Client Spotlight: Lori and Warren's Mid-Century Modern Bungalow

Lori and Warren purchased their home in Jacksonville last year and and have carefully curated a beautiful space of mid-century modern design. They kindly let us take a look and shared a bit about the individual pieces, upcoming projects, and their neighborhood. 

What drew you to mid-century design?
We became interested in mid-century design when we purchased our first home in St Petersburg.  The house is very small and we had to make the most of our space.  Before we purchased the house, we really didn't have a style, just a lot of our old furniture from our single days.  This was our first chance to combine our styles and get items that we picked out together.  Mid-century fits well in a small space and we really fell in love with the clean lines and bright colors.    

Which is your favorite room in your house? 
The living room is our favorite room.  We spend the most time there and it feels very bright and happy.  It is also a very comfortable space for us to spend time with our dog.   

You have done a fantastic job of curating every piece in your home. Which are your favorite items? How did you acquire them? 
The teak china cabinet from my grandmother is the most special piece to me.  It is filled with memories from my childhood as it was in her home, in the same spot until she passed.  I suppose that very piece might have been what drew me to mid-century from the beginning.  It's such a classic MCM piece and I'm lucky to have so many memories attached to it.  The dining room table is also one of our favorite pieces.  It is a double drop leaf table with 8 legs, very unique.  Again, it has the very classic MCM style that we love.  My grandmother owned and operated a thrift store for years and continued to operate it until she became sick in early October last year.  She was 91 and still opened the store almost every day and dining table came from her store. The bottoms of the dining chairs have the furniture store name, a date of 1961 and a price of $45 per chair in pencil, cursive writing.  All we had to do was give the table a good cleaning and reupholster the seats.  

What will your next home project be?
We are very excited to create a living space in the back yard.  We have a good size yard that really gives us a blank slate to work from.  We know that we want an outdoor dining area and a fire pit but not sure what else yet.  

What do you appreciate most about you’re your neighborhood, Glynlea? 
The neighbors are the absolute best part of this area.  Most have lived here for 20+ years and were so welcoming from day one.  It is a very safe, clean and friendly community.

Where is your favorite place to spend time in Jacksonville?
We have only lived in the area for a little over a year now so we still enjoy exploring Jacksonville.  So far, we really like San Marco and Riverside as it reminds us a little bit of St Petersburg.  We are big on breakfast dates and love Metro Diner and Beach Diner but our favorite dinner spot so far is Black Sheep.  

Thank you Lori and Warren for opening your home to us!

-Heather De Laurentis

Murrary Hill Gem

Murray Hill has recently taken off as one of the hottest neighborhoods in Jacksonville! Over the past couple of years, amazing restaurants, successful small businesses, and newly renovated homes have brought historic Murray Hill into the spotlight. One family-owned business, Faith Jewelers, has called Murray Hill home for over a decade, and paved the way for local entrepreneurs in this unique area.

I met with John Strickland, manager of Faith Jewelers, to learn more about the jewelry store and his family!

How did you decide to get into that business?
I’m not sure that there was a conscious decision on my part to become a jeweler. I’ve been around the jewelry business for most of my life! When I was a kid, my mom worked at her best friend’s jewelry store in downtown Jacksonville. I would go there after school and clean and polish jewelry for customers.  Years ago, just after her friend passed away, Mom decided to open her own jewelry store in Murray Hill. So I’ve been here in some capacity since the beginning, except for the time that I was a student at Florida State.

When did your business first open?
Mom opened Faith Jewelers on November 2, 2004. It’s easy for me to remember because November 2nd is election day. We’ve been here for almost 13 years now.

Is there a story behind the name of your business?
8 out of 10 small businesses fail within their first year, so opening any business can be a risky endeavor. That’s especially true when opening a fine jewelry store, because it costs so much money to stock the merchandise that people expect—gold chains, diamond engagement rings, birthstone jewelry, etc. My grandfather put the idea in my mother’s head about starting the business, but she was scared to death about finding the capital to open. My family isn’t rich, and at the time my dad (who was a K9 officer for the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office) was the only source of income for our family. She put a lot of thought and prayer into the decision, and in the end, she decided to “step out on faith” and open the store. They mortgaged the house, and trusted the Lord, and that’s why she named it Faith Jewelers.

