I am diggin the clean look of the Invisiware receivers. I spaced on taking the full-shot. 1 section down, 4 more to go! Many thanks to Brian for all the help!

The moor grass is in. lighting too. what a difference landscape lighting can make.

Also, we had been going back and forth on what to do with the handrails but finally arrived on a cable system thanks in part to brian. he hooked me up with a ton of remnant pieces that made the decision easy. jason helped weld it all up. The hardware isn’t cheap… so we’ll be doing the cable over time. As you can see, we’re using sailboat lines for a temporary barrier.

Hardware prototype

Flashback — inside the bathroom:

Outside:

Inside the garage:

So, the official dream addition of 32nd isn’t happenin’. cash + a little thing called ‘prescriptive’ easement zaps our ability to create a 2-story structure. I’ll look up next time we buy a place to see that power line that services our neighbor… doh.

Here’s what we want to do:
1. Demo the existing garage – Rebuild the garage on the property line (code allows for an accessory structure, along as it’s 6′ from the house). We’ll redo the stucco and all that jazz, even add a few windows in the back bedroom for better ventilation + light.
2. Extend the footprint of the house – Bump out the kitchen / dining / entry. Building a single-story structure keeps the dream alive.

Here’s the new plan, minus the landscaping. I tried to maintain the same aspect ratio for the windows and sliders (based on existing house).

Operable windows + 14′ slider for added ventilation in the kitchen / dining area. Garage doors on both sides of the structure for flexibility… Cars, stuff, studio, ping-pong table, etc.

We’re trying to engineer the addition in such a way where it feels as if it’s floating. Also, I think we’ll use zinc cladding and black anodized sheet metal to ensure that it reads as a separate structure from the stucco cube. Tyler’s post was good timing.

From the alley. Still need to sort thru the gate / fence detail.

Thanks to Gillian at Riviera San Diego for featuring le boeuf in the latest may issue! A special shout-out to AnnaMaria and peden+munk… Cube-ism!

One last push to finalize a ton of random projects before the boys arrive. Inspired by this washington street residence… by envelopeA+D, the guest room nook features a small hanging closet and desk setup for extended stay! A single-slider will cover the closet portion.

A special thanks to patrick from envelopeA+D for pointing me in the right direction with paint selection!

Lack of early planning has hindered my ability to achieve the vertical bar look I’m after. Glass panels are expensive and maybe a little too ‘slick’ for this house.. dirt would drive me insane given our ‘dirt’ street. Lack of funds prevents us from going with cable… Additionally, cable railings provide a nice climbing environment for the kids. I’m all for climbing, but not in this case. We’ve decided to proceed with welded wire mesh from mcnichols. It’s $70 for a 4′x8′ sheet. The exterior will rust.. to match the fence. We’re debating whether to paint the interior section white, or leave it black to match other elements such as the table base, headboard, etc. I want to maintain a “light” feel inside…

I don’t believe it’ll read as ‘dense’ as shown in the rendering — errrrr, visual noise… (sigh).

The good folks at Peden+Munk snapped a few pics of the house today. They are supar cool and talented. check out their work.

The sofa is back, in bright green.

Had this rocker reupholstered in seafoam. I must be color blind, cuz it looks more teal in the house. The fabric is the same grade as the sofa, warm and scratchy (durable!).

Another rocker. Why so many rocking chairs all of a sudden?? See below.

… beck is prego with twins. Identical boyz!! Supar exciting I tell ya. These guys date back to when beck was a bambina. I’ll post pics of the nursery soon. It’s taking on a vintage smokers lounge. Not sure how that happened.

Let there be light, outside.

We started to plant a few trees now that the deck is just about sorted. The front entrance will feature a mini-grove of arbutus marina trees (strawberry tree).. The evergreens have a nice red bark that will tie in nicely with the fence… drought tolerant and requires little maintenance too (a must-have!). We planted desert museums in the courtyard and north end of the yard… we started with 15 gallons to keep cost down … a little patience is required for these trees to grow. Live in Phoenix? I see ‘em listed on craigslist for free(!).

I picked up a 70s stendig sofa from an estate sale a few weeks back (blue steel compliments of male model ddefenba) — The sofa is coming along nicely, thanks to the professional hands of a highly skilled upholsterer. The original knoll jersey-esque fabric was shot and the foam suspect — I learned that it’s time to replace foam if it flakes off to the touch. I’m super thrilled with the super vibrant green… apologies for the raw pics.