Viewing architecture

We still have a few fall leaves clinging to their trees even though a thin blanket of snow covers the ground. Before we hit all-in winter, I thought I better share my fall photos of charming old homes from my trip to southwest Michigan. This is the first beauty that caught my eye. You know…

Fall color is in peak season here in Illinois! A recent trip through Huntley, Illinois to my grandson’s football game resulted in an impromptu photo shoot of charming old homes lining the streets.   Huntley is a fast-growing town of about 25,000 people at the far northwestern edge of the Chicago suburbs. Like my town,…

My husband is from Pittsburgh and one thing I always notice when we visit his home town is the abundance of brick homes. He appreciates their low-maintenance appeal, while I love the diversity of style you can find in a brick house. Photo by Charles Hilton Architects   One thing that would make me very…

When considering all types of home styles, I think the Victorian home exterior is probably the most ornate and intricate. Common features include towers, turrets, dormers, and wide wrap-around porches. All of which you’ll see in these gorgeous homes with off-the-chart curb appeal! Photo by David Heide Design Studio   Victorian style evolved from the…

Last week the whole family headed up to Door County, Wisconsin for a five-day vacation in a beautiful modern farmhouse. We stayed in Baileys Harbor but the first place we visited was scenic Fish Creek. I snapped some photos while walking around because this bayside town is so quaint and charming. A charming white church…

Everyone seems to have a favorite color house. My first house was blue, the second one was a creamy off-white. My current home is butter yellow. But truth be told, I’ve always loved a red house! Photo by   Most red houses are converted barns, which seem to be growing in popularity. Photo by Ryan…

Growing up, I remember friends who lived in homes with skylights that always seemed to leak or were dirty. So I’ve never been much of a fan of skylights until now. There are a lot of amazing options to let the sun shine in from above. Photo by Lisa Gabrielson Design   I’m fascinated with…

Earlier this week I posted a photo of an historic stone house on my Instagram account. It received a lot of positive feedback. Since so many others love stone homes, I thought I’d share a few more here on my blog. Photo by Rikki Snyder   A stone house immediately evokes a sense of charm….

Window shopping is what I always do when I look at a home to purchase. What I mean is – the windows are one of the most important home design elements in my book. I love lots of windows and the more unique, the better. Photo by Hinkley Lighting   I’m the type of person…

Do you remember the excitement of searching for your very first home? Today I’m heading out with my daughter and her hubby to find their dream starter home! My daughter is a stay-at-home-mom so they’re living on one salary and need to be conservative while house hunting. I collected a batch of small houses –…

A red front door is often found on traditional homes but they’re pretty on a variety of architectural style houses. Here are 11 examples that show how to make your front door stand out. Photo by Gatling Design   I’m totally smitten with this rustic front door that reminds me of a home you’d see…