If you follow along on Instagram you already know this, but… we bought a house!
After wanting to buy a house for so long, I’m thrilled to say: we closed on a new home. In this wild Southern California market, it feels like a huge win — and honestly, even without the market frenzy I’d be equally excited because it means the start of a ton of projects. We’ve already begun making changes, and I wanted to share the before photos so you can see the current state and what we’re planning.
Our Empty House Tour
The house was built in the 1960s, though most of its original details were removed during a past remodel. It’s not a pristine midcentury time capsule, which is a little disappointing, but the structure is solid. Truthfully, it sits somewhere between a full gut job and a house that’s already been fully renovated. It needs an update, but it’s in good condition.
It’s a three-bedroom, two-bath home with a detached office in the backyard. The property feels private and there are surprise glimpses of the mountains from certain outdoor spots — which adds a little magic to the place.
We’re phasing the renovations to manage costs and timeline. First on the list: a new roof (the existing roof is over 20 years old), new skylights (I’m very excited about these), a phase one kitchen refresh with small but impactful updates, and new hardwood floors. Later phases will include a larger kitchen remodel, both bathroom remodels, window replacements, and more. One long-term dream is to open up the living room to the front porch with a big opening — ideally a bi-fold door — but that will depend on budget and structural feasibility.
Below are the before photos of the interior. I took these quickly to capture the empty house before moving furniture in, so some shots are a bit rushed, but they give a clear sense of the layout and condition.
Living Room
When you enter through the front door you walk right into the living room. There’s no formal entryway or hallway since the house is on the smaller side. I like the immediacy of the space even though I would have appreciated a bit more room upon entry.
The fireplace makes a strong statement as soon as you walk in, but it’s clad in ledger rock — not my personal favorite — and it, together with the gray LVP flooring throughout the house, gives the room a cool-gray feel I plan to change. We’ll replace the floors down the line and update the fireplace, but for now I’ll likely paint the fireplace to warm the space until we can make more substantial changes.
The living room windows are large and let in a lot of light, but they’re original and will need replacement eventually. Our bigger vision for this area is to create a much stronger indoor-outdoor connection. Ideally we’d install a long bi-fold (accordion) door that spans most of the window wall — a project that would require structural work and a significant investment. If that proves too big for now, a more affordable compromise would be installing double doors in place of the current windows. Either way, opening up this wall could dramatically transform the room.
Kitchen
The kitchen sits to the right of the front door and feels tucked away and enclosed. I want to make it feel more open without necessarily removing the wall that separates it from the living room. I’ve gone back and forth on whether to take that wall down entirely; because the kitchen footprint is modest, keeping some distinction between the two spaces feels practical. Even a short four-foot wall that separates them could be helpful.
The kitchen will be the first space to get a makeover. We’ve already started some small changes and I’ll share detailed plans in a separate post. In time I hope to expand and fully remodel this kitchen, but for now the focus is on quick wins that improve function and style.
Dining Room
I didn’t capture many great photos of the dining area, but it’s visible from the kitchen and living room. A sliding door leads out to the backyard, and the space can comfortably fit a small to medium dining table. The room is cozy and will be an easy spot to style and personalize.
Primary Bedroom
The primary bedroom’s best feature is the large double doors that open to the outside. Flanking side windows swing open like doors, which is a charming detail. The room is a bit compact, but the doors help the space feel more open and connected to the yard.
One unusual layout quirk is that the primary bedroom opens directly off the living room. At first that bothered me, but after living here a short while I’ve grown used to the arrangement. Every home has its quirks, and this is one we can work with.
Hayes’ Room and Guest Bedroom
The two secondary bedrooms have similar layouts. Hayes’ room is slightly smaller than the guest room, but both have decent-sized windows and ceiling fans. They’re straightforward, functional rooms that will be easy to update with paint, new floors, and simple styling.
Bathrooms
There are two bathrooms: an en suite connected to the primary bedroom and a second bathroom between the other bedrooms for Hayes and guests. Both bathrooms will need significant updates. I’m eager to renovate them, but they’re not top priority at the moment — those projects will come after we complete the initial roof, skylights, kitchen, and flooring work.
Detached Office
The detached office in the backyard was a major selling point. With both Jeff and I working from home and a toddler in the house, an extra dedicated workspace made the layout feel much more manageable. This space will primarily be Jeff’s office since he has frequent meetings, but we plan to include a sofa so it can double as a casual lounge where we can all relax after work.
Renovation Sneak Peeks
I’ll share in-depth plans and progress updates room-by-room as we remodel and decorate. The kitchen is already underway, so expect posts about that soon. I’ve also been posting frequent progress updates and short clips on Instagram, including highlights labeled “kitchen reno 1” if you want quick sneak peeks.
Video Tour
I also posted a video walkthrough of the interior and backyard on Instagram. If you prefer a moving tour of the layout, check out the clip titled “empty house tour of our 60s home” on my profile.
P.S. This is our second home purchase, but the buying process felt familiar and surprisingly time-consuming — all the paperwork, pre-approvals, and employment verifications felt like a throwback to first-time buyer stress. If you’re in the middle of buying a house right now: I feel you. It’s long and frustrating at times, but once you close and start making the space your own, the hassles fade into the background — somewhat like having a baby. We’re excited to keep sharing the journey as the house transforms.