The Lone Sentinel

The first time I ever saw this house I was 15 and on the way to the Santa Ana DMV to get my driving permit. It is the last of the great houses on 4th Street and is surrounded by low-slung office buildings. However, I was able to dig up some archival images of the house when it was in its prime.

I've always found awnings somewhat romantic in a Parisian cafe sort of way. Even though 1920's Santa Ana was a far cry from Parisian cafe society, I'm sure those awnings would have been in constant use from June through September to shield the occupants from the heat oppressive summer heat. After all if the oranges and the irrigation that came along with those orange trees hadn't come along, all of Orange County would be barren scrub land.

I love the incongruous feeling that 1920's mansions exude. This house has an "Italian" facade, a Jacobean ceiling, heavy English paneling, and a Craftsman tiled fireplace. Each room has its own character and reflects the financial success of the owner.

The exterior is basically unchanged but I can only imagine what these interiors look like now.

Happy 4th of July

I hope everyone has a great day going from BBQ to BBQ!

A Connecticut Sojourn

Located in Stamford, Connecticut is a small, green community named Windermere on the Lake. This community is built around several small lakes and features a very crisp take on the English Arts & Crafts style.

Homes in this community start at $2,100,000 and go up from there. Even though there are only four plans to choose from, I am alright with the tract-y-ness. I am only assuming that the typical tract house in Connecticut is typically "colonial" in style and I applaud the developer of Windermere for choosing a more distinct architectural form.

The Gilded Cage

Yesterday, I was in one of my sartorial moods and I found these pictures of sheer perfection.

Freja Beha and Mathias Lauridsen star in this Vogue Italia spread that seems to portray the disintegration and the role reversals that appear in this glamorous relationship.

Let's also take a look at the beautiful interiors. I certainly would not decorate my house this way, but I do find something romantic about the high gloss, the Art Deco elements, and the plush upholstery.

"God did punish him, and deliver him into the hands of a woman."

Judith 16:7

The Helmet House

Today I am proud to share a house that my family has christened "the Marvin Martian House." My family has walked past this home located on South Bayfront on Balboa Island countless times and we have always likened it to Marvin Martian's helmet.

The resemblance is uncanny! The real estate listing says that this home was built in 1980 but this home definitely has a groovy feeling. It appears that all the furniture has been removed and replaced with psychedelic furniture. While not exactly the most fashionable house on the block, whenever I see it i feel like I am at home.

In Plain Sight

About a month ago I was driving down the street and I saw that a For Sale sign was located in front of a house that has always intrigued me. This house has a garage that is precariously perched on the street but the house is only accessible through its long driveway.

Today I was just trawling through all my real estate websites and then I read it. That house i just described belongs to Mike Ness of the band Social Distortion. Ok, I'm not a big fan of theirs but to find out that a verifiable rock star lives in a house that I drove past basically everyday is mind boggling!

Built back in 1924, it's a shame that Mr. Ness was not able to retain any of the original details when he did this callous remodeling project. I assume that the pillar and beam running across the ceiling mark the original exterior wall and that the arches were originally part of a terrace.

The kitchen is the only part of the house to offer any architectural interest. I love that rounded ceiling, but my praises unfortunately end there.

This home must originally have been an outdoor lovers paradise. The evidence of the two story wrap around porch is clearly visible and thinly masked by the walls of picture windows. Oh, the lifestyles of the rich and the famous... This "custom vintage home" can be all yours for $2.1 million. I hope it isn't sad to say that I view this house as a fixer-upper, after all it needs to be restored to its original 1920's grandeur.

The Guest House

This beautiful little building, located on my favorite island ever (Balboa Island), sits on prime South Bayfront Drive. This prime example of a fun and functional home is really the complimentary guesthouse for the house next door. The owners of these lots own the most coveted and rare possessions on all of Balboa, a grassy front yard.

Normally I'm not a huge fan of the whole nautical motif, such as the shells carved into the fireplace mantel and carved into the tops of the china display cases. But I can make an exception when you have sailboats anchored right outside your window.

The main house is on the left and let me just say that the crisp white trim is perfection! Both buildings are painted the same cool colors and have the same slate roofing. To top it all off the owners have their own private dock. Ah, just another day on the island!