Black Cape Cods

One of my favorite go-to pursuits

is perusing house listings on realtor.com.

It’s been a while since I blogged about my “finds”,

but then yesterday I spied this cape cod in my hometown*

FOR A MERE $25 GRAND!!!

If you can’t see the enormous potential

of this charmer-in-waiting,

then I’m sorry —

but we can’t be friends any more!

*It’s in Greenville, Illinois, which is 50 miles east of St. Louis

+ has 1207 sq. ft. + 3 bedrooms + 1.5 baths (listing here.)

I did share this house on my RedBird Facebook page,

as is my way (follow me!),

at which time I mused about possibly

painting it all black to make a modern statement.

I’m pretty sure I was influenced by this do-over,

featured in the current issue of Country Home magazine —

as I thought it was really striking + so well-done.

The original section remains quite traditional + untouched,

but the flat roofs on the wings

+ their horizontal siding add the modern.

Metal roofs can go either modern or traditional,

+ I think this raw, unpainted metal looks industial + modern.

Country Home

This next all-black houses’s over-sized windows

add to its modern look,

yet I think it remains quite traditional.

Here, the dark metal roof accents skew traditional.

origin unknown

This stately Victorian house

is nearly all black,

with pops of white in the window surrounds.

Notice how the black window sashes “pop”

against the white trim.

Would you have painted the door trim white?

I would have.

yentua.com

This sunning home looks fantastic in black,

+ notice how pretty  all the mostly-white flowers

contrast with the dark facade:

xtoxictears.tumbler.com

This house reminds me of the Country Home do-over,

with its traditional bones

+ some modern details added,

such as the horizontal boards on the porch + foundation:

House and Home magazine

However, most of the black houses online

do include white trim,

+ let’s face it, that’s a really good look.

When a house has a multitude of beautiful details,

the white gives them the attention they deserve,

like this home’s arch top window + door

+ swoon-worthy front pergola:

aviondale.com

This house is very traditional + colonial,

but the pale blue door brings it into the 21st Century

in a very pretty way:

inspiredhue.wordpress.com

I think this is a newly-built farmhouse-style house,

+ those stand-out twin columns

might be lost if they weren’t painted white.

I love the window box with its brackets,

which echo those along the roof gable!

decor.net

Here’s another beautiful new-build

with pairs of porch columns.

Its metal roof reminds me of the all-black magazine house

that sparked my all-black inspiration.

The simple, pale front door says “today”:

charlottedack.com

.This next beautiful house’s charcoal siding

is more interesting when paired with black shutters

+ white paint on its colonial details,

like that front door surround + picket fence.

(P.S. Nothing says New England architecture

like a whale weathervane!)

unknown origin

And speaking of pretty white details + picket fences,

this house couldn’t be more charming.

I’m smitten with the rows of rose bush topiaries

+ box woods marching along side the brick front sidewalk!

This Old House magazine

In conclusion,

here’s a look-see at a pale before + black after:

They kept enough white trim

to accent the pretty details

(notice my “faves” – the black window sashes),

+ amped up the modern very nicely

with the natural wood door

+ horizontal natural boards on the foundation

+ on that nicely beefed-up front porch.

M e a n w h i l e —

after all this online researching of black cape cods,

I’m on the fence about my hometown house’s exterior color.

Instead of going with a monochromatic all-black exterior,

I now think there are just enough pretty details

to highlight in white.

I think I’d paint those interesting window sashes black,

so that they stand out,

+ some sort of pale front door

would be nice + on-trend, don’t you think?

Too bad I don’t think I could persuade G.O. to move

to my southern Illinois homeland with me!

Cabins In The Snow

Today’s post is a result of my daily “look-see”

at Remodelista’s inspirational blog,

this one devoted to cabins in the snow:

I love snow + think every house looks more beautiful in said-same.

For proof, here’s our Dutch colonial last Christmas season.

Charming, if I do say so!

Disclaimer: we’ve not had much snow this year,

+ I am not amused.

So.  Let’s cheer ourselves me up

by looking at some houses in real snow,

beginning with this Belgian stunner

that’s been one of my online favorites for years:

I’ve always wanted to live in an old stone house!

The juxtaposition of the rustic stone + that glass room addition is so exquisite.

Inside, they’ve continued mixing the modern with the rustic.

I’m smitten with those red kitchen stools,

but I fear I would tumble out of the bed during the night!

