A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood

Welcome to Newport Beach

Many of the blogs that I like to read are dedicated to houses, design and architecture.  It is always really interesting to see how other people in America live and how they view their neighborhoods.  Joni Webb of Cote de Texas blog fame does a great job of that.  I really get a sense of what Houston is like from her photos and her posts about the city where she lives.

I thought I would give you a little walking tour of my neighborhood in California.  It is very close to the beach and to Pacific Coast Highway;  both of which can be good and bad depending on your point of view.


This is an area of transition.  What was once a small enclave of rather indistinguishable mid-century beach houses is now an affluent and ever changing  mix of styles of architecture.  Many of the newer homes are massive and seem to sort of overwhelm the lots and some of the smaller homes nearby.  An ocean view is the goal of many homebuyers and with that comes a lot of "stuff"  that can change the feel of small city.
  

Here is the front door of my house.  It was originally a small 2 bedroom, built in the late 40's, renovated twice and finally purchased by us "hubby & I" in 2007.  We have a lot of trees in the front yard and a nice welcoming porch.  This is pretty much the extent of our yard but we now have our house on Ojai which will be a never ending source of yard work and sunburned shoulders.

Above is the house directly next door to us.  It was completed about 6 months ago and is pretty typical of the custom homes that are being built.  It is a mix of styles and fits nicely on the lot.  Much of the interior is contemporary which I think is a nice juxtaposition to the architecture.

The house above is a wonderful example of transitional architecture.  It is a mix of New Orleans, Cape Cod and Urban Farmhouse.  This photo is not the best but it gives you a look at the way the porches wrap around.  Really pretty!

Another house just down the street is a classic California Spanish Colonial style.  It is very clean with deep punched windows and very little in the way of adornment.  It also bosts an incredible ocean view.

Here is a nice fixer on the ocean front side of the street currently for sale.  Email me if you want the price...its to scary to even share.  But it has a forever view of the pacific just beyond the garage and there are not many of those left in this area.

Heres a little cutie in an updated Craftsman style.
I love the colors they chose for the paint and trim.  It is really well balanced and fits so nicely in this neighborhood.

Brand new construction, just completed.  This was designed by a well known architect in the area.  The house is really pretty but I'm just not feeling the pinkish stucco and it seems really heavy on the stone, brick , etc.

A few more examples of the mix of architecture.  Because the land is so pricey one can justify just about any style of architecture and expense.  The house above is really beautiful but does not have an ocean view.

This is a home currently under construction (two and a half years!!!) and will be finished soon, we hope. It sits on three lots and is made of recycled barn wood, vintage roof tile and massive stone walls.  My photos do not even begin to capture this amazing house.  I will be surprised if it is not already slated for publication in numerous magazines.  It also sits directly across from the ocean.

And just next door is this ocean front classic!!!  It has port hole windows and all the things that that a true 50's stucco beach house should have,  including the same view as the home above!

I almost forgot to show you the view........

So here we are back at my house.  My dog Millie enjoyed her walk.  Hope you found this little home tour fun and inspiring!!  ~*~kelley