The very first night Jennifer Hodges spent her 1950s Santa Cruz, California, beach house, she cried herself to sleep. These weren’t tears of pleasure or the result of sand in her eye. She was distraught. “All I found was work everywhere,” Hodges says. “Shag carpeting, darkened walls, paper-thin windows, all of the items that needed to be carried out. I wish I would have realized then what I know today: A house is an ever-evolving travel, and you need to enjoy the trip, every measure of it.”

The next morning, Hodges and her husband, Mark, got to do the job. They knocked down walls to enlarge the kitchen and then pushed out the rear for a new main bedroom. Hodges then set to work using her just design philosophy:”To buy what I really love,” she states. “And I follow it pretty religiously. I don’t worry about where something will go, and I definitely do not care if something matches. Matter of fact, I usually avoid items that match.”

in a Glance
Who lives here: Jennifer and Mark Hodges and their bulldog, Mack
Location: Santa Cruz, California
Size: 1,800 square feet; 3 bedrooms, two bathrooms and a studio

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“Our home is essentially a hodgepodge of items that I think represents us as a family,” Hodges says. “What I really want in my home is to be surrounded by things I adore. That is why nearly everything we have has a story.”

Her grandma’s slipcovered sofa in the living room is just one of her favourite pieces. “She passed away more than 20 years back, and I love sitting in the same area she constantly did,” Hodges says. “I know she would approve I allow Mack, our bulldog, up on it that’s why it’s slipcovered, after all.”

Santa Cruz artist Carol Bowie painted the piece over the sofa. “I had been speaking to friends about how much I loved that piece, where I watched it, and when I came home the next day it had been propped on my porch,” she states. “One of my greatest friends had bought it for me. I was thrilled, to say the very least .”

The painting over the fireplace is by Suzanne Etienne, titled”Three Amigos.”

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“I would call my style’urban junk,'” Hodges says. “I am inspired by my mother, who passed away seven years back. She had a knack for amazing style on a limited budget and was constantly moving items about, painting a wall, framing kids’ art.”

Hodges found two of her armchairs and the coffee table in the Alameda Point Antiques Faire, her favourite place to be on the first Sunday of every month.

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The couple spends most weekends in the bright living room, lounging and reading papers. “I love to hunker down into the big white seat in the corner having a cup of coffee,” Hodges says. “The living room for our household represents downtime.

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The green hutch in the corner of the living room is Hodges’s favorite item of furniture, which she also found in the Alameda Point Antiques Faire.

“Every month for a year I would ask the guy selling it, How Much?” She states. “He started at $2,000, but by the end of the year he said,’Do not you ask me about this every month?’ When I said yes,” he said,’Just give me $500 and take itI’m sick of hauling it around.'”

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Hodges bought the dining room table and chairs in a garage sale held by her neighbor, interior designer Lorri Kershner.

“It is old, worn down and thick, but I love it,” says Hodges. “Garage sales and flea markets are a weekend outing for us. It is recycling at its very best.”

Side table: Alameda Point Antiques Faire

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Hodges’ mother-in-law, who resides in Oklahoma, created the mosaic piece from the dining room.

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“What I love most about the house is the flow and mild,” Hodges says. “It just has a good feel to it. It’s possible to walk a circle and essentially see everything. It fits the household — open and out there.”

This cowhide seat is a garage sale find that Jennifer reupholstered herself.

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Wanting to steer clear of normal bar stools, Hodges scored this set in the Santa Cruz Flea Market and reupholstered them with bits of fabric she had lying about.

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Plans for the kitchen remodel were somewhat off-the-cuff. “The design had been scrawled on paper and passed to the builder during the redesign,” Hodges says.

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“What I liked the most when it came to making modifications was when a builder would say,’What? That will not seem right!’ Or,’Why in the world would you do this?’ I knew then I had been on the ideal path,” she states.

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The guest bathroom is home to more antique finds, such as a pedestal sink and rustic shelves utilized for storage. The stone figure is from a visit to Singapore.

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This TV space, in the center of the home, is equipped with a plush leather couch and a comfy nook perfect for enjoying a good book.

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The floor of the main bedroom is made from concrete and copper. “It is never too hot or too cold, it’s easy to wash and, what’s more, it’s beautiful,” Hodges says.

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The back at the base of the mattress, in addition to the back Hodges utilizes as a nightstand, were both antiques shop finds. “The back really has a London, England, speech scrawled across the burlap leading inside. I love that.” She states.

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Blue armoire: Craigslist

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Hodges won the garden henhouse in a bet with her husband. “Mark and I were arguing over who knew how to lose weight fastest,” she states. “Guess who won? Chickens was what I wanted. I usually gather about three eggs per day; it’s the very best!”

Shannon Malone

Shannon Malone

Jennifer Hodges, shown here, recently painted her entrance door canary yellow, brightening up the home and which makes it stand out among the other houses on the road. “It has brought a smile to my face every time I see it,” she states. “It is so bright and cheerful, unlike anything else on the road.”

More: When to Paint Your Door Yellow

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