Gwen and JR Strickland- Owners of Faith Jewelers

What is a fun fact about your business?
We are masters of affordable customization. Speaking as a millennial, millennials LOVE having custom jewelry made, because we are all very special snowflakes, and each of us is unique among other snowflakes. So when it comes to a jewelry item that you wear every day—like an engagement ring—you really want it to speak to your own personal style.

The problem with custom design is that it’s typically very expensive, because you’re paying a person to design the jewelry item, then carve a wax model of it, then use the wax model to cast the jewelry item in gold or silver, and then they have to set all of the stones into it by hand—diamonds or whatever gemstones you choose.

We can do that the old-fashioned way, but my favorite thing is customization rather than custom. One of my favorite lines that we carry—Ever & Ever—allows us to take a ring that you like, and change the design online in real time (set different shapes, sizes or colors of stones, add or takeaway design components like halos and filigree, change the finish, you name it…) to make an end product that you absolutely love. The difference in cost is pretty remarkable, too. About $600-$1000 to the customer for a setting that would otherwise cost thousands.

A handful of the incredible custom diamond rings Faith Jewelers has made

What is the most rewarding aspect of your business?
Jewelry is special. If you think about many of the important moments in your life, jewelry is often involved. An engagement ring is probably the most ubiquitous example, but there are others: a mother’s ring or pendant for your wife after the birth of a child, a strand of pearls or a watch for someone who is about to graduate from school, or handing down a special heirloom when a loved one passes away. I think what is most rewarding is that I’m always getting to meet new customers, and they often wind up being friends because I catch them right before or right after some of their more meaningful milestones. It’s a special bond. I’m reminded of a customer that I had at the beginning of the year. It was a 94 year old woman who brought in an inexpensive Star of David pendant in sterling silver, that was set with marcasite stones. Her grandmother wore it when she came to America from Austria to flee the Holocaust. It had already been passed through three generations of women in the family, and she wound up giving it to her granddaughter that weekend when she turned 18.

John showing me the process of buffing, polishing, and rhodium-plating my rings!

What is your favorite local Jax restaurant?
Oh that’s a tough one. Can I pick two? I love the pork chop at Orsay, but the chicken and waffles at Moxie is pretty life changing, too. Okay, three. M Shack.

What is your favorite thing to do on a sunny Saturday?
Well, the jewelry store is open on Saturdays, so my weekend starts on Sunday. I usually roll out of bed, go to church, go eat somewhere, take a nap, wake up got to the Y (maybe), then head to the Dreamette for a birthday cake-dipped ice cream cone. And then it’s Netflix. Right now I’m watching Stranger Things.

What is your favorite thing to do on a rainy Saturday?
I’m kind of a nerd, so I usually like sitting on the front porch with a good book. 

How long have you lived in Jax?
Pretty much my whole life. I went to FSU, so except for the few years that I lived in Tallahassee, and my first job after college in Charlotte, NC, Jacksonville has always been home.

What part of town do you live in?
Not quite Riverside, not quite Ortega. I think the official name is “Fairfax Manor?”

I am treated like family every time I walk into Faith Jewelers! The warm smiles, customization, and attention to detail make this gem of a store stand out. Be sure to stop by and say hi next time you’re in Murray Hill!

EVERYDAY I’M SPARKLIN’

Faith Jewelers – 1165 S. Edgewood Ave. Jacksonville, FL 32205 – (904) 388-3340

Local Spotlight: BARK's Jamee Yocum

Tell us a little about yourself and how long you have lived in Jacksonville?

Needless to say I'm an extreme dog lover, I've been in Jacksonville for a decade and have lived in Riverside, Downtown, San Marco and have recently purchased a home in Springfield. I love attending community events, concerts, gardening and dining at some of Jacksonville's amazing restaurants.