This Aspen, Colorado ski chalet was recently renovated

to yet more glass + stone perfection:

I’m a fan of the interior’s rough-sawn wood planks

combined with the smooth, white walls + dark gray beams:

I shan’t lie — I am obsessing about living in a mid-Century modern house

(again),

so I love this one in New York state:

By again, I mean that while I was in college in the 70’s,

I lived in a genuine mid-Century house

in a 50’s neighborhood in my southern Illinois hometown.

Sadly (very), this was prior to my devotion to MCM style,

+ I would definitely love a courtesy “do-over”.

Please.

Inside, the homeowners obviously left the natural wood ceiling + beams

but have brightened everything up by painting the wall paneling white:

Next up, I love all things Swedish, in-cluding this dark green beauty!

How wrong would it be

for us to paint our white vinyl siding a crazy dark color??!!

Okay, that’s not gonna happen,

but please.

The whitewashed wood interior + Scandi-style furnishings!

Obviously, the view’s not bad, either.

Our maternal ancestors are from Switzerland, as is this mountainside cabin.

Wow.  It’s as flat as a pancake here in Illinois, where we live.

I can’t imagine mountains like this!

(Love the fence, too.)

Once again with the dark exterior + ultra-light interiors,

+ once again with my loving the bare, minimalist decor

when we have anything but!

That view!

Could we at least plop one chaise lounge in that space, though?

This concludes our fun tour of cabins in the snow via the Remodelista blog.

Maybe I can whip up some energy to remove all things Christmas

from our household + pare things down just a tad!

Doubt it.

Hope you had a merry Christmas!

Dreamy Vacation Rental on Cape Cod

The best thing on this morning’s trip through Facebook —

discovering this vacation rental house on the wharf in Provincetown, MA:

Loving the exterior New England-y gray shingles

+ black window sash, amIright?

Provincetown is a hipster community

located on the very tip of Cape Cod, MA:

Having only seen Cape Cod from the air

as I once flew through Boston,

I didn’t realize that its tip was such a pronounced hook.

One day, of course, I hope to visit, but for now,

let’s get back to dreaming about that waterside house.

Just look at the view one gets from the living room.

Oh, yeah — the sea + all those gorgeous sailboats are divine,

but let’s get real.

Didn’t we first notice that nautical chic deck decor,

starting with that epic blue + white striped rug?

Or is it just me?

It’s not just me.

But wait, there’s more:

The living room, how do I love thee?

Exposed ceiling, groovy rattan sofa with blue + white stripe upholstery . . .

. . . wicker chair + sawbuck table + industrial lights . . .

. . . pair of distressed, brown leather chairs AND that FLOOR!!

WANT!!

Anyway, it looks like there are 2 sleeping spaces . . .

. . . including this cozy upstairs loft:

More stripes!  And isn’t that the perfect old, blue paint color!!??

Extra points for the “leaner” photographs, too.

Downstairs, just beyond the kitchen, we find a larger bedroom:

Full disclosure:

I totally hung a giant flag on the wall behind our bed once,

but tragically, it didn’t look as cool as this one does.

Maybe I should re-think + re-visit that idea, though.

Stay tuned!

Anyway, back to the living spaces:

That window seat, with the all the “Kay fabrics” is swoon-worthy, for sure!

Point me to the striped fabric + get out of my way!

I love the kitchen’s pendant lighting, open shelving + cabinet cubbies,

the nautical clock, + check out all the artwork!

I love how some is hung up high + some is resting atop the counters.

Speaking of hanging artwork “up high”,

did we notice this pair of framed art

flanking the living room window gable?

Unexpected + genius!

This concludes our fantasy stay in Provincetown, MA,

which has inspired me to do the following:

sewing something striped, stat!,

+ hanging some artwork, maybe later today!

Traditional Charmer In The Berkshires

Today I’m headed back to realtor.com for more house hunting

in the Berkshires,

where I have deliberately turned away from my minimalist choices of days’ past

+ fallen for something a lot more traditional — this charmer:

It looks like an original log home with a tasteful addition.

Here’s a closer look-see at the log portion.

How do I love thee?  Let me count the ways!

Red window sashes + door, twiggy porch details,

full + lush (“busy”) front landscaping, stone pathway, etc. etc.

The stone pathway continues along the front of the addition at left,

where there are more twigs, in the form of this beautiful pergola!

