The trip inspired my husband, Philip Clayton–Thompson, and me to leave Los Angeles, where we’d also worked in the film business for ten years, and head for the Pacific Northwest. Our real-estate agent showed us this 1918 Craftsman. It was love at first sight, but what clinched it was a quaint kitchen and tall cupboards that really stole my heart.
Fast-forward 20 years. The cheap vinyl flooring had chipped away at the doorways, heel dents were becoming gaping holes. The laminate countertops and backsplash had blistered, and were stained and moldy near the stainless steel sink. Appliances were dated and rundown. The stove had only three working burners. I now hated the kitchen I’d once loved.