More flipping out

So "Flipping Out" house flipper Jeff Lewis has responded to the lawsuit filed yesterday by Terence Beesley and Ashley Jensen saying he built a deck over their property and then threatened them when they asked for compensation. Here's the e-mail, sent to The Times' Roger Vincent by Nicole Perez of PR agency Rogers & Cowan:

Actress Ashley Jensen ... and her husband Terry Beesley and I have a simple encroachment dispute that should have been resolved informally.  Having apparently watched my reality show, they now feel they can exploit my personality to increase their media exposure and their alleged damages.  I have never threatened either of them with physical harm, nor was I abusive or verbally threatening to either of them.  In fact I have never even met Ms. Jensen.  The court will decide how much the easement is worth and Ms. Jensen and Mr. Beesley will then be left having to earn media coverage on their talent alone.

So there.

--Sharon Bernstein

Women more likely to conserve, survey says

The folks at Better Homes and Garden Real Estate say a survey of homeowners shows that women are more likely than men to cut household waste and consumption. Seventy-two percent of women said they changed their light bulbs to compact fluorescents, 59% cut water use and 75% recycled.

Among male respondents, 65% switched to energy-saving light bulbs, 53% cut water use and 70% recycled.

Go ahead and call me a sexist, but I wonder how much of the difference is due to male householders not doing their fair share of dishwashing, light bulb changing and taking out the trash. Just asking, fellas.

-- Peter Hong

   

To live and blog in Hemet: Renovating a "brick house"

I was snooping around Kate in the Valley's blog the other day, checking up on Sherman Oaks listings, and Kate recommended a very cool blog about interior design and home remodeling, so I'll pass it on.

If you are interested in what you can do to stylize a '50's-era tract house, check out The Brick House, which tracks the ongoing renovation of a plain-Jane brick house in Hemet. Moto: "All about fixing up a 1950's mid-century cement brick house. Trying to make it awesome and do it on a tight budget."

The blog, and the home decorating, are the work of artist Morgan Satterfield, who lived in Los Angeles before moving to the Brick House in Hemet. Yes, it's in Hemet and it's cool.

The house is still a work in progress. The blog is fun and very accessible — flea market finds, trying to duplicate a look you've seen in a Martha Stewart magazine, paint swatches on the side of the house, etc.

— Peter Viles

Your thoughts? Comments? E-mail story tips to Peter Viles.

Photo Credit: The Brick House