Remember that saying, “you only have one chance to make a great first impression”? The same can be said of a house and its curb appeal. An easy way to improve your home’s first impression is with the front door. Check out these pretty examples and consider any changes you might want to make when…
Nestled on Chicago’s North Side, Lincoln Park is a vibrant neighborhood renowned for its stunning architectural diversity and rich history. From elegant Victorian row houses to sleek modern designs, this area of the windy city boasts a visual feast of styles that reflect the city’s evolving aesthetic over the decades. The weekend before Thanksgiving, I…
Shorter days create a seasonal coziness both inside and outside the home. See how nighttime curb appeal can be achieved with porch and landscape lighting. While the weather is still decent, it’s a good time to take a walk around the neighborhood and enjoy the evening lighting. Photo by Creole Design You don’t have to…
When I first started blogging 13 years ago, painted finishes were all the rage. Bloggers were refinishing furniture with chalk paint and using color on painted trim in various rooms. Fast forward to today and wood finishes are reappearing to add warmth and texture to interior spaces. Today I have a collection of rooms that…
Before the leaves make their final descent from the trees, I want to feature a fall cottage collection. Enjoy a variety of beautiful homes framed by fall colors on quaint streets or in idyllic meadows. You know I always love a red house and look how pretty it looks with reddish-orange leaves on the nearby…
Is anyone else a fan of a historic home staircase? You know – the graceful stairway that draws the eye and captures the heart. The type of staircase that’s perfect for hanging garland at Christmastime. The steps that you can envision the belle of the ball descending to greet her guests. See if you have…
This is the final post on Town and Country Living about my trip to the United Kingdom this past summer. Links to the previous posts including Reading and the Cotswold area are at the end of today’s photos, in case you missed them. Today I’m showcasing mostly beautiful Windsor, with a few photos of Eton…
Are you like me and find yourself craving walks through neighborhoods of colorful trees with the crunch of leaves underfoot? If you can’t wait for fall and the glorious color it brings, get a head start by enjoying today’s lineup of awesome houses in the peak of fall season. Golden maple tree leaves strike…
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…
Do you remember learning about the Chicago fire in grade school? The fire displaced a lot of people from their homes. That’s when wealthier city dwellers built homes around Lake Geneva, Wisconsin until Chicago was rebuilt. Rather than sell their waterfront homes, they kept them as second homes for vacations. Two weeks ago hubby and…
Pocket doors offer a unique and space-saving alternative to traditional doors that open into a room. By sliding seamlessly into the wall, these doors maximize floor space, enhance room flow, and create a clean, uncluttered look. Not to mention, they’re simply darn cute! This staircase landing area is filled with architectural details from the stairway…
Today I reveal my favorite Cotswold village of those that we visited during our recent trip to England. We only had time for three of the countryside towns and didn’t get to see Castle Combe, which I think would’ve been my favorite overall. Bourton-on-the-Water was my favorite of the day and is a unique little…
Are you ready to explore the second Cotswold village that my daughter and I visited during our trip to England? Stow-on-the-Wold is a market town filled with quaint shops and charming cottages. It doesn’t have the same winding, hilly streets as Bibury but it’s still loaded with charm and history. In case you’re wondering,…
It’s been a week since I returned home from England but the magic of the trip hasn’t left me. The Cotswold area was one of the main things I wanted to see while there, but we only had a day to explore the area. We didn’t get to all of the most visited villages, but…
Yesterday I arrived back home after an amazing week-long trip to England. This was my first vacation across the pond and as expected, I fell in love with the beauty and history of the land. I did not fall in love with driving on the crazy roads! But that was a mere blip in the…
This past weekend I’ve been researching the charm of Nantucket Island, hoping to take our summer vacation there next year. I’ve always wanted to visit both Nantucket and Martha’s Vineyard and decided to visit the smaller island first. We might take a ferry for a day trip to Martha’s Vineyard to do a little exploring….