My first thoughts are, “How can I persuade G.O. to build something twiggy for our yard?”,

but then I ask myself,  a. “Isn’t that unnecessarily difficult?”

+ b. “Wouldn’t twig structures be too rustic for a Dutch colonial house?”

Oh, well — let’s move on to yet more exterior snapshots.

My gosh, there’s even a screened-in room, my favorite thing, ever!

Of course, a pond:

And, in conclusion, the detached garage has an apartment upstairs,

the interior of which is fine but not so share-worthy:

Inside the house, the living room + stair case

look about as I’ve come to expect when I spy a log home online:

Sometimes log home interiors can skew a tad too WOODSY for my tastes ,

but I s’poze one could solve that issue by painting a few things

+ adding some contrasting wood tones.

I honestly don’t know what I ‘d do in here (yet!),

but I’d mull things over for a few months + decide, as is my way.

I would probably play off that beautiful stone fireplace

+ introduce some complementary blacks, grays + charcoal paint colors.

Since the fireplace backs up to the adjacent kitchen (love the red stove!) . . .

. . . + I think I’d paint the lower cabinets black or charcoal gray,

replace the butcher block counter tops (too much wood!)

+ figure out something more “now” to do with the uppers:

Upstairs in the addition, one can see evidence that it’s probably post + beam:

Isn’t this bathroom fantastic?

The homeowners added some gray tones with the marble,

the reclaimed wood back splash + vanity.

I love the shower in this room,

+ kudos to them for adding a darker wood tone medicine cabinet + vanity:

So that’s that!

Yes, I toyed with the idea of our traveling to the Berkshires for some fall leaf peeping,

but I fear we’ve waited too long this year.

We’re actually thinking of heading south, like maybe Tennessee,

so it’s time to see what’s for sale in Franklin!

Stay tuned!

I Love This Minimalist House!

I’m back, house hunting in the Berkshires on realtor.com.

This house is so plain Jane, but it couldn’t appeal to me more!

I do love a white house, yes,

but it’s the details of this one that drew me in,

especially this modern trellis hung over a wall of windows:

Love it!  Look at the wire cables!  How “NOW”!

And please.

A standing seam metal roof outside has to mean more awesomeness inside.

Let’s check it out to see if my theory is true

re: the exterior + interiors being equally groovy.

There’s that beautiful wall of windows we saw earlier:

My gosh.  What a beautiful space.

I would never leave!

While all-white’s not for me, it really works great in this house, don’t you think?

In the kitchen + dining area, they’ve exposed the original, rustic rafters + beams.

The texture they add, even after being painted white,

keeps things from being too sterile . . .

. . . as do the natural wood dining table + brown leather chairs . . .

. . . + all those books!

I love the black floors + black cabinet handles + light fixture hardware.

Okay.  Now we’re headed to sterile town (below), but still.

I’m a huge fan of the small exposed rafter, that day bed + the rolling table.

If it was my house, I’d add a colorful rug + artwork,

some pillows + window treatments.

I am digging more nautical-style wire cables on the exterior staircase,

+ the deck is well-designed + very beautiful.

But wait. Here’s a question.

Why am I drawn to such minimalist houses

when ours is anything but?

This might prompt me to ask myself “is less more?” once again.

 

House Hunting In The Berkshires

One of my favorite past times is house hunting on the bozoputer,

via realtor.com — FUN FOR ME!

Since I’ve been longing to go leaf-peeping in the Berkshire Mountains

of western Massachusetts, I’ve been searching for houses there.

So many good ones! — But which listings garner my click for a closer look-see?

Well, this house initially attracted me because it’s painted black,

which is a thing now.

That, plus those butterfly chairs on the front deck,

the stylish French doors + landscaping

all made me think that the interior would be stylish + updated.

Let’s go inside now + see if that’s so,

starting with everybody’s favorite — the kitchen —

which I am guessing is in the center front, where the box window is located.

Isn’t that window ledge as charming as all get-out?

The traditionalist in me loves that old brick red cupboard, too.

See how it plays nicely with the mid-century lamp + chest next to it?

I love the mix of old + new!

Just to the left is the rather modest kitchen work space:

I say modest, but look closely; it’s really quite stylish.

First of all, I’m a fan of that island!

It looks like it’s an old, re-purposed piece of furniture, which I love.

Those pendants bring in more mid-century style.

