I used 3 panels per patio section. So in between each post I used 3 panels. I wanted a very industrial looking set of hardware to hang the curtains. I was thinking pipe and cool looking yacht hooks. However, the rings on the curtains didn't slide smoothly on the test pipe.  The cost was a bit daunting to.  Those cool looking yacht hooks can run $20-50 each.  I kept it simple and used the Hugad rods, the thicker of their rods, in silver and the Betydlig brackets in silver as well. The rods are $4 a piece and the brackets $1.50.  You just can't beat that!  We'll see how they hold up to exterior weather conditions but at these prices I don't mind having to replace them every 2-3 years.  

The idea has been a success!  In the mornings the curtains are pulled apart and we get our view of the pool.  As soon as the sun makes it over the house and starts peeking in which happens around 2pm we draw all the curtains.  The sun is completely blocked.  It's still very bright.  The drop in temperature inside the house is amazing!  Instead of hiding away from the outdoors in the afternoon we now use the patio.  The temperature is tolerable now and we've gained not just our living and dining areas back but our patio as well!  

I think the house has a resort feel to it now.  I feel like I'm back in South Beach.  Dave predicts we'll take the curtains down in the winter but I feel we'll use them during the cold months as well.  I think they will make the patio warm enough for us to want to spend more time out there.  Rain is the only kicker.  They get pretty dirty from the water on the ground. But it's nothing a run through the washing machine won't get rid of. 

We've really loved our new curtains outside.  They even make a pretty cool back drop for pictures as you can see in the top picture!

Finishing the Fence

This past November we had to rebuild part of the fence.  In February I finally got to staining the remainder.  However, there was a last bit that wasn't complete on our side. One could say it was the hardest part, the part behind the pool pump. 

When my mom came to visit in March she stained the remaining planks. She came again in June and I knew I needed to finish or else she'd ask what the big hurry was to get it all stained.  So here it is. I thought it would take me 1.5 hours to complete. It took me 3!  

Now, I need to get this entire pool pump hidden behind something pretty.  And that project is now in the works. 

Summer is Here!

It hit 100 degrees last week! The shade sails went up!  Dave and the girls were in the pool three times yesterday!  Summer is officially here!

I feel like I'm in a new house! The house debuted it's new stucco and paint back in October, but I hadn't really experienced the house outside in summer until this past weekend.  For example, I've never taken a picture of the girls in the pool from the angle above.  The walls looked so ugly I never even bothered.  But now I am happy, and dare I say proud, of how our back yard looks. I can't even show a before and after because I have no befores!  The only thing close are here or here. 

It's going to be a great summer! We have more plans for the backyard!  I can't wait!

6235 Lubao Interiors: backyard

I couldn't resist the opportunity to photograph this house!  Who knows who will buy it next and I want to remember it as Rudy (the owner) had left/designed it. This is exactly how it was intended to be!  I'd also like to copy many of his details for our house.

I took many, many pictures.  With Dave out of town I had both girls with me.  You will see them quite a bit.  You will also notice many tilted shots and other peculiarities but this is as good as I could get it on a Sunday afternoon after a long weekend.  I'm so grateful to Hilary and Debbie for letting me come in at the tail end of their open house! 

Because I shot so many pictures, all worth sharing imho,  I'm dividing them up by sections. Today will be the backyard.  The first thing I noticed in the picture above was the great large tree at the southwest corner of the lot. It was giving the backyard amazing shade at 3pm when I took these pictures. The tree is ideally placed. 

You'll also notice that the back patio isn't parallel to the house. Instead it jets out and I'm not sure why but this positioning propels you out into the yard and also draws you back into the house. 

 There's a path that circles the backyard and it starts off with a perfect fountain!  Perfectly placed and perfectly designed. 

Outside two of the bedrooms there is a row of olive trees and just past them is a rose garden. From the inside you feel shaded by the trees with highlights of the roses. The brick pathways seem to "announce" the outside. In a portion of the house that integrates the inside and outside you will see how these particular bricks play a part in the continuation and delineation of spaces. 

I love the garden art. 

I love the lines of the house from all angles. 