What inspired you to start your own business and why did you choose a doggie boutique?

I've always had a dream of owning my own business. I worked at a Dog Boutique during high school in South Florida and LOVED it! I've always been a huge supporter of local business, and couldn't be more proud that I'm part of that community.  

Why did you choose your location in 5 Points and your second location in downtown Jax?

When I opened Bark years ago, Riverside was an up and coming neighborhood and I knew 5-points had great potential, plus lots of dogs!  I knew then, I had to jump at the opportunity to open a store. I see the exact same potential in Downtown, Jacksonville.

What are some services BARK in 5 Points offer and your downtown location? 

Bark in 5-Points specializes in Grooming, Boarding, Daycare and Training. We also have a boutique filled with high quality products, organic food, home made treats and birthday cakes!

Bark Downtown is a dog retail boutique dedicated to the downtown working and living community. This location is designed for a quick grab and go, dog food pickup. We also offer dog food delivery and dog walking to the Downtown and Riverside residents.

What is your favorite part of being in business for yourself and your favorite part of BARK?

In all honestly, my favorite part of being in business for myself is being able to run a business the way I believe it should be ran. It's fun to experiment with new and creative ideas. For almost a decade, I've met some amazing people and have made some great friends by owning this business. My customers mean the world to me. My favorite part of Bark is easy, the dogs!

Rodriguez Renovations

#RodriguezRenovations have come to a close, and now this adorable bungalow is on the market! They made their mark on this home and are now ready to move onto a home with one more bedroom to welcome the newest member of their sweet family.

If you want to see more pictures or schedule a time to get inside check out this link!

Storyteller

Creaking hardwoods, squeaky door hinges, weathered cracks, and scratches on the floor. Music to my ears! How on earth does a house like that bring a feeling of warmth, coziness, and home? I am a sucker for historic homes because they aren’t just four walls and a roof, they tell stories. Every scratch, dent, and creak has a memory behind it left by former owners.

My husband Bradley and I bought a 1940’s bungalow in the wonderful neighborhood of Avondale in 2014. We weren’t even looking to buy, but this adorable white house on Ingleside Avenue won us over immediately. I found the house online Thursday, we drove by on Friday, walked through the house on Saturday, and made an offer on Monday! CRAZY!!! We had no idea what we were getting into.

The house was built in 1941 and was passed down through the family until we became the owners. About a year ago, when I was doing a good deep clean,  I noticed a little brown corner of paper peeping out from inside the mantle of our fireplace. I started to pull it out, but it was stuck. I honestly got a little nervous to pull hard because I wasn’t sure if a little bug friend would come out with it. Side note—I HATE spiders and roaches! I stood back, reached my arm out and gave one good yank! Out came a little envelope and a ton of dirt…so much for cleaning.

Inside the envelope was a little bear valentine and a letter dated June of 1951. I felt like I had struck gold! The penmanship was somewhat hard to read, but I was able to decipher a number of the words on the letter. The note was from a mother checking in on family. She mentions Camelia being at Mayport, wishing it was so she could have Roger now, Bill and Eddie being a godsend, having a line out but catching no fish, the wind blowing, asks if they received her gift, and hopes they are feeling better. Just a simple letter to update family and check on the people she loved. While I was hoping for a dramatic love letter, or something a little more exciting, I couldn’t help but wonder about these people’s lives. What kind of family gatherings had taken place in the very house I’m standing in? What conversations and memories had been shared here?

I may never know the full story behind the people in this little note, but it brought a sense of connection to the past owners. We are all living lives with ups and downs, exciting celebrations and tragic losses. Home is at the heart of it all. If the walls of our little white bungalow could speak, they would have countless stories to share. There really is no place like [a historic] home.

Katie Williams 

INSPECTION TIME!

“Buyers should review the home through a progressive set of lenses as we conduct a home inspection.”

