For years, Bravo fans associated Vicki Gunvalson with her sprawling Coto de Caza home, where countless memorable moments from “The Real Housewives of Orange County” unfolded. Now, the OG of the OC is opening the doors to a very different chapter.
In a new home tour shared by Bravo on July 9, Gunvalson welcomed viewers inside what she lovingly calls her “little jewel box,” revealing why she decided to downsize and the surprising reason she initially didn’t even want to buy the home.
Vicki Gunvalson says she cried after buying the house
As she welcomed cameras inside, Gunvalson immediately explained that while she still lives in Coto de Caza, this home represents a major shift in her life.
“I’m still in Coto but I downsized,” she said. “My home is a lot smaller. But it’s all I need for this time of my life.”
The transition wasn’t easy at first.
“When I bought this house, I cried because I didn’t want it,” Gunvalson admitted. “It was all dark and very black and dark, and I hated it.”
Instead of moving in immediately, she completely transformed the property.
“So I didn’t move in for three months and gutted it and did everything.”
Today, the finished home reflects exactly what she had envisioned. Bright, airy and designed for the lifestyle she now shares with boyfriend Michael Smith, the house prioritizes simplicity over square footage.
“I’ve really tried to maintain efficiency with this house,” she explained.
Gunvalson said she wanted a home that felt “light, maintenance free” and was “easy to lock up and go,” noting that she and Smith travel frequently together.
The backyard also reflects that change in priorities. Rather than installing a traditional swimming pool, she opted for what she called a “spool,” a smaller spa-pool hybrid complete with waterfalls and fire features.
“I needed to make a change and this was the right one,” she said.
Inside Vicki’s new ‘jewel box’
Throughout the tour, Gunvalson showed off several personal touches that make the home uniquely hers.
She pointed out a built-in wine cooler, explaining, “We like wine a couple nights a week.”
Outside, she shared a comfortable seating area where Smith spends many evenings watching television before showing viewers a peaceful prayer garden she recreated in memory of her late mother.
“When my mom died, I did this little prayer garden for her at my other home… and I brought it with me over here,” she explained.
Upstairs, Gunvalson showcased a completely renovated primary bathroom featuring white-and-gold finishes, a soaking tub she enjoys using at night and mountain views from the attached balcony. In true Vicki fashion, one of the balcony’s screen doors popped off its track during the tour, prompting her to laugh and joke, “We’ll fix that later.”
She also proudly showed off a colorful outdoor fountain and explained why the home fits this stage of her life so well.
“I like the airiness of this house. It doesn’t feel claustrophobic,” she said. “It’s really all we need.”
As the tour wrapped up, Gunvalson smiled while looking around the property and affectionately summed it up in just three words:
“My little jewel box.”
Fans quickly filled Bravo’s YouTube comments with support, with many celebrating both Gunvalson’s return to “The Real Housewives of Orange County” and her new home. “So glad Vicki is back. Let’s whoop it up,” one viewer wrote. Another commented, “Love, love your house,” while a third praised her decision to downsize, writing that it was “really smart” for this stage of life. Others called the home “beautiful,” “cozy,” and “perfect” while welcoming the original Housewife back to Bravo.
