Unlisted: A ‘Tiny House on Steroids’ on I Street

Built in 1893
850 sq. ft.; 1 bedroom, 1.5 bath
Purchase price at auction: $341,955
Improvements by owner: $200,000 (est.)
Fines and back taxes: $40,000 (est.)
Current market value: $505,500-$745,000 (est.) 
Neighborhood median sold price: $768,000

For years, Mike Baddley walked his dog from his J Street office past a dilapidated little house on the corner of 24th and I Streets in Midtown. “I was fascinated with it,” he says. 

The abandoned folk Victorian-style house, built in 1893 for H.L. Cuthirth, had been deemed by the city a substandard building, meaning not safe for occupancy. Not only had the interior been marked by graffiti and littered with debris, the previous owners “just did everything wrong with the house,” says Baddley. The original entryway had been moved from the front to the side of the house, and some of the original features had been lost in the process. But Baddley loved the roofline, supported by ornate corbels, and believed the 742-square-foot house showed promise. When the house came up for auction in 2018, he took the plunge. He was the only bidder, paying only a penny over the minimum asking price — but much of the total cost would come later. 

Baddley, 59, owner of advertising and marketing firm Media Leverage, and his partner, Amy Lopez, 54, a graphic designer, paid thousands in back taxes and fines just to take ownership of the property. Then came the historic restoration approval process. The couple meticulously followed a specific historic district plan set forth by the City of Sacramento’s preservation department. The couple’s vision for the restoration was to create a “jewel box,” which Lopez says, “is a popular category of homes which have a smaller footprint but higher amenities.” In a Northern Virginia magazine article, designer Sallie Lord defines jewel box as a “small space with a big impact.”   

Baddley explains, “Everything we did was to a higher standard.

Because it’s small, I’d rather spend on making it really nice.” Exterior improvements included removing and replacing the old brick foundation, restoring the original front door location and adding a welcoming front porch, replicating lost corbels and trim, reworking original windows and repurposing the foundation brick by adding a courtyard for much needed outdoor living space. All electrical, plumbing and HVAC systems were replaced. 

Square footage was expanded to 850 square feet by reworking the footprint, and adding a closet and a half bath, complete with a tiny sink and floating toilet to maximize space. “It’s really a tiny house on steroids,” says Baddley. “We tried to make sure that every inch of the property has a practical use.”

Lopez led the interior improvements. She scoured books, magazines and the internet for inspiration which could combine Baddley’s desire to have a period-correct home with her more modern taste in decor. Ultimately, she found the work of designer Whittney Parkinson and the book “Victorian Modern” by Jo Leevers, both of which served as her blueprint for the interior. 

The modern Victorian aesthetic aims to juxtapose ornamentation with classic simplicity. In this house, eclectic, vintage art and antique-style light fixtures (some original) harmonize with a modern, neutral color palette. Oversized crown and base moldings add a regal touch. There are some beautiful surprises, such as the ornate crystal chandelier in the primary bath and artwork continuously displayed on the home’s frame TVs. Extra storage is tucked into unexpected locations throughout the house.

Lopez’s favorite room is the kitchen. “Victorian kitchens were completely utilitarian,” she says, and not especially pleasing to look at. Now, she says, the kitchen is “dreamy to work in” after installing painted cabinets that reach to the 11-foot-high ceiling, adorned with unlacquered brass hardware which will acquire a patina over time. Lopez designed the kitchen to accommodate a deep freezer and added a custom-made cutting board above for easy access. There is hidden storage in the range hood and a pot filler over the range. 

Baddley and Lopez love their neighborhood, at the edge of Boulevard Park. They walk to local restaurants and the Midtown Farmers Market (recently ranked the best in California and third in the nation). “We like to sit on the porch and watch people go by. It’s everything you’d like about living in Midtown,” says Baddley. 

Reflecting on what they have accomplished, Baddley says, “It’s very satisfying to take something built in the 1890s, completely gut it, modernize it and still keep its charm.” Future plans include adding an elevator and another 500 square feet to create a new primary suite in the attic. But for now, the couple is enjoying their new courtyard space, planted with white blooms and shaded by an enormous alder tree. “I’ll be outside, and people will stop and say, ‘I love your house!’” says Lopez. 

Kendall Morlan is a Calaveras County-based writer with a background in design.

Comstock’s “Unlisted” is an insider’s look at noteworthy homes that aren’t for sale. To recommend a house to be featured, contact dmorlan@comstocksmag.com. 

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