Window shopping

It is absolutely shocking how little I am doing right now.  I have no idea where the time goes, but I have a suspicion it is taken up with 10 - 60 min naps throughout the day and night.  That leaves some time for day dreaming, and 1-2 neighborhood walks each day.  On my walks, I pass this house, affectionately referred to as the Burger Chef house.

Yep, Burger Chef as in the account they are working on in this season of Mad Men (They eventually became Hardees).  It was owned by the original owners of Burger Chef, or so I was told upon moving in to my house (and also that the current inhabitant is a professional gambler, adding to the overall Elmore Leonard-ness of my block).  It is for sale by owner, and I heard a rumor that a sale is pending.  Which breaks my heart.  I had great plans to buy and renovate it....as in, for the last 6 years I've lived across from it contemplating various renovation schemes, floorplans, and elevations.  Because that is what I do during the awkward wait music before a conference call starts.  

The party house mentioned in the real estate listing is, supposedly, a model of a Burger Chef restaurant, which would be awesome. And there is a 2 lane bowling alley in the basement. Supposedly an architect with a young family bought it and will do "extensive renovations."  Would you guys keep it modern, or make it more traditional like the neighborhood?

I'm trying really hard to move on.  So I'm focusing on this $650,000 home in Golden Hill (an old neighborhood from the 30s by the art museum).

~4,500 sq ft on .66 acres; 5 bedrooms 5 baths; sits on the Woodstock Country Club's golf course

It is annoyingly expensive since Zillow tells me a bank repossessed it for $177K.  But, they totally restored the home (which was falling apart, according to my golfing buddies) and renovated the kitchen and bathrooms.

I think the bank did an...interesting job on fixing the place up.  The light fixtures are nice, white marble is non-offensive--but isn't this an insanely small kitchen by today's standards?

I want an obnoxiously large kitchen for that price/location.  And the landscaping needs a lot of work.  Sadly, no lottery tickets have yet to pay out so these are issues I don't have to think too hard about.  Instead, I can lazily contemplate the necessary finishes in my "forever house."

Marble checker board is on the list.

Along with some scenic Zuber wallpaper for entry or living room.

With gobs of wallpaper for the kid's rooms.

And since its so light and airy, I would definitely go nice and light on the main floor interiors.

Nate Berkus in Elle Decor

Celerie Kemble in Elle Decor

And no home of mine is complete without a pirate ship shaped chandelier.

Elle Decor

The Wegner chair and marble bust can stay, but I'll omit the weird Evita portrait.  Anybody else window shopping for real estate?

Top images via iPhone or Zillow listings; interior shots via my Pinterst board "For the Next House"