Our parents built a house in ’64-ish, + we had the same lights in our kitchen.

The floating shelves are chic, as is that awesome red range (want!)

Notice the lower, marble-top cabinet to the right.

It makes me think that a serious baker lives here,

who uses that surface for rolling out dough + kneading bread + such.

The living room is just beyond.

Notice how the white walls + light gray woodwork (my favorites!)

flow through from the kitchen to here:

The ledge which spans the entire wall of windows is a nice design feature,

+ notice how uncluttered it is (at least for the real estate photos, anyway.)

I think there are some serious minimalists who live here!

The beams, wide wood plank floor, wood stove, rug + couch are delightful,

as are the built-ins opposite.

Betcha there’s a TV hidden away, + look at all the books,

which brings us to a fun factoid about my realtor.com hobby.

When you’re me, it’s fun to guess what the homeowners are like.

I think these might be artists; check out the painting

in what looks like a basement bonus room:

If they’re not artists, they’re certainly Artsy,

which accurately describes the Berkshires — that’s why I want to move there.

Back to the house.

The bedrooms are very plain Jane + stylish:

Okay.  This is definitely the room of a kid with Artsy parents,

because where are all the plastic electronic toys!?

Check out the child’s name on that banner.

Maybe they’re European!

Now that I think about it, the simple + spare decor does look Scandinavian.

Here’s a view from the back.

The detached garage’s been painted the same monochromatic black as the house.

Look at their yummy mix of plants in their yard — I love the Japanese maples.

There are lots of Buddhas in Berkshires houses, I noticed.

Stay tuned; I’ll share another + guess what the homeowners are like — tomorrow.

 

 

HGTV’s Dream Home 2018

Did you watch the premiere of the 2018 HGTV Dream House last night?

It’s in Gig Harbor, Washington, + here ’tis:

Hmmm.  My initial thoughts are along the lines of “meh”,

but since I didn’t watch, I shall save my judgement until after I do.

What I did watch yesterday was a day-long Downton Abbey marathon,

a.k.a. pledge drive, on PBS.

 

I had to watch, because I now have a crush

on the actor portraying Lady Mary’s 2nd husband,

Matthew Goode.

 

EDITORIAL USE ONLY. NO MERCHANDISING Mandatory Credit: Photo by Ken McKay/ITV/REX/Shutterstock (5658608ag) Matthew Goode ‘This Morning’ TV show, London, Britain – 21 Apr 2016 We last saw him saying ‘I Do’ to Lady Mary in Downton but now Matthew Goode has swapped the Granthams for grapes and has turned presenter for a new wine show for ITV4. He tells us about taking us around the wine world with his former co-star Matthew Rhys, his upcoming project with Brad Pitt and what he makes of those rumours about him becoming the next James Bond.

 

He’s Princess Margaret’s first husband, Antony Armstrong-Jones,

in The Crown series on Netflix.

 

But I digress — back to the Dream Home!

I recorded it, so I’ve penciled in a viewing for  later today.

First, let’s have a look-see at some of the past Dream Homes.

Do you have any favorites?

 

1997 Jackson Hole, WY:

 

1998 Beaufort, SC:

 

1999  Rosemary Beach, FL

 

L: 2000 Nehalem, OR      R: 2001 Camden, ME:

 

 

L:  2002 Sherwood, MD       R:  2003 Mexico Beach, FL:

 

 

 2004 St. Mary’s, GA

 

L:  2005 Tyler, TX       R:  2006 Lake Lure, NC

 

Dream Home 2005, Tyler TX

 

L:  2007 Winter Park, CO       R: 2008 Islamorada, FL

 

 

L:  2009 Sonoma, CA       R:  2010 Sandia Park, NM

 

 

L:  2011 Stowe, VT       R: 2012  Park City, UT

 

 

L:  2013  Charleston, SC       R:  2014  Lake Tahoe, CA

 

 

L:  2015  Martha’s Vineyard       R:  2016  Merritt Island, FL

 

 

. . . . and, in conclusion, last year’s home

St. Simons Island, GA

I wonder what you’ve all thought of this year’s Dream Home.

Is it just me, or didn’t we used to get more excited about this than we do now?

Country Living’s Kit Barn

It’s LIVING IN A BARN WEEK!

This month’s Country Living magazine features 4 converted barn homes,

+ it’s my job to review each one, starting with yesterday’s Modern Barn.

