Before & After: A Run-Down Desert House Is Completely Transformed

Name: Kalina Kheirolomoom
Location: Yucca Valley, California
Type of home: House
Size: 864 square feet

Tell us a little (or a lot) about your home and the people who live there: I have a background in architecture and design and was looking to purchase a home in the San Francisco Bay Area (where I live) to update a bit, but wasn’t finding anything in my budget that felt right. After some time, I decided buying an investment property somewhere else in California would be a better use of my funds. I’ve traveled extensively and the idea of setting up an Airbnb was appealing to share some of my home state with others. I zeroed in on the high desert near Joshua Tree as it’s always been a place that I’ve enjoyed visiting, is a totally unique landscape, and the prices were still very reasonable.

After a few months of searching and losing out on some homes in bidding wars, I wrote an offer on this house before heading on a three-week trip to Africa. I expected to hear back while on my trip, but got radio silence from the seller and his agent. I decided it was on to the next when I got home, but a day after returning from my trip, I finally got a positive response. After finding contractors to work with, the renovation itself moved fairly quickly and the house is now up and ready to rent.

Describe your home’s style in 5 words or less: Desert Bohemian

What is your favorite room and why? The kitchen is my favorite space as it feels the most transformed. I also love to cook and the space gets great natural light and makes you want to cook.

What’s the last thing you bought (or found!) for your home? I designed all the interior spaces of the home and spent hours scouring Craigslist, going to flea markets, and perusing sites to find all the right items. My last purchase (for now) were these outdoor patio chairs on sale from World Market.

Any advice for creating a home you love? Have fun with it and don’t buy everything new! Finding unique vintage items or saving some money on previously owned furniture will give your space more character. 

This submission’s responses were edited for length and clarity.