FRONT ROOM
PILLOW TALK
Two groups should know about Everything But the House (EBTH.com): those who need to liquidate their home or a loved one’s, and those who want to bid on choice estate-sale items via online auctions that all start at $1. Founded in Cincinnati in 2008, the company has spread to 27 markets. Experts in the L.A. market service Palm Springs estates, where they discern the best bets for every item: trash, donate, keep, or sell. From there, they handle removal of all items and market those for sale with professional photography and online listings before shipping them off to new homes. The estate simply endorses the check for its auctions’ earnings. Millions of eager shoppers span 150 countries. Even so, remarkably low bids have scored antiques, midcentury furnishings, barware, jewelry, and rare collectibles. Notable estates such as that of Salvador Dali’s former business partner should be a clue: this site is worth bookmarking, if not stalking.
“With less to clean and less to care for, it’s had quite a universal appeal,” says listing agent Paul Kaplan about the “micro homes”.
Joining the Club
So who exactly has been snatching up all those prefab tiny houses at Palm Canyon Mobile Club? (The first two phases of the “micro homes” between The Mesa and Ace Hotel & Swim Club sold out before the end of summer.) “It’s been a good mix,” says listing agent Paul Kaplan of Paul Kaplan Group. Downsize-driven locals, first-time buyers from L.A. who seek a well-located weekend pad, and a third, less expected faction. “These people say, ‘We bought a second house and all we do is take care of the pool and the landscape when all we want to do is go out to eat and see our friends.’ With less to clean and less to care for, it’s had quite a universal appeal.” Owners share a communal barbecue, dog park, and gym. The interiors, along with the remodeled clubhouse and pool area that unveil this month, are care of H3K Design, a recent Editors’ Pick winner in the national HGTV “Faces of Design” contest. Because each trailer claims an outdoor space nearly the size of the home, the houses feel roomier than their footprints. “The most common response we get is, ‘These are much bigger than we thought they would be,’ ” Kaplan says. One more facet closes the deals. “These are brand-new construction — and the first in a long time in this price range.” Units in one- and two-bedroom floor plans start at 600 square feet and $129,000.
Mick Jagger sticks out his tongue at world-renowned photographer Terry O’Neill.
British Invasion
If you hadn’t noticed there isn’t a local gallery of classic rock ’n’ roll photography, don’t bother noticing now. In a matter of weeks, interior designer Angela Wells unlocks the doors to Sticks & Stones. Inside, her signature furnishings (born from wild cuts of wood and gigantic boulders) rub elbows with framed prints of rock legends. The adobe-style building once used for 1930s war surplus now flaunts a black-and-white shot of Mick Jagger on the wall. In a furry parka and moppy hair, the young rocker sticks out his tongue at world-renowned photographer Terry O’Neill, who visually chronicled The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, David Bowie, Elton John, The Who, and Frank Sinatra. Famous photographs of megawatt icons and furniture fit for an A-lister’s flat? Cheers, mate. It’s all happening a stone’s throw from El Paseo.