This post is near and dear to my heart…I totally feel your pain, Mooki, and I also appreciate what briansd1 has posted.

When we moved here several years ago, my ideal west coast dream house was a mid-century modern California ranch. We chose to live in north coastal SD county, thinking we’d find that perfect beachy ranch cottage, but unfortunately, I never saw many of them. Well, maybe I’d come upon one every so often, but they were not in the abundance that I expected. What was shocking was the overabundance of cheap, big, gaudy houses. Faux Tuscan or faux Mediterranean/Spanish crap everywhere.

But, to gripe about it feels kind of irrelevant. As was already mentioned, the builders only build what will sell, but that’s the most disheartening thing. It’s clear that what most people around here like is not what I like. It’s kind of strange to slowly realize that the vast majority of the people in the area that you’ve chosen to live in have a dramatically different design aesthetic (and lifestyle priorities) than you do. 🙁

I try to ignore it, but I have to admit to being a little depressed by it, and kind of embarrassed when my friends come to visit from out of the area…although I love to show them around the gorgeous beaches, I kind of cringe at the sight of so many big ugly faux houses. Ick.