Dreamy Eclectic Kitchen Remodel-Before and After

Today is the day! I have posted bits and pieces of this insane remodel when it was still in the process of being finished, so of course, couldn't give away toooo much. It was so good I wanted the full reveal to be a surprise because it's that AMAZING. 

My brother is a general contractor and my sister in law is the most creative person with super fun and eclectic taste. One amazing thing about the two of them together is that Jeff and Kelli are inspired by many of the same things and are into interiors with lots of character that are anything but typical. You can understand why I am so obsessed with their taste and this new remodel! I love modernized versions of eclectic and retro styles. The modern lines paired with eclectic details like colorful marble tiles, unique lighting, and brass details, for example, create an artistic and unique interior that still feels updated and hip.

I could go on and on but I think you just really need to see these before and after pictures because that's why you're here. It truly is nothing short of DREAM INTERIOR AMAZINGNESS!

BEFORE

My brother and sister bought this house from my grandparents and up until this point, this is how it's always looked. Super old school lay out with old appliances and basic finishes. I honestly couldn't even imagine or comprehend how gorgeous and different it could look. 

My brother has this special gift of being able to imagine any layout and really come to conclusions fast about what layouts will look and function best. He has a contractors eye and on top of that, he has impeccable taste and truly is a rennaisance man! He knows how to do EVERYTHING from electrical to tile cutting to furniture building. Every womans dream when it comes to getting crap done around the house, am I right? (Does it sound weird that I am saying that about my brother....I just mean he's super handy to have around!) He did the entire remodel himself and didn't hire any subs (sub contractors) except for the cabinet maker.  My sister in law/ bestie for life designed all the details (not to mention took care of their 3 kids under 5 without a kitchen for two months while Jeff worked day and night!) with him and together they have created the most gorgeous, dreamy, and unique kitchen I have ever seen in person. I know they spent a fraction of the price because Jeff cut his own tile and did so much himself, so if you're thinking this kitchen looks expensive, it would be for you and I!  I'm so impressed with their resourcefulness and drive to get their dream kitchen without shelling out a ton of money. 

Okay, enough talking. Let's see the full reveal!

Drumroll please.....

AFTER

I am loving all this colored marble paired with flat panel wood cabinets that are a modern take on the midcentury cabinets of the past. The brass hardware is so warm and luxe and I'm just dying over the wall of black marble with white veins throughout.

My brother paneled the fridge to match the cabinets. I looooove a paneled refrigerator.

YES, just yes.

WINDOW SILL GOALS....I am dying over the attention to detail. So Kelly Wearstler! I just love so much!

Do you guys see what I mean now when I say it's just GORGEOUS? It is just perfection to me because its so unique and J&K weren't afraid to take risks. There is nothing boring about this kitchen but it's also not all over the place. It is completely styled with a point of view and recurring colors and patterns to pull everything together cohesively. I. LOVE.IT.

I'd love to know what you guys think. Let me know what your thoughts are in the comments below! And, if you have questions or want to contact Jeff for projects, email me for his info. Thanks guys and see you Wednesday!

xo,Kim

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Our Redondo Beach Midcentury Exterior Makeover- Before and After

Happy Friday all!

As many of you know if you follow along on Instagram, Chay and I have moved around quite a bit over the last 3 years. We love to change things up and before we have kids we are trying to be intentional about exploring places that we may want to settle down in and our most recent move brought us to Redondo Beach.

Why Redondo? I am from The Southbay, specifically Palos Verdes, and this is home for us and where most of my family lives. It's also very close to Chay's office. We moved from Echo Park, where we lived in our first home for just shy of a year! We loved it so much but saw a great opportunity to get a great deal on a home in a beautiful (albeit quiet and maybe a bit slow paced for my taste) beach town that will be a great investment whether or not we decide to sell or stay. It is minutes from family and friends and felt like a good idea to try and see how we like it!

Well, as many of you know if you are looking into purchasing a home,  beach cities don't give you quite the same bang for your buck as cities more inland. We knew if we bought this house we needed to do some work on the aesthetics like finishes, floors, and cabinetry etc, but the bones and layout are great!

It's a midcentury open floor plan with a flat roofline and beamed ceilings. The inside needs a good amount of updating, but we thought why not give the exterior a quick and affordable makeover as we wait for the right time to remodel or sell! I know we just moved here, but were not really the type that feels tied to any home/decision if we're not in love with it. Sooo we're just giving it some time to see if it's a home that we want to pour our time/energy/hearts into, or if another area is where we would rather be. We knew we would be adding some value for minimal cost, and knew the refacing and actual future exterior wouldn't make any sense to do now and pour money into just yet.

So lets check out the before photos!

BEFORE

notice the cypress trees to the far left of the photo. There were 2o at 50 feet high! Ugh!

