Have you ever stopped to wonder what goes through the mind of an architect when she designs a house? Sometimes you see a home with great curb appeal and you wish you could live there. Other times you walk down the street and an ugly ducking of a house pops out and you wonder why…
Do you think you could live in a tiny house? Â I mean, really tiny, like a few hundred square feet or less? Â I’m always amazed by people who choose to live in tiny houses. Yes, the homes are cute but I need a little bit of space. It might be fun to transport one of…
Last weekend was my grandson’s first birthday! My daughter decided on a lumberjack party theme and rented a little log cabin in Riverside, Illinois. It was such a cute party and I took lots of pictures which I’ll share in a future post. After the party, hubby and I toured the tree-lined streets and of…
A couple weeks ago I took you on a walk with me along the tree-lined streets of Sycamore, Illinois. Today we’re taking another walk through the beautiful historic district of this charming little town. I’m such a huge fan of quaint architecture and if you follow my blog, I’m guessing you enjoy it as much…
Normally you think of doors as something you shut to create privacy, or something you open to allow entrance into another space. But doors are far more than a functional piece; they create architectural statements inside and outside your home. Â They can be sleek and modern, or paneled and traditional. Doors are beautiful in their…
Several months ago hubby and I were talking about selling our house and moving into new construction. Now, we’re weighing the idea of staying put and making some major renovations. Our decision will first and foremost depend on finances because I refuse to be house poor. At first I thought it would be easier to…
One of the main reasons I’m such a huge fan of older homes is the architectural details that you just don’t find in most houses built today. Bulls-eye trim, room pillars, arched doorways, and all those wonderful things that add character to a home. Yes, you can certainly have them in a new home, but…
Older homes with wrap around porches and architectural detail have a charm all their own. Normally when I post walking tours of neighborhoods I choose to share the historic homes. But today, hubby and I ventured to Mill Creek subdivision in Geneva, Illinois to bring you a sampling of newer “village homes” that have quaint appeal….
Last week I took you on part of my walk through one of the historic neighborhoods in St. Charles, Illinois. This week I’m sharing the rest of that walk with you. You’ll see mostly bungalow style homes on this part of the tour, but I’ve added a couple others too. St. Charles is right next…
As the suburbs of Chicago continue to grow and spread, it seems there’s always new homes popping up around our area. Most of this new construction consists of well-planned subdivisions with tract housing, providing new home buyers with the most square footage they can afford. This of course means that architectural amenities like ornate trim, custom…
Ever since I developed a keen interest in architecture and old houses, I’ve had an ongoing love affair with painted ladies … of the Victorian sort, that is. I love all the details they possess like gingerbread, fish scales, and bulls eye trim. Victorian houses are works of art and when they’re painted to show…
I know that the trend in exterior home colors these days leans toward neutrals, but I love homes cloaked in fun, bold colors. When we moved into our circa 1875 clapboard farmhouse, it was painted pink with green and white trim. I loved it! But when we painted it pale yellow a few years later, our…
After spending a little time on Houzz the other day, I had a whim to dedicate one day a week to stuff I love other there … and so begins Humpdays with Houzz! Each week I’m going to focus on some type of design element and share it with you. Houzz lets you easily embed…
If you’ve seen the movie “Groundhog Day” with Bill Murray, you might think it was filmed in Punxsatawney, PA. But truth be told, the movie was filmed just a few towns north of where I live in Woodstock, Illinois. I’ve heard that the movie makers passed through Woodstock on the way to film the Blue…
One of my favorite weekend trips is a visit to historic Galena, Illinois. Even Midwest Living magazine has featured it on many occasions. Home of Ulysses S. Grant, Galena’s main street is a shopping mecca of boutiques, antique stores, and many restaurants. But what I love most about Galena is its rolling hills and historic…
This past weekend my daughter and I ran the Fox Valley Half Marathon, which means I’ve been a little too tired to think about decorating and taking photos. So I poked around my folders and found a slew of old house pictures that I never posted! How did that happen? So without further adieu, here…
