Allison's beach house goodbye

Two weeks ago I received a very bitter sweet phone call. My friend, neighbor and business partner called to tell me they were moving. Bitter is not the best word, it sounds too much like a bad taste left in the mouth. Quietly sad is probably more apt. A fantastic opportunity has come their way, one that cannot be passed up.

Allison and her family have been a great gift to this little walk street community of tight living quarters, kids running in and out of each other's homes, weekends spent at the beach, warm evening dinner parties and old fashioned neighborly friendship.

The sweet side of all of this, is that the family will be moving 'up the street', as I so euphemistically like to refer to it. Up the street to the Bay area. Up the street to my favorite part of the world, a lovely pocket of Marin County called Ross. If I had to choose an even more perfect spot for them to be, I'd be at a loss.

Allison and I have also been business partners for the past 4 years.

We've managed to keep it going through some serious life changes, after math of divorce and newly single motherhood {me} pregnancy, a new baby and a toddler {her} Amazing when I look back at what we were able to accomplish through it all. I've learned so much from this girl, who is as beautiful on the inside as on the out. I will miss her.

I once did a little blog tour of her adorable beach cottage. Much to her, I assume, chagrin I really didn't do it justice. Recently with her house on the market {it sold within the first week} some professional shots were taken. I wanted to share with you some of Allison's fabulous talent.

I love the salmony color of her cieling with the toasty almond walls. If there's one thing this girl knows, it's details.

stainless steel counter tops, with a wooden top on one end, a perfect work space.Under her center island, Allison has collected old wire locker room baskets to hold her vast stock of vintage linens.

you can't see them so well, but she recently added the burlap seat cushions to the dining room chairs. Burlap is the new velvet after all.

Dutch doors are a must, here at the beach. You can scream down the street for your kids at dinner time without even leaving your home! One of the 'details' Allison added not long ago, was the darkening of all of the door hardware in the house. It made such a difference. And she did it in one afternoon while the kids were napping. So clever.

I love what she's done to her daughter's room. Using the Serena and Lily bedlinens as a starting point, she's created a sweet but whimsical room. She uses fun swaths of fabrics behind the panes on her French doors through out. A great touch used to mask the contents of a closet.

her son's room was once her daughters, not wanting to have to repaint, in one afternoon, she transformed it into a beautiful yet not feminine boys room. As I remember, it was a trip to Target and she had instantly changed the whole feel of the space. {green bedding, striped rug and window treatment - Target }

In 2005, the family added on this great master bed and bath.

The little balcony {above} off the of the Master, a great place to sit and listen to the surf.

ahh, the backyard that launched a thousand parties. The annual Valentine's wine tasting party, Birthday parties for the young and.....well, not so young any more. Many a great evening was spent under this old tree. Not to mention, many a business meeting.

{What the photos don't give you is the sound effect of the fountain. It's so peaceful out here.}

The backside of the free standing Garage, helps create a privacy in the back of the house. Using space wisely is what walk-street beach living is all about. They turned the garage into a great little guest cottage.

This shot doesn't give you the full effect of how sweet this little room is. But it's adorable and the light in the space is great.

Come that day when the car is loaded, moving van is gone, kids seat belted in, hugs are exchanged, there will certainly be tears and the aftermath of a quiet void with the echo of great memories. I will not consider them gone, but merely just up the street.

xoxo M