So not into the color scheme here! Its fine and cute and way better than it used to be even a few years prior, but still just kinda blah and like its trying too hard to look "midcentury".

We decided to just paint the bright white glossy trim (that I hated) a charcoal black color to have a more modern feeling with the dark grey color of the house as a way to be monochromatic and less "beachy". Our front door was a bright neon orange as an attempt from the previous realtors to make the house look stereotypical Midcentury but it wasn't the right orange color for a statement front door! We painted that charcoal as well as the basic factory garage door. WHAT A DIFFERENCE!!

To really spice things up we tore out the 20(!!!!) 50 foot tall Cypress trees (you know the really skinny and tall pine tree looking trees with spiders and rats living inside?), some small random tree with red berries on it, a ton of grass and random landscape the previous owners slapped on the lawn before they sold. 

I wanted easy to maintain desert landscape in all monochromatic greens and blues. I love being in The Desert and love how clean and chic desert landscape looks in front of a midcentury home. I picked about 5 types of succulents without going too crazy because that can end up looking over the top and almost dirty with too many variations (do you know what I mean? Like the people with a thousand types of plants in their yard with no theme at all or plan, just a crazy mess of plants and weeds). We added some modern pavers with black Mexican beach rock in between and called it a day! (Well it took two weeks hahaha but you know what I am saying!)

Now for the after pics!

after

With a little paint in a more modern color  (we used Farrow and Balls "Railings" and color matched it!) and new landscape, I think the house looks more clean and polished than it did when we moved in. I'm super happy with the results to buy us some time to figure out what we wanna do! Do you guys have any tips for afforable curb appeal? Id love to know. Leave a comment with your ideas!

xo, Kim

The 5 Things You Need to Host A Successful Party

Hi Everyone!

So something you may not know about me unless you are one of my friends is that I love to host get-togethers. It can be a girls night with just a couple friends, or a birthday party with 20-30 people. I am no expert on event planning, but I love to welcome people into my home and create a comforting and warm atmosphere so that everyone feels comfortable and has fun.

I also think holding get-togethers (do I sound old saying get- togethers?) or inviting people over is also a great excuse to get those projects for your house or apartment that you have been putting off into action! Just sayin'. Maybe throw a party and you'll finally get those pictures hung or floors redone!

Anyways,I know for many, the idea of hosting something can seem daunting because you might not innately be interested in decor or cooking or presentation. I list these things because we all know someone in our circle that seems to do all of these things well! My twin sister is so good at all the details that it takes to throw a gorgeous and welcoming event. No pressure! Lol. She has taught me so much!

I thought I'd share my little cheat sheet on the short list I created for myself to make things look good, taste good, while still being easy on the prep side as well as share the other aspects like decor that I always go back to to make things easy. Also, I left off alcohol because everyone has their preference. But I have to say, if you love cocktails, Pinterest a fresh cocktail recipe and prep in advance. If you are into wine, a few reds and whites should cover it. I always count on two glasses per person and do the math on how many bottles I need because some people drink more and some don't drink at all. Always have a little more for good measure and if you live in LA, K&L Wines and Silverlake Wine has amazing selections! 

5 things you need to throw a good party:

1. A (Beautiful) Cheeseboard- It goes a long way and if you assemble with care and add a few cute touches like dried fruits, rosemary sprigs, and display on some sort of pretty tray or rustic cheeseboard, it can be a centerpiece to the table! We make huge ones for our parties and I have copied pictures from pinterest and it ends up looking great! My sister is Queen of the cheeseboard. We go to Trader Joes a lot of the time and get all the ingredients there! Sometimes I go to Whole Foods if I want it to be extra fancy but for the most part, Trader Joes or a quality store will have all you need.

2. Candles- I always like to set a mood at my home because I want people to walk in and feel at ease. I do this in the most simple way by lighting candles in the bathrooms, entry, and main room where people will be hanging out. In the entry and bath, I use scented candles (Anthropologie, Diptyque, Trapp, or P.F. Candle Co.  are my faves and are made with good quaity wax so they dont smell too much and give me a headache). I always try and use white non scented near the food or in the main area so the soft light sets a nice mood without overpowering the smell of the food.

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3. Music- A party without music just tends to feel boring and awkward. I hate to say it because everyone can be having a great time without it, but having the background music creates an atmosphere that feels special, festive, creats fluidity. I sometimes feel stuck in a conversation if its too quiet, even if the conversation has taken its course and ended naturally. For some reason it just makes it or awkward to move on. Music is a welcomed distraction and soundtrack in social settings, so I always love to have it on low in the background. My favorites are Bossa Nova, Classical Jazz, or in the rare occasion people are wanting to get rowdy (which never happens), a playlist of something modern and new from pop artists.

