We did it! Finished bathroom and kitchen!

We finally did it! The bathroom and kitchen are finished and construction is done at the new house. Hoooooraaaaaay! The bathroom was actually finished a while ago, but I haven't gotten around to posting about it. Here are the pics:

Bathroom Before: 

Bathroom After! 

For both the kitchen and bath, I wanted to make upgrades that would add value to the house for resale, that I could enjoy immediately. I wanted to make things modern but in keeping with the vintage feel of the house.

In the bathroom, we took out all the fixtures and put in a new tub, toilet, vanity, and medicine cabinet. We used a carerra marble hexagonal tile and white ceramic subway tile. We also enlarged the window and added a recessed cubby for toiletries. The new tub is great for soaking and we have a super shower head. The vanity has lots of a storage and a beautiful marble top, and the medicine cabinet is mirrored on the inside which adds even more opportunity to preen. I love it!

Kitchen Before: Nothing totally horrible or non-functioning, just kind of sad and blah.

Kitchen After!

We replaced the lower cabinets with Ikea kitchen cabinets (another post about that ordeal to follow later) but kept the upper cabinets which were original to the house. I was worried about the contrast, but I think it works. I chose caesarstone countertops in Frosty Carrina, and it looks like marble but is more durable. I shelled out a few extra bucks for drawer pulls from Restoration Hardware, and got the RH knobs from my contractor from another job. The biggest splurge was the range - a Thermador dual fuel range. Since most of my time at home is spent in the kitchen, I thought it was worth it.  Plus they threw i a free dishwasher (a deal from Absolute Appliances). I also got a KitchenAid fridge, a new hood, and an Ikea farmhouse sink.

And the tile behind the sink? That is a cement tile that I picked out despite not wanting to add more gray to the house. But I just fell in love with it. Over the counters we used white subway tile since there wasn't enough room for the cement tiles. I worried the space would feel disjointed, but I think the matching cabinets by the stove and the fridge tie it all together. I also got a bonus custom-made wine rack thrown in.

There's still plenty of work to do on the house, but the two most important areas are done. I'm going to pick out some new light fixtures and do some accessorizing, but construction is finished. Two months later, I've unpacked all my kitchen boxes and can start cooking up a storm. Get ready for some more food posts!

Of course, Mimi didn't "Do it herself" this time. My contractor, Todd Segal, did a great job both with installation and design advice, with budget friendly solutions. I found him through an article in the LA Times, he was local to Highland Park, and he's a fellow New Englander. Now that my job is finished, I can share him with the world. Thanks Todd! 

And thanks to my "DH" (dear housemate), who put up with construction, was a great help, and put up with my crankiness. Thanks friend!

Highland Park Hideaway

I've been in the house 1 week now and am loving it. Despite the stress of my poor sick Puppy, it's been a great week in the new house. I get lots of natural light in the morning and wake up to the sounds of birds chirping. It's cute but a little annoying at 5:30AM, but better than the helicopter and highway traffic which I used to hear. The house is in shambles because of the construction and there's dust everywhere, so I haven't even unpacked. But I still love my little house, vegging in front of the tv with Puppy, and exploring the neighborhood.

Highland Park is AWESOME. When I decided to move here, I had no idea where or what it was. It is a very cool, funky neighborhood which has become a benchmark in LA for rapid gentrification (which I guess includes me now). There was a lot of plaid. It was featured on NPR's Marketplace last year when they set up a storefront in the neighborhood to track the progress of gentrification. Economics and politics aside, I love it! It feels like a community where people know each other, it's ethnically diverse (11% Asians!), it's close to downtown and Pasadena, and it has less of the urban sprawl feel that most of LA has. It's a little gritty, but it has character, much like the neighborhoods I've lived in before (which all skyrocketed in real estate price after I left. You're welcome).

And most importantly, HP has great food. Already I've found my favorite huarache and burrito place, a great pizza place, and a boozey cocktail bar with a great patio. All within strolling distance. What more could a girl need? A Korean restaurant or ramen shop would be nice, but hey, I can't get too spoiled. Not when I have these tacos right next door...

 And a fun little fact about Highland Park: fashion megastore Forever 21 started right here. It actually started as "Fashion 21" and you can still visit the original location on Figueroa Street.

While I don't support their labor practices, or skimpy clothing, it's funny to see their origins right here.