827 Coronado Terrace

827Coronado Terrace holds a special place at the heart of Design Vidal. The craftsman-style home originally built in 1923 was the first property that Karen Vidal bought for the purpose of restoring. Right across the street from her first home where she lived with her husband Guy and their infant child, the property was in a state of severe neglect since its aged owner had passed away. One might say their purchase and goal of renovating the home was an extension of her growing love and life. This first project was to set precedence for many of the practices and techniques that would become signature to the Design Vidal Style.

The Neighborhood

Echo Park bordering on Silver Lake, one of the oldest neighborhoods of Los Angeles, was the center for early film studios such as The Mack Sennet Studios, Disney and Talmadge/ ABC. As early as 1909 screen figures such as Charlie Chaplin, the Three Stooges, and Gloria Swanson shot their films in converted cottages and barns in the area.

As Echo Park developed it became home to Victorian mansions, craftsman bungalows, brick storefronts and Spanish Colonial style houses.

The area was originally named Edendale, and supposedly got the name Echo Park when builders noted that their voices echoed off the canyon.

In 1999, Karen and Guy Vidal were part of the particularly large influx of hip young artists, musicians, and film industry people into Silver Lake and Echo Park that defined the city’s new urban Bohemian lifestyle.

Living across the street from 827 Coronado Terrace raised a natural curiosity about the house, its lack of inhabitants and 10,000 sq. ft over-grown expansive grounds. From outside its shuttered windows, Karen toyed with the idea of restoring the home to its original beauty.

The house had belonged to Leon Karavodin, a retired engineer, born in the Soviet Union, who had lost his wife years before. Their son, who was raised on the tucked away tree-lined street still owned the home, but never returned after his father passed on.

Through a chance conversation with the gardener who looked after the place they found out that the owner might be interested in selling.

Restoring with a Community Connection

Getting to know the property and the inhabitants became the first step in the DesignVidal process.

Clearing out the abandoned home filled five large dumpsters. Karen salvaged what she could, mostly photographs and some pieces of furniture. A tidy leather wallet was one of the treasures that Karen still keeps as a memento of the project.

“He lived there for almost 50 years … to me it was really sad,” recalled Karen. “There was a $6 a Burger King receipt dated 11/1/99 just before he died. I don’t know why his son didn’t want the wallet back.”

In it there remained a picture of the prior owner taken with his wife in the house, a $20 check made out to Leon from a friend that sat uncashed in his wallet for 18 years and business cards identifying him as a retired civil engineer. “The items I find connect me to a whole life that’s been lived in a house. I must respect that. I’m affected by it. Every one who’s had a long tenure in a home leaves their mark on it.”

Working Systems

Karen learned from Joe and Joanne Lightfoot, local real estate agents and licensed contractors, that the home needed a new foundation. What could have been a daunting blow to Karen became a blessing.

“In the first time around I knew nothing about foundations and the biggest fear is the house would collapse but Joe and Joanne introduced me to a lot of people and I knew we were in good hands.” The experience made me fearless. I felt we could do anything after that.

“I always spend money on the foundation and electrical and plumbing systems. I want the house to look the way it did in 1923. I take them back in time.” The 2,000 square foot house had only one bathroom indicative of the era, but Karen split up an under-utilized porch area adding a bathroom improvement in the process.

Local Craftsman and Businesses

Keeping business in the neighborhood was one of Design Vidal’s practices that started with this project. Karen gained knowledge and allies from the neighborhood businesses. Building supplies were found right around the corner at Baller Hardware, Jill’s Paints and Taylor Brothers rather than big warehouse chains. Vintage fixtures and appliances, and local talent -- contractors and crafts people – some whom Karen met on this first project still work with them today.

The house had wood floors and built-ins that Karen improved upon with tiling and her distinctive use of color all remaining true to the time period. A big picture window for a grander entrance and doors opening to the backyard were additions that are more important to homeowners today than they were back in the 1920’s.

All improvements, such as additional built–ins, and local river rock were chosen after Karen’s extensive research and with her keen stylistic eye. At every step Karen consulted her sharp agent Joanne Lightfoot, who never failed to give sound advice, on this and many future projects to come.

Save. Renovate. Restore

“Karen cried the night before the open house and wanted us to move in it ourselves,” recalled her husband Guy. “She needed to sell it and pay back the debt but she said, ‘Look at this lot. It has views of Griffith Park. We should sell our house and move in here.’

“In five months 827 Coronado Terrace went from being a house considered for demolition to a house that someone paid over asking price for, how is that possible?”

In the end, emotional expression was part of the process of letting go with respect.

“We did a collage of old photographs we salvaged from the home to hide a hole in an alcove closet that had been patched at the last minute. For some reason, the buyer, who was an architect, was so moved she had tears in her eyes.”

The rush of 827 Coronado Terrace set Design Vidal on its path, with the profits from this one house financing the next three projects - all in the immediate charming hillside enclave.