4. Decor- This area tends to be the easiest for me because I love interior design and have eclectic style, so my house usually has some design to it already. When I throw a party though, I like to add twinkly lights for atmosphere, greenery and flowers to soften things and make the house feel finished and pulled together. I literally go to Trader Joes (again) and buy their flowers and greenery to spread across my table, consoles, and put flowers in a few vases. I prefer all green monochromatic plants if possible to look more wild and lush. 

5. Entree Salad- Okay this might seem strange to make this a must, but I swear by entree salads to go a long way when it comes to feeding your guests. I am the QUEEN of salad making. I have been eating healthy for years because I have always wanted to stay in shape for modeling, so I had to get creative. Salads are also easy to make, take very little time and feed lots of people. I always include filling ingredients that have lots of flavor as well so people think they are eating something unhealthy and rich when in reality most of the ingredients are clean and nutritious. Put the salad in a beautiful big bowl, I use a large low and wide white bowl from Crate and barrel with pretty salad utensils to make it look that much prettier.

 P.S. I have a formula for always making popular salads again and again with different ingredients. For that Cheat sheet and grocery list example, just subscribe to the blog below and the pdf. will be sent to your inbox!

I really focus on this clear and easy  list to make any party I hold seem doable and less stressful. As long as I can focus on small tasks, I wont get overwhelmed when I have people over. I hope this helps make hosting a party a little bit easier for you, and if you have any suggestions, I would love to know. Leave them in the comments below! 

xo, Kim

London Hotel Roundup

Chiltern Firehouse

Marylebone- Brick townhomes and apartments that used to be mansions. I mean, how amazing would it be to live in one of these gorgeous homes?

A little about Marylebone 

Okay, so we were in London a couple weeks ago and happened to get really  lucky when booking our hotel! Its hard to know which hotels to stay in because sometimes places look different in person, and the vibe is always hard to tell until you're there. We loved staying  in the calm but very hip Marylebone area (near Mayfair) where the restaurant and shopping scenes are very quaint and charming but still super cool with curated shops anyone would love. We felt tucked away, yet were still blocks from the craze of Oxford St. with mass market shops and tourists.  It feels like what you would imagine a cozy London town to feel like with the Holiday decor up on every street post, twinkly bistro lights in every restaurant window, and EVERY SINGLE doorway and "apartment" (or townhouse mansion?) building bordered in ornate moldings and brick. It's GORGEOUS! 

I rounded up hotels that I would want to stay at the next time I'm in town based on the most important criteria, at least to me...aesthetics. I am in love with interiors, as most of you know if you follow me on insta, so of course kept my eyes and ears peeled for some gorgeous and hip hotels you would definitly want to visit.

5 Gorgeous (and Hip Hotels) in london -

Here are 5 Hotels that are SO GORGEOUS with great vibes and an awesomely hip and beautiful interior (and of course great for the gram).

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1. Chiltern Firehouse (Marylebone)- We will for sure stay here next time we come! This hotel is equal parts cool, vibey, aesthetically pleasing from floor to ceiling, and with a great bar and restaurant! We came for dinner one night and LOVED everything. The interiors are full of cool textiles, furniture, gorgeous marble and very hip people, just sayin'. This hotel is the first outpost for hip Hotelier Jose Balazs ( of Chateau Marmont among others). GO.

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2. The Marylebone (Marylebone)- This hotel is great for a boutique hotel, tucked away down a quiet but quaint and beautiful side street. The interior from the bar area, lobby (with tons of seating to do work in a beautiful and chic setting), hotel restaurant (108 Brasserie), and Gym and Spa area are amazing. There is marble, crown molding, wood paneling, and gorgeous overstuffed velvet furniture throughout the hotel making it super aesthetically pleasing! One note to mention would be to request a new room as it is newly remodeled, but only half the rooms got the update. The location of this hotel is ideal, smack in the middle of high street, a great shopping area. 

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3. Ham Yard Hotel (Soho)- The location of this hip and gorgeously designed hotel is in the middle of Soho, putting you close to everything that you would want to see in London. Everything in central London is convenient to the rest of the city, but this puts you even closer to attractions. The hotels design by Kit Kemp is AHHHMAZING. Everything she touches turns to cool + this hotel has a bowling alley and gorgeous bar. Very fun.

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4. Zetter Townhouse- The location of this gorgeous boutique hotel is in Marlyebone, the area we just stayed in and LOVED! The hotel is warm and charming with a fun eclectic feel and a really great interior. I love the bar area, called "Seymours Parlour" at the Marlyebone location (there are two!). So even if youre not staying here, have a drink with a friend to check it out for yourself!

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5. London Edition- This hotel is just COOL. Super modern, chic, and polished, I loved how the hotel has such character but yet feels modernized. It feels different from just an old school London hotel. It is just beautiful and has a Michelin starred chef in their restaurant as well, so foodies would love this place! You can't go wrong here as its centrally located in Fitzrovia on the edge of Soho. Definiltely worth a visit regardless. 

