How Blooms turned their North Park home into a sweet sanctuary | San Diego House

The Indian wheel table purchased in San Francisco is one of the few works that moved to San Diego with homeowners Jackie and Brent Blum. For the holidays, Jackie keeps it simple, elegant and monochromatic. Lux Bond & Green’s black crystal glassware complements The Artesanal’s tableware and leather-wrapped vases.    

Jackie, Zazi, Hunt, and Brent pose in their main living space. The photo hanging on the wall above them was recently added, printed and framed by Framebridge, and was taken by the couple during the trip. Restoration Hardware’s leather sofas are wiped clean to prevent puppies and children from playing, and Arhaus’s velvet pillows add a comfortable texture.    

The storage room extends to the ceiling of the kitchen, so Jackie designed a library railing and ladder made by Bateo Chavez Welding. The couple like to cook together; therefore, the sink has two taps and a lot of counter space. Their bedroom reminds them of the places they have been. The carpet was made by an all-female cooperative in the Atlas Mountains, from Morocco, and they opened the folding door of the outdoor seating to take them back to Bali.    

Jackie and Brent did not change the size of their bathroom, but they modified the footprint to maximize the space, including a Napoleon double-sided fireplace, which can also be enjoyed from the separate bathtub and bedroom. Jackie admitted that the herringbone pattern she chose for the Stone Source tiles was challenging, “but it turned out to be worth it,” she said.    

This room was designed by Jackie to accommodate a very large mirror—another item in their San Francisco home—and a tree, which Jackie decorated in the way she imagined a great-grandmother. “My mother and I both collect old world glass ornaments,” she said. Therefore, antique glass, mercury glass, glass icicles and pine cones reflect (along with mirrors) the flickering holiday lights.    

When the couple couldn’t find a coffee table that suits their needs or aesthetics, they made one. This one is customized by Jason Chase Design Build. When dining or working in the living room, it can be raised to a comfortable table height. Usually, they will dine al fresco through La Cantina folding doors on a deck covered with custom-made Mexican tiles—regardless of whether they are entertaining or not.    

Blooms took other people into consideration when designing their home. Indoor and outdoor dining in front of the house; pocket door for Hunter to sleep when his parents chat with their friends; and guest house where visitors can hang on the bamboo headboard of Urban Outfitters and the whimsical custom chandeliers of Plaster Studio hanging on both sides Sleeping in style.    

In December 2017, Brent and Jackie Blum gave themselves a Christmas present when they closed their home on the south side of North Park. This is almost everything they want-a house with two entrances (create an attached housing unit, or ADU for guests and short-term renters) and a lot of potential. What it lacks is the Spanish architectural features, indoor/outdoor living and landscaping that the couple envisioned.    

The Blooms, who had always lived in San Francisco, knew they wanted to live in North Park. They have friends in the area and like the atmosphere, walkable environment and Spanish architecture everywhere. When they were looking for a place to buy, they rented an apartment in the Earnest Building on 30th Street so they could better understand the area and zero out their ideal location.    

The hunt took months. The couple made an offer and were bid by an all-cash buyer. They saw many Spanish-style houses that they liked, although none fully met their vision. “I will start drawing potential floor plans as soon as I see the house we like coming home,” Jackie said. “We have to make home what we want.”    

Then their real estate agent showed them the house near the bird park, which stopped them. The house was painted roasted potato brown and needed soul-and a complete renovation. In addition, the kitchen creates a problem because it is located in the center of the home. Jackie and Brent couldn’t figure out that it was reasonable to add a second kitchen financially or spatially to merge the two properties into one. Nevertheless, they made an offer.    

Then Jackie spent her light bulb moment on the couple’s flight to Cincinnati to spend Thanksgiving with Brent’s family. “It suddenly occurred to me:’We will give the kitchen to the hotel,'” she remembered saying. “We will build a Spanish home.” She then sketched out her ideas on the cocktail napkin under the drink-including knocking out the front of the house and adding an arched window.    

This is not their first renovation project. In fact, most of their courtship involved renovating the house Brent had bought in San Francisco’s Mission District before they met.    

