House Hunting: Peeved in the Palisades

Dear God, will we ever find our home? I’m a little frustrated with this one y’all.

It hit the market out of nowhere (inventory is still super slim) and we were stoked to have such a classic specimen of Midcentury Modern architecture perched atop Temescal Canyon. You might recall my earlier fascination with this neighborhood. It’s got that magic feeling that makes us want to live there.

Excitedly, I went to the agent’s open house on Tuesday. Upon initial visit, I wasn’t so sure it would work for us. It represented some of the same challenges as Silver Spring – with only 3 bedrooms and no den. But I talked with the dude about it over the next two days and realized in talking with him, that what we had on our hands with this home and it’s price point (freaking $550K less than Silver Spring), is the opportunity to renovate and one day even expand! This home scored a 48 on the spreadsheet of dreams (our scoring system), but with said expansion, it came in at a whopping 96… That my friends, is an A.

The opportunity to update a Midcentury gets me really excited! It took me a minute to come around, but then I was sold and this was our home. I started shopping for our new Viking Gas Range on Pinterest, picking out exterior paint colors, and flipping through my desktop rolodex for my old friend Barbara Bestor‘s celly.

I emailed the agent to let her know we need another looksee with Señor Heffe in tow.

While I awaited her response, I paired a rustic greyish brown exterior with navy and robin’s egg turquoise accents. I wondered if Barbara Bestor would be available soon after her Lautner project wraps up, and I thought about our expansion along the back wing for an additional bedroom or three. I decided we could reclaim the studio converted garage up top and use the current master as the new den space. I picked out patterned tile for the current baths, and I started an inspiration board for the perfect execution of my Bohemian flavor in this Midcentury Mod decor.

All of this… only to find out that there was an offer deadline, and we were too late.

This wasn’t advertised information, and so I was a little disappointed that this detail wasn’t on our radar. I knew these midcentury homes move fast, but I really felt like we didn’t even get a fair chance to play. But they don’t care, b/c they have 7 offers on the table and will be in escrow before I have had the chance to pick my jaw up off of the floor.

The 1966 house, built by architect Alfred T. Wilkes has three bedrooms, two and a half bathrooms, views of Temescal Canyon, a two-level deck, and a pretty fun yard. It lacks some much needed landscape love and the parking situation leaves a little to be desired. Thogh, there is a garage (with skylights,) but that’s been turned int a studio.  We will never get to see this funny looking honey remodeled into our own. I couldn’t wait to rework the face of that garage. It was starting to shape up real nice in fantasy land.