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[NOTE: The above night-time image of our home was taken when it was still a model.] Angie Taylor is the Woodbridge Sales Agent who helped us in many, MANY ways to make the major decision to purchase one of the four original model homes in Ivy Gate...which came complete with all existing furniture, artwork, and landscaping! |
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We closed escrow on our new home 28 AUG 2007 and moved into the residence on 4 SEPT. To say that we spent a number of sleepless nights weighing the pros & cons of moving up to this size of home prior to signing the Purchase Agreement and Loan Documents would be a significant UNDERSTATEMENT! |
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This ia a copy of the floor plan for our new 4,200 SQ FT 4 BDRM (4.5 BA!) home. We are using the "Teen Room" area for our "Entertainment Center" and have converted "Bedroom #4 into an office for Lena (as well as Kesha's bedroom & bath). It is incredibly nice for EACH of us to have our own "2-car garage!" |  |
On of the major reasons we had liked this home was it's unobstructed view of the lake behind the property. The area between our house and the lake has been designated as a 'wetlands' area and will never be developed. This lake in 4S Ranch is only about 250 wide by 350 yards long, BUT...it is a LAKE! This MAP shows the LOCATION of our home in San Diego. |
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The first goal in our move was to get all the work in both garages completed as soon as possible. We first had the decks in both... |  |
...garages epoxied to give us a very durable...and beautiful...finish that is very easy to clean. |
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We then had overhead steel storage racks installed in both garages by "The Tidy Garage" so as to give us overhead storage area for those items that are not often needed (such as Christmas decorations). These same racks... |  |
...also have hooks to stow ladders and bicycles under them. Additionally, we bought heavy-duty 'commercial' steel storage racks from COSTCO which we placed along the walls in the 2nd garage (which is located separately from the house itself) for storing those items which require more routine or frequent access. This 2nd garage is also Steve's workshop area. |
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Then, in the garage connected to the house, we had "Premier Garage" install their more decorative line of cabinets... |  |
...and shelving for storage of those items and supplies which require frequent access. |
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To make a long story short, the installation of the overhead racks, the metal shelving, and the wooden cabinets give us the opportunity to keep things neat and tidy! |  |
In conjunction with several other "Ivy Gate" neighbors, shortly after we moved into the house, we participated in a well-advertised two-day GARAGE SALE. |
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This gave us a great opportunity to get rid of the considerable excess furniture, art work, decor items, etc., from both our old home and the new model home so as to free up space in both garages and allow us to use them for parking cars!. |  |
Our next major project was to have custom-designed wall cabinets and drawers for Steve's computer equipment installed in his office area. |
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Steve had used brown wrapping paper taped to the floor of his office area and a black magic marker to "rough out" the approximate dimensions and configuration for each section of the office furniture which the Vietnamese contractor used to construct the final product. |  |
Unfortunately, the one section which Steve had left up to the contractor to design...this corner glass display case...had to be re-built when this original piece proved to be several inches too large to fit into the designated space available. |
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This photo...without the corner display case...shows the initial (unfinished) wall cabinets that house the computer, battery back-up unit, printers, etc., as well as the filing cabinets and drawers. |  |
This replacement corner piece fit well and provided a balanced glass display case to match the other one in my office (see photo below) which we had brought from our former home. |
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Additionally, we feel that the color and style of the custom cabinets /drawers complimented and closely matched the color of the wooden shutters which came with the house as well as the new desk we purchased...."made in China." |  |
Suffice it to say that Steve never had an 'office' which even remotely matched the decor and style of this one while he was in the Navy! |
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The next project was the installation of leaded glass windows in the living room, the kitchen, and the dinette areas of the house to provide privacy and improved decor. |  |
"Decor-A-Door" did an exceptional job in constructing and installing these replacement windows... |
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...which we had chosen from their many designs and patterns to fit our specific tastes and needs. This photo shows the different patterns we had chosen for our kitchen sink window and our dinette areas. |  |
This photos shows the outside view of the dinette and kitchen areas (in the rear) as well as our living room (front right of photo). |
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This is a view of living room windows as they finished up the job. Not only do they block out the view of the concrete area between the two garages... |  |
...but , they also provide us privacy from the 2-story home next door and give a more 'elegant' look to the formal living room. Of course, since Steve prefers to lounge around the house in only his underwear, we have to wonder when...or "if"...we will even use this area of the house! |
The formal dining room area of the home is another area of the house which...given Steve's preferences for casual living attire...we question how often we will use! <grin> |
While Lena liked the original glass table and stylish chairs that came with the model home, we realized that the chairs were NOT comfortable (especially for Steve's back!) and we replaced them with the expandable oak dinette table and game room chairs from our old home. | ||
| All in all, we did not make many changes to the original layout and design of the family room area... | ...except to incorporate some of our own decorative items from our previous home and, of course, to replace the photos of BIRDS on the lighted wall with our Nakayama woodblock prints. | ||
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And, since this fireplace originally came as a 'wood-burning' unit... |
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...we
upgraded it with one of the very realistic 'gas log' fireplaces sold by
BBQ GALORE.
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