We are lucky enough to have some really talented friends and even more lucky that sometimes they agree to let us show them off on this blog. Many years ago we showed you my good friend Tracey’s kitchen here. Then we showed you her fun (though bittersweet) Italian-themed goodbye party when they moved from our area (near Washington DC) to Italy a few years back.
Tracey’s husband works for the US government so they get to live some pretty cool places, after 3 years in Rome, they moved to Los Angeles where they have been living for the last two years. I have watched from afar (on social media) as they put their time and energy into a true fixer upper home near LA, one that they pretty much redid from top to bottom.
Once they listed the home for sale to head off to their next overseas assignment, I asked Tracey if it would be ok if we shared their hard work with you all. I am sure you will agree that they did an amazing job making over this historic California cottage. They did most of the work themselves which makes it all that much more to appreciate.
This California tudor style home was built in 1931, above are some of the ‘after’ photos but to really appreciate them, you first have to see the before pictures from when they moved in. As you can see much of the home at that time had not been updated.
A dated stove and cabinetry were just part of it, the house needed new wiring and plumbing in addition to all the aesthetic updates.
Tracey and (especially) Michael are really handy, he did most of the work himself on the weekends, plus Tracey has a great eye for design. The end result is a gorgeous, modern, California-casual home.
Most of the work and I am sure, most of their budget, went into giving the kitchen a complete overhaul. They used budget-friendly IKEA cabinets, got all new appliances and added quartz counters. The end result is amazing.
The back part of the kitchen is ultra-functional, they also made a small pantry into a laundry space and updated the downstairs bathroom.
New paint, new flooring and the updated fireplace make a huge difference in the master bedroom.
They also gutted and made over the master bathroom, again doing most of the work themselves and added a shower where it originally just had a sink and toilet.
Her furniture works perfectly in the neutral home, she made cosmetic updates in the living and dining room and the result is both casual and stylish.
I am pretty sure I recognize that as the marble topped dining table she bought while she lived in Italy, let’s all take a moment to be jealous. I am.
One more cute spot to share, I love the pillows and bedding on this daybed. Their daughter Carolina is currently traveling the world with a skyrocketing modeling career (her pretty face is all over retailers like J.Crew and fashion magazines) and I bet she stays in here when she gets to come home for a visit.
If the inside isn’t enough great space, the outside is perfect for entertaining. They worked on the yard and landscaping and created a perfect outdoor living area.
The house is currently under contract and they have recently (I imagine with some reluctance to leave after all their hard work) departed for their next stint in Pretoria, South Africa. After that I am crossing my fingers they will return to the DC area at some point, but in the meantime you can follow along with Tracey’s adventures on Instagram (@trayccc3).
Thank you so much for letting us share your beautiful home and the results of all your hard work, you did an amazing job!
XO,
Such a beautifully redone home. Tracey really has a knack for decorating. Too bad she didn’t get to enjoy it for long. Looking forward to seeing her next home makeover. Thanks for the great write-up, Amy!
Again Amy, thank you!!!!