Today I shall discuss the Kit Barn.

Kit meaning it’s built from precut posts-and-beams + arrives on a truck

from Country Carpenters in Connecticut.

But first.  Remember how I geeked out over the sweet paintings of the barns?

I read the tiny print to see who the talented artist was,

+ her name is Emily Isabella.

How adorable!

She has an etsy shop, which I need to investigate further.

We’ll discuss.

But first.  Back to today’s Kit Barn.

This is a small detail, but how much do we love that transom-style window

above the garage door?

A lot.

Some people in our town added a garage to their beautiful older home,

+ I was so impressed when I saw that they had included a similar transom window!

I mean, WHO does that?  Besides nobody!

Perhaps I’ll risk having a restraining order placed upon me

+ snap a photo to share with the class.

Anyway.  The homeowner is Laura, + she lives in Napa Valley.

Turns out she’s a fixer upper flipper with her own company,

Del Mar Restoration!

I can’t wait to look at their website.

I’ll report back.

I’m SO sorry for my crappy photos!

I am a huge fan of Adirondack chairs,

+ this one earns extra points for being modern + navy.

 I like all the crunchy gravel surrounding the barn

+ the charming cupola + weathervane.

Inside, there’s a bedroom tucked under the exposed rafters.

That bed looks like it’s been upholstered with a gray linen,

+ the mix of pillows + the Hudson Bay blanket fit nicely in a rustic barn home.

Nearby there’s a seating area with another favorite, a brown leather couch.

The light fixture + that rug (navy + plus signs!) are both swell.

That coffee table, though.  Whoa.

Wish I could persuade G.O. to try + make one for us.  Stay tuned.

That horse trough tub is cool.

I can only imagine how hard it would be to persuade G.O. that we need one!

HA!  It’s always tons of fun when I get to use the fighting cat photo!

But wait.

My fave feature of this entire barn would be the RED WHEELS on their table.

O . . . M . . . G !

I told G.O. that, if he/we ever see anything like them, we must get them!!

I’ll keep you posted.

Next on the barn home agenda is the Neutral Barn.

Hint: lots of white.  See you then!

 

 

Sea Side Maine Charmer

Is anyone out there following For The Love Of Old Houses on Facebook?

That sounds like it would be right up our alley, doesn’t it?

Sadly, most of the featured homes are just too large or too grand,

+ I just can’t see myself living in them.

Sad!

But wait.  I need to get U-Haul on the phone,

because I am totally ready to move into today’s ‘Old House’!

OF COURSE, IT’S IN MAINE!

Maine is where the charming sea side homes are!

Let’s see what you think.

They had me at the shingle exterior,

the steeply pitched, saltbox roof line, all those windows,

the twiggy stair hand rail, the hydrangeas . . .

. . . the sweet window box, the lean-to entrance with the ‘grandpa’ screen door.

Notice, too, that where the second story shingles meet the first,

they flare just a bit.

I love little details like that, don’t you?

Speaking of  love, wow oh wow, that living/dining room!

Obviously, that view, that wall o’ windows  + the exposed beams are ooh la la,

+ I’m also loving the furnishings.

The scale of that sectional is perfect for its space, is it not?

A small-ish room with ginormous furniture makes me cross.

But people.  Please look closely at that floor.

It’s painted the prettiest shade of blue with white stripes!

You’ll have to excuse me for a sec, because I am going to swoon!

Just between us,

I am plotting + planning how I’ll paint the floor of our front porch (finally!)

It will be the same shade of gray as our new steps,

but it can’t just be plain Jane, can it?

No.  It can not.

I’ve been toying with possible buffalo checks or stenciled tiles,

+ so now I’ve added stripes into my possible choices.

After all, you can never go wrong with stripes.

Please notice the striped area rug, below.

How I love it when an area rug is used to anchor a seating area, like this:

Now we know how the TV set’s been incorporated, + I approve!

That coffee table looks fantastic, doesn’t it?

I love the natural wood with all that blue + white paint!

Please.  That kitchen.

I think the stainless range hood is very simple + perfection.

Notice the art work that’s leaning on top of those counter tops.

 about which I am currently obsessing!

Are they concrete?

I think so, although they could be zinc, which would also rule  my world.

Of course, we all love the trendy open shelving + restaurant-style faucet,

but look at that huge, rectangular sink + that under-counter skirt!

SO WACKY!

I mean that in the best possible sense