I'd love to know which hotels or attractions you love while in London for my next trip. If you have suggestions or questions, feel free to leave them in the comments below!

xo, Kim

New Obsession: Black Painted Houses

It's Tuesday people! So what better way to ring in the day after Monday then to talk about my favorite new trend. This week (and for the last few months really...) I have been dreaming about and searching for homes with black or charcoal exteriors. I have also noticed interior designers and architects like Barbara Bestor and Amber Interiors loving and posting projects with black exteriors as well! They are getting more and more attention and for good reason.They are edgy, fun, modern, and they truly stand out, yet are also neutral at the same time.

My last house in Echo Park was black and I absolutely loved it. It was super cool and I was so proud of it (although it was a new build so I had no input, I just felt cool because we were the owners lol) ! Up until this point, when I dreamed about my future home, I always thought I wanted a white house with black trim (and of course I will always love that classic and popular combination because it is stunning and sleek). After living in it for the short year we were there, I fell in love and really wanted our next home to eventually have that dark and modern feel. We moved into our new house in Redondo Beach (because my husbands job was much closer to this home) which unfortunately is nothing like Echo Park in design or sleekness. It's a grey mid century home with white trim that is close to the beach but far from style. I don't know if I sound like a brat but I really don't care. Facts are facts. This house needs work! (I will be posting more on the transformation as we get closer) One of the main things I cannot wait for is for the house to be re-stuccoed and painted black, but for now we are going to stick with monochrome colors since the house is already dark grey. We plan on giving it a face lift with new plants and painting the white trim (which comes off as beachy and traditional, not my thing) a dark charcoal. As I have been researching colors, I have compiled my favorite black homes that are popping up all over Pinterest for my own Inspo! Take a look at these gorgeous black homes!

All images taken from my Pinterest

How pretty are these homes? Are you a believer yet? I just LOVE how the plants POP! against the black backdrop. So gorgeous! I cannot wait to paint our home and see how it all comes together! What do you guys think about a black exterior? Super Sleek or a little too dark for your taste? Let me know in the comments below!

xo,

Kim

Gallery Wall Hack That Saves $$

Hi ladies,

Happy Friday! Its been a super fun week in my life as many of you know who follow me on insta. I turned 30 on Wednesday and have been living it up and milking this birthday thing for as many days as I can get away with! We also just got back from our staycation with my family where we stayed at The London hotel for two nights and it was a blast. 

But enough about my birthday, lets talk prints.  I have been working on my print and framing game lately to spruce up the big white walls of the new DTLA project. I am a huge lover of art and photography on the walls to create a truly authentic space, and prints allow me to do that for much less than custom art would. I always love to save money wherever I can to create unique looks and spaces for less, but don’t want anything to look “DIY”.  That super home made look sometimes feels cheesy to me if not done well.  However, how are you supposed to have a fun and custom gallery wall without spending an arm and a leg on costly prints and photos? Is there a cheaper way to have a gorgeous pop of color in your home through art without spending hundreds or thousands over time? Yes there totally is. The answer is in coffee table books. Their pages are thick, glossy, and high quality, so why not carefully remove pages of our favorite books to frame and see them all the time?  The price of one coffee table book is equivalent to one medium size print on One Kings Lane or Urban Outfitters at about $80. For that price,  I’ve been able to get at least 10 high quality prints that I have hung in our Redondo Beach home and Palm Springs, and now Downtown Los Angeles.  This approach has saved me so much money! Here’s the simple step by step guide I use:

1.     Figure out the type of prints you want in your space. Retro? Black and White? Photograpyh? Illustration?

2.     If you don’t already know, research coffee table books for the category you want. I love Slim Aarons and have his books, so this was a no brainer for me. I wanted vintage photos with retro colors to brighten up my space. I also wanted black and white photos, so used my Chanel coffee table book.

3.     Once you have the book (s), bookmark pages you love with full page images. Make sure the back isn’t important since the page will be coming out.

4.     Use an exacto knife to carefully and precisely remove the pages you want framed.

5.     Measure the pages to know what size frames to get. I love these Target ones for a great price and good quality. Ikea also has some great frames for less.

6.     Once your images are framed, you can use painters blue tape to create a measured area to represent your wall. Lay the frames on the ground and play around with the arrangement until you find one you love.

7.     Now you hang! I have my hubby do this because I end up just throwing nails in the wall and my prints always end up crooked. Use a leveler and recreate the arrangement you just did on the floor . Voila! Your house looks amazing.

Have you guys tried coffee table books in the past for quality prints? Which books do you love for images? I'd love to know! 

xo, Kim

p.s. my favorite so far is this Slim Aarons book below. You can buy directly from Amazon. The images are awesome!

Slim Aarons: Women

$52.88

By Laura Hawk

Buy on Amazon