In Feb of 1998, I had the opportunity to buy my friend’s grandmother’s house. It was in such bad shape, I spent the next several years working to make the house livable. Having a degree in Industrial Design and experience as a Disney Imagineer certainly helped.
I turned the garage into a shop and got to work. With my dad’s help (a Civil Engineer), we replaced the old wiring and ran copper piping, applied a concrete finish to the stucco, and had the roof replaced.
I installed wooden doors and windows…
and I hand-made the shelving, kitchen cabinets, and built-ins.
I removed walls to open up the kitchen and living space and put in limestone countertops.
I like to cook so naturally I went with a chef’s range.
I added the roman tub and tiled the bathroom…
…and finished the hardscaping outside.
After a 5 year hiatus, I moved back in and had to deal with neglect. We started replacing the landscaping with California natives. For fun, we also planted poppies in the backyard. With enough rain, it is spectacular.
As the house once again started to feel like a home, Sarah and I decided to get married. We knew we wanted the backyard as our reception hall and the Hangar as our chapel.
When Sarah walked our stone path to the chapel, passing our friends and family seated in such a gorgeous setting, it felt like everything had come together.
It was my labor of love for 23 years. Now it is ready for the next family to make it theirs.
Los Angeles CA Real Estate & Homes for Sale