We do our fair share of running around our cities exploring, perusing, eating, shopping and drinking. We call it “work,” but really, it’s what our life goals are made of! It’s an especially good day when we stumble upon something so good, we name it the best. We discovered this sweet shop over a year ago and have been loyal to it since. Every couple of months we pop in to see what newly curated treasures adorn the shelves and every time, every time, we fall in love with it all over again. Properly named and popularly adored, I Love Neighbor is the best decor store in Oakland and here’s why!
You’re strolling down Piedmont Ave on what’s likely a gorgeous day in Oakland. The East Bay is always good for sunshine! On any particular day, the City Across the Bay is at least 5 degrees warmer and the sky much sunnier than fog-ridden San Francisco. As you pass all of the usual suspects, some that have occupied the street for years – decades, even – Fenton’s Creamery, Lost and Found Antiques, Issues, you mosey past something new, fresh, young: I Love Neighbor. You go in duh! and your eyes become as big as saucers as they proceed to soak up every little nook and cranny of this gorgeously curated space.
Brass chandeliers made by local artists, glass and ceramic mobiles, vintage paintings and antique taxidermy all hang from the walls or soar from the tall, wood beam ceilings above you. Black and white Icelandic sheepskins, classic striped foutas, colorful Moroccan rugs and handmade textiles from artists in Brooklyn adorn a mid-century chair or spill over a dip-dyed ladder.
Locally made candles, cocktail syrups and shrubs, organic soaps and detergents peach oil laundry detergent. hello! line the chic shelves. Grey washed live-edge bowls, smoothly carved horn spoons, unique candlesticks, tiny leather coin pouches, brass scissors in every size and rope dog leashes all make the cut in their well-stocked cabinets.
And, the staff! Well, they’ll become your new best friends not only because they are so friendly, but they’ll also indulge you as you jabber about loving everrrrr-y-thing. They’ll likely tell you about the item in your hand and somehow convince you, in a way your best friend would, that you need it. The store is inviting, never stuffy or intimidating and there’s a backyard luring you in for “just a peek through the back door” yet it enticies you to sit down and stay a while – a neighborly Oakland mentality if we’ve ever seen one!
So if you’re in the neighborhood, stop by Neighbor. And if you’re not, do yourself a favor and be in the neighborhood! To all our buddies in San Francisco who rarely find themselves breaking out of their norm, I Love Neighbor is worth the quick drive over the bridge and we dare you, just dare you, to not fall in love!
original photography for apartment 34 by aubrie pick
They say people in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones.
But if you lived in the one on Fishers Island, NY, you could toss a few rocks right into Long Island Sound.
Showing more like a “livable art gallery,” according to the listing, the glass-and-steel, waterfront dwelling designed by Thomas Phifer is this week’s most popular listing on Realtor.com®.
Other real estate offerings that made our weekly popularity contest include a Queen Anne in North Carolina, a modern marvel in Indiana, and an Ohio home with an exotic waterfall in the basement.
For a full look at this week’s 10 most popular homes, keep on scrolling.
Price: $825,000 Why it’s here: Behold the Castle in the Pines! Here is the opportunity to live like royalty in your very own castle.
A wrought-iron gate opens to the four-bedroom home with a turret. The entire 3,435 square feet of space has been decked out in medieval style. From custom, arched doors and hanging candelabras, to a knight in armor at the entry, to a sitting room overlooking a mountaintop scene, this kingdom was designed to delight.
It is currently in operation as a short-term rental and is pending sale.
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Price: $575,000 Why it’s here: This ultramodern home is a pretty standout in Houston.
Designed by architect W. Irving Phillips Jr., the 3,032-square-foot concrete townhome is located within walking distance of downtown. Offering just two bedrooms, the open floor plan has industrial, loft-style beams and soaring ceilings, along with concrete and hardwood floors. The primary suite is on the third floor and has two oversized closets and access to a covered terrace.
A monthly homeowners association fee of $472 includes maintenance and use of the pool.
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Price: $965,000 Why it’s here: Attention, historic-home lovers: The stately Smathers-Gautier-Messer House is nestled between two mountain ranges.
The Queen Anne beauty built in 1898 boasts wavy glass windows and octagonal towers. Inside, there is a Colonial Revival staircase and paneled wainscoting. The six-bedroom estate also features high ceilings, custom millwork, nine fireplaces embellished with Italian tile, and pocket doors.
The 2.5-acre lot also comes with a barn and a small cottage.
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Watch: Hollywood Beginning: Movie-Themed Vacation Home in Florida Wows for $11.75M
Price: $134,900 Why it’s here: Calling all Hobbit fans! This triple-dome home offers eco-friendly living.
The three-bedroom abode boasts 1,593 square feet of unique space. Built in 2004, the domicile is in need of restoration, as the price reflects.
“Interior walls have been removed to the steel frame, allowing you to build your ultimate vision,” the listing notes.
The 3-acre lot also has a fenced dog run. The property is being sold as is and must be a cash sale.
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Price: $880,000 Why it’s here: This magnificent home in the middle of Bittner Woods was the work of award-winning architect Earl R. Flansburgh.
The four-bedroom residence offers stylish, one-level living. Built in 1970, the 2,584-square-foot home was “professionally redesigned in 2020 with the help of Susan Yeley Homes,” according to the listing.