— Michael Munn, Certified Home Inspector

Root Realty and Biltrite Home Inspections partnered up to delve into the ins and outs of home inspections. Home buyers often have lots of questions in regards to inspections, therefore, we went straight to the best resource in order to help our buyers be the most educated and knowledgable throughout the home buying process. Read below for insight on general homes, as well as historic homes!

1) What areas of the home are the most important to pay attention to in an inspection? 

First and foremost to consider is overall structure, life safety issues and major system items (electrical, plumbing, A/C, roof). These are most vital when approaching the idea of an investment mainly because these items potentially carry a higher cost of repair. Beyond that, it is also important to evaluate how well ongoing maintenance has been executed by previous owners; inside and out. 

2) As a buyer, what should the priorities be?  Buyers should first go with what they love. This would be a calculation based on look, location, aesthetic, school zones, architecture, etc. An evaluated combination of purchase price and ongoing cost of use including utilities and required maintenance based on current finishes/installed materials should be in mind when making a purchase decision.

3) What does "code" mean and does a home have to be up to code? The building, "code," is the state regulated guidelines and practices. We typically inspect homes in light of the code that was in place at the time of its construction. There have been significant updates in the Florida Building Code dating back to 1992, again in 2002, 2010 and most recently in 2014. Each code update has increased the overall quality of structure, storm/wind resistance and energy efficiency compared to previous versions.

4) What are some "buzz words" that buyers should not be concerned by? Radon and sinkholes are two major terms that should not be a concern. These are more apparent issues in Central Florida than they are for Northeast Florida and of course snow/basement water intrusion concerns definitely do not apply. 

5) What are some "buzz words" that buyers should be concerned by? Chinese drywall, lead paint, asbestos, mold, poor indoor air quality and termites are all terms that buzz around during the inspection process. The most important thing is to work with an inspector that has an appropriate license/background in all of these areas, will be able to answer questions on any of these topics and able to test/verify as needed in correlation to the home.

Read further for information on inspections regarding Historic Homes...

6) If a home has had termite issues, should buyers walk away? If you are a buyer who is already looking in a historic district, some degree of termite presence should be anticipated. An experienced WDO inspector will be able to identify the extent and boundaries of damage and also determine if it is active or dormant. In either case, replacement of any damaged structural members should be completed by a licensed contractor. Extreme cases, fumigation is a next level option. Once any structural members have been repaired, a termite bond should be procured to protect from future infestations. 

7) What should a buyer look for in a historic home, specifically? Red flags to look for in historic properties that cannot be fixed or updated include extra low ceilings and homes with wavy floors that indicate excessive settlement. Buyers should also be watchful for knob and tube wiring and galvanized piping when looking at historic properties as these elements will cause the home to be uninsurable. 

8) Is it true that old homes were built "better?" Yes and no-materials that were available in generations past (old growth heart pine lumber, cement backed tile surrounds and other period relative materials) are often more durable and long lasting compared to present day practices. High levels of craftsmanship and unique architectural features abound in older homes that can only be duplicated in today's market at a premium cost. However, there have been multiple code updates over the past 20 years based on things we have learned in the aftermath of hurricanes and through ongoing energy efficiency research which make new construction of today superior from the stand point of overall energy efficiency and wind damage resistance.  

9) In a historic district, can a buyer expect to find a lot more issues than any other part of town? To put it plainly, yes. Simply by virtue of having been in existence for a longer period of time, there are more opportunities for defects or incompatibilities between old and new materials/systems when different components have been updated throughout the years. Like buying an older car that may have had newer parts added to it, they all have to be able to work together for it to move down the road properly and safely- a home being no different. 

10) How old is too old? There are homes built in the twenties that stand straight and true today as well as homes built ten years ago that are falling apart. In a general sense, newer homes are going to be more energy efficient and require less ongoing maintenance and will have a lower cost of use, typically. The quality of ownership to older homes determines the quality of life left remaining in the home itself. I go back to the car reference, if it is taken care of well; it will run smoothly.

Biltrite, LLC is a family owned and operated Inspection company here in the heart of Jacksonville. For more information or to schedule an inspection, please visit their website at http://biltriteqa.com/