“On the second date, he shared the blueprint with me,” Jackie said. “Of course, I told him my thoughts and thoughts. We fell in love with the collaboration on this project. When Brent showed me plans that included a built-in dog tray for the kitchen island, I realized that we were building our future Home. He has no dogs; he is making room for me and my laboratory, Charlie.”    

So when they bought this house, they knew what they were going to do. Nevertheless, before finalizing the plan, they consulted with Santa Barbara’s architect James Osborne Craig. In the book “The Architecture of Grid and Mary McLaughlin Craig”. “He helped guide us in deciding which tiles and railings should be used,” Brent explained.    

The couple started renovations in early 2018 and they lived in ADU during their work. They demolished the walls and created a living area, dining area and second bedroom from the original large recreation room. They installed insulating materials, hung gypsum boards, and put them in the shower tray. They tiled and painted the bathroom. They installed closets, replaced floors and skirting boards, increased views, and tiled the porch. They work late and seek help from family and friends.    

Although the couple DIYed most of the ADU (they always left plumbing and electrical work to professionals), the contractor was responsible for the addition and renovation of the main house. In order to create the Spanish contemporary house of their dreams, the entire facade of the house was changed. A large arched window created nearly 600 square feet of centerpiece, and the couple replaced the bay window in the living room with an accordion-style door that led to a custom-made terracotta arabesque deck. They tiled the roof, added white stucco to the exterior of the house, and replaced the front door with an arched wooden door.    

They also sourced all views of the property from Exotic Gardens in El Cajon and strangers on Craigslist and Facebook Marketplace. They planted fruit trees, San Pedro cactus, agave (some of which need to be placed in place by a crane), euphorbia, iceberg red rose, bougainvillea (climbing the arch around the front window) and Jasmine climbed onto the pergola and left the master bedroom.    

In the kitchen, the couple added artificial wooden box beams by Jason Chase from Jason Chase Design Build. They slightly increased the area of the bedroom, borrowed space from the nursery they were building (Little Hunter arrived on March 22, 2019), and installed an accordion-style door outside the bedroom that leads to a private shaded deck, inspired by their One of the sights of Bali.    

As newlyweds, Jackie and Brent spent a year working remotely and flying to 25 countries at the same time. Jackie (she will launch an interior design business next year) made many decisions when choosing finishes and furniture that affected their position. For example, the three black perforated metal lanterns in their room reminded her of their stay in Marrakech. The giraffe standing near Hunter’s crib in the nursery (pictured above) is a gift from Brent to Jackie. He was airlifted from South Africa, where they saw it for the first time.    

In addition to enclosing myself with a travel closet, the floor and skirting boards were replaced, the view was added, and the porch was tiled. They work late and seek help from family and friends.    

They also sourced all views of the property from Exotic Gardens in El Cajon and strangers on Craigslist and Facebook Marketplace. They planted fruit trees, San Pedro cactus, agave (some of which need to be placed in place by crane), euphorbia, iceberg red rose, and bougainvillea to climb down from the pergola in the master bedroom.    

As newlyweds, Jackie and Brent spent a year working remotely and flying to 25 countries at the same time. Jackie (she will launch an interior design business next year) made many decisions when choosing finishes and furniture that affected their position. For example, the three black perforated metal lanterns in their room reminded her of their stay in Marrakech. The giraffe standing near Hunter’s crib in the nursery was a gift from Brent to Jackie. He was airlifted from South Africa, where they saw it for the first time.    

In addition to surrounding themselves with travel souvenirs, Brent and Jackie also filled their home with sentimental things. They have a tradition of celebrating their wedding anniversary (August 8, 2015) on the eighth day of each month. “We take turns to surprise each other,” Jackie explained. “I may have this month, and then Brent has the next. We may do little things for each other, such as writing letters, going to dinner, decorating each other’s desk, or getting a gift.” Giraffe is a gift for the eighth day . The painting dressed as Queen Elizabeth I in Jackie’s beloved laboratory hall was another gift given on the 8th.