At the far northwest corner of the house there is a huge silver dollar eucylaptus tree. When you look out towards the back yard  the two large trees at each corner anchor the space. Then there are two sections with multiple trees that have obviously been kept shorter and the same height.  I'm not sure if the electric/phone wires are dictating the height or if it was a stylistic choice. 

I love the different heights of the garden. So smart!  And I love the hanging vines! 

These cement rounds line one fence. Not sure why. I sense it's a function thing and I like the solution.  

I love the different types of brick and how they coordinate/complement one another. 

This is the north wall of the house. The kitchen and dining are on the other side. The dirt patch is where they kept an herb garden. I love the genius placement of the herb garden and how useful, not just ornamental, the outdoors was to them. 

This is part of the area I mentioned where the brick integrates indoors and outdoors. Inside the sliding glass door is an indoor patio that follows through to a courtyard. The brick sets the three spaces apart and unties them: the outdoors, the indoors that feels outdoors because of all the floor to ceiling windows and the outdoors surrounded by indoors. Brilliant!

A fence detail.  Just having redone part of our fence I loved seeing that this is the same fence style we used for the back.  Except, he capped it with a plank which makes it more refined and Mid Century. The plank might also help keep water from going inside all of the wooden planks below.  Better to replace one plank than all of them! 

Details of the recessed exterior lighting in the patio. 

This is sheer genius. He left spaces where the wiring could easily hide instead of it hanging out and messy. 

I love his philodendrons. I love his pots. I love the brick. I just love it all!

If you love Mid Century architecture and you want to see the house call Hilary and Debbie!  

I'll post more of the interiors tomorrow!

What ugly AC unit?

 We're being audited.  The worst of the worst right?  I set days aside to get a sitter and coordinate with Dave's work schedule so I could focus on financial paperwork continuously. But before I was forced to sit for any extended amount of time I had to work off some of my agitation with a much needed project.  Cutting, painting, sanding would help me focus on the minutia of receipts. 

Our AC unit is ugly. I think everyone's is...right? And ours is smack dab in the middle of our backyard living space. It desperately needed a cover not just to be out of sight but to get shaded. It gets blasted by the afternoon sun, specially in the summer. Any shade will help it's efficiency. 

Although this was not a complicated thing to do I felt stumped for a really long time. First I had never used a saw, but I learned how when I built the side gate. One fear conquered!  But I'm still afraid to use a saw on a 4x4. I hear kickback is a bitch so I outsourced this part. I found a local lumber yard that cut the 4 pieces of 4x4 I needed. (Not shopping at Home Depot anymore!  They weren't able to do what I needed anyway! Surprise surprise!) Obstacle #2 conquered!  

The rest was pretty easy. I'll post again with steps and sources I used. It was actually so easy I did it with Gemma. You know if a 2 year old can help it's not complicated at all!  Our backyard living space looks so much nicer with this eyesore covered up! The most miraculous part of all was that for the first time in six years I was able to start and finish a project in TWO days!  

The Difference a Door Makes

I love the new door to our garage!  It hadn't hit me how much I love it until I was taking pictures of the girls by the pool  I'm so use to shooting them from angles where the door would be out of frame because it was so ugly. I forgot how freeing it is to just take a picture without having to frame it just right.  

This is what the door use to look like. It's in the background.  I had to search hard to find this picture. Like I said, I did everything possible to avoid having that ugly thing in any picture! I don't even want to get into the details of how it got so ugly!

So, back to our pretty place!  I really love the door when I see a picture like this:

Or a picture like this. The door is not the focal point when it's pretty. It's a beautiful background feature but when the door was ugly. It became center stage no matter how in the background it was. 

The door is actually the same door that was there before.  The painters painted it white and then added the wood slats to match the rest of our wood fencing.  It's such a huge difference and the cost was minimal compared to buying a new door and minuscule compared to buying a new modern door. That was going to cost us a pretty penny;  in the $1200 to $2000 range! It wasn't just the door that needed help. It was the framing of the door that needed some major clean up work.  Fortunately, it was all taken care of when we had the house painted.  Note to self: when hiring a painter make sure they have a carpenter on staff or they know how to do great wood working.