Oak hardwood and terrazzo floors can be found throughout the open floor plan. A central, open-air atrium connects all of the rooms. Clean lines, natural materials, and lots of glass seamlessly blend the interior with the outdoor space.
The property is pending sale.
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Price: $799,000 Why it’s here: This A-frame beauty was built in 1964 as the personal home of local architect William Wayman. It has since been “respectfully remodeled,” the listing notes.
The sleek, 2,481-square-foot, four-bedroom home boasts wood paneling, skylights, and beamed ceilings. The two-story living room has a gas fireplace and lots of glass to take in the southern views. There are two separate living spaces; three bedrooms are upstairs, and one is downstairs with a full kitchen.
The property is pending sale.
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Price: $37.5 million Why it’s here: A venture capitalist is selling this ultraluxe mansion on the exclusive enclave of Star Island. The guard-gated island has been home to celebs such as Gloria Estefan, Shaquille O’Neal, and Jennifer Lopez.
This six-bedroom mansion on the waterfront boasts 9,747 square feet of living space. The foyer features a 30-foot ceiling and a custom staircase. Luxury finishes include custom millwork and travertine, marble, and wood flooring.
Built in 1992, the high-end home has a chef’s kitchen and a primary suite with access to the pool area.
The 1-acre lot includes a heated pool, outdoor kitchen, and a private dock.
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Price: $499,900 Why it’s here: Here’s the chance to own two homes and a chapel on nearly 50 acres overlooking a private lake.
This six-bedroom house has 5,600 square feet of living space and comes with a commercial kitchen and dining hall. The open floor plan also includes a spacious living room with a brick fireplace and four bathrooms.
The property offers a variety of potential uses, including as a church retreat, rental property, or bed-and-breakfast.
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Price: $519,999 Why it’s here: The Mansion on the Hilltop comes with an exotic waterfall in the basement!
This four-bedroom home looks like a traditional, stone-front dwelling from the outside. Inside, the 5,800-square-foot floor plan features a two-story entry with a dramatic staircase. Built in 2000, the home features arched doorways and an abundance of windows and glass doors to take in views of the 5-acre parcel.
The real surprise happens when you head downstairs, where you will find an unexpected waterfall and an impressive taxidermy collection. There’s also a hot tub.
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Price: $8,250,000 Why it’s here: From the outside, this mesmerizing mansion built of glass looks like a vast, open space.
The 4,744-square-foot estate sits prominently on Fishers Island and offers breathtaking views of Long Island Sound. Featuring one-story living at its best, the home was designed by architect Thomas Phifer. Built of glass and steel in 2008, this one-bedroom home boasts black bamboo flooring and white gallery walls.
The landscaped gardens on the 3-acre lot “allow one to live in a garden with art as the owner desired,” the listing notes.
You wouldn’t expect to see a log cabin in the Chicago suburbs, but one is there, and has been since 1920.
“It’s an actual log cabin, and it’s kind of smack in the middle of downtown Des Plaines, IL,” explains listing agent Daniel Cartalucca, who’s with Coldwell Banker Realty–McMullen. The log home is located about 20 miles outside of Chicago.
Most likely, a log cabin would have looked a little more at home in the era it was built.
“Probably when it was built, it was mostly farmland surrounding it, or maybe a few single-family homes, but mostly farmland,” Cartalucca explains.
The 2,600-square-foot log home is listed for $472,000.
A tale of taxidermy
Cartalucca says a former Cook County sheriff, who also happened to be the coroner, built the home and had quite a large taxidermy collection.
“The taxidermy count is down to about five, and there used to be a standing giant black bear with his paws up,” he says.
However, the next owner can expect a buffalo head, an elk, a ram, and more that convey with the home.
The home’s heavy front doors open to a two-story atrium.
“Every time I go in, you can feel the history. It’s amazing,” Cartalucca says. “There’s a giant sweeping staircase going straight up, and everyone that comes in does the same thing. You can hear them sigh. It definitely elicits a response.”
Rustic rooms
The home has two bathrooms and four bedrooms, including a suite on the main floor. The living area features a river rock fireplace.
Cartalucca says everything works, but the buyer might want to do some updates, like adding a dishwasher. Currently, the dishes are cleaned in a cast-iron farm sink.
“Inside it has sort of stuccoed walls in some rooms, and in some places, there are still log walls on the inside,” he says. There are many original wrought-iron items like hinges accenting the logs.
“It’s surprisingly quiet in there. You don’t hear trains. You don’t hear airplanes. The logs are so dense and heavy that they muffle any exterior noise,” he adds.
The current owner has had the place since 1996 and has listed it for sale several times.
“Originally it was surrounded by commercial property. It has an 8-foot-high privacy fence, which is nice, and the backyard has probably 20 trees and is like a private little forest back there,” Cartalucca says.
The home is in an area with commercial and residential zoning, and the listing says it could be a vacation rental, antiques store, or something else.
“We’ve had a few young couples look at it, and they liked the cool factor of it,” Cartalucca says. “It’s not a typical house.”
Tucson, Arizona is a city with a rich cultural heritage and diverse history, and its museums provide a window into this vibrant and fascinating world. From art and science, to nature and history, the city’s museums offer a wide range of exhibitions and programs that are designed to educate, engage, and inspire visitors of all …
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This 11,500-square-foot mansion features exotic animal taxidermy, peacock feather ornamentation, and enough light fixtures to keep the entire neighborhood lit.
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