This update is long overdue — we actually moved a month ago. If you don’t follow along on Instagram, here’s the news: we moved to California last month.
When we arrived, the property was still partially under construction. It’s been a bit of a wild ride so far, but we’re settling in and starting to make the place feel like home.
Below are the before photos of our rental, an explanation of why we moved, and an overview of what’s happening with the renovations and decorating plans.
I’ve been posting progress on Instagram, so if you’re curious for frequent video updates, check out @paperandstitch in stories.
The dining room photo above is from after our things arrived — finally time to decorate.
Here’s the full story…
First, this is a rental — we did not buy the house. The back house and yard were completely gutted when we signed the lease, which felt a little crazy at the time.
Scroll down to the before shots to see how far along the exterior demolition was when we first saw it.
It was a risk to move into a place mid-renovation, but we decided to go for it. I’m still unsure how it will all settle, though once the construction is complete and we can use the backyard and back house, I expect it will feel much less risky.
The construction work is focused on converting the former garage into an ADU (accessory dwelling unit), which is a separate, rentable dwelling on the same lot as the main house. ADU conversions are very common in LA because of the ongoing housing demand, but it felt unfamiliar at first.
When we viewed the property, the backyard was torn up for plumbing and gas work for the ADU, the back fence was falling down, and the layout would have put a neighbor’s unit very close to where our toddler would play — definitely not ideal. We seriously considered renting both the main house and the ADU to avoid sharing the yard with a stranger and to gain more space for working from home.
We actually had another rental in mind that we applied for and didn’t get, which is how we circled back to this place. Ultimately it checked enough boxes: a backyard, enough workspace for both of us, and a good neighborhood. We negotiated to rent both units even though the ADU was at the framing stage — no floors, drywall, or windows yet.
Did it feel like the perfect fit? Not exactly. Would I change a million things if we owned it? Absolutely. But it’s a rental, and for now it works. My plan is to make only minor, temporary changes where possible and treat the rest as a decorating challenge.
Why did we move?
There are many reasons, but the biggest is family. I’m originally from California (not LA — I was born in Stockton) and have wanted to move back for years. Jeff also lived in California briefly as a child. Once we had a child, moving closer to family became more appealing. Most of our family is in California and Florida, and after trying to make Florida (Jacksonville) work for a long while — including a year in Washington and then returning to Jacksonville — we decided California is a better fit for now.
My mom lives within driving distance and can help with Hayes, and we already know a few friends here, which makes settling in so much easier. There are other reasons too, but family was the decisive factor.
Before photos — the main house
Below are the before photos of the main house. The entryway and living room are shown first. That large black box mounted on the wall is an electric fireplace; it was easy to remove.
To the right of the living room is the dining room, and to the left is the kitchen. The kitchen is a bit dated — the counters and faucet have been updated and the cabinets were painted, but the overall layout and feel remain unchanged. If we owned the house, I’d likely open up the living room, reconfigure the kitchen with new cabinets and appliances, add open shelving, and bring in more light with a larger window or skylight.
The bedrooms photos below were taken after we moved in but before our furniture arrived, which is why you see an air mattress and a temporary crib. The bedrooms have premium vinyl flooring and mirrored sliding closet doors. Our bedroom is fairly large; Hayes’ room is a little smaller than his previous room but works well for him.
The two bathrooms in the main house look similar. I’d like to remove the heavy lighted mirrors temporarily to change the look, but because they’re built-in and heavy, that will be a challenge. If you have ideas for easy, temporary bathroom updates in a rental, I’d love suggestions.
The third bedroom will become our family room. It gets the best light during the day, has a sliding door to the backyard, and will be a cozy spot to relax once the yard is usable. There’s a small wall-mounted stove unit that we’ll remove and store for the duration of our lease to make the room more functional.
The backyard and the ADU
These photos show the backyard and the back house (ADU) as they looked before and when we first moved in. The fence was missing and the yard was mostly dirt with construction debris. Since then, the fence has been replaced and many of the construction materials were cleared before our move-in. There’s still some construction left, but it’s winding down.
When we first toured the property in February, the ADU was just framed out — no interior finishes yet. The photos show the initial framing and concrete floors. It’s come a long way since then; I’ll share progress photos separately once the project is further along.
If you don’t want to wait for the next post, I’ve been sharing progress on Instagram stories. For now, that’s all the before photos — I’m excited to finish decorating and share updates as we go.
If you have questions or temporary decor suggestions for rentals, let me know — I’d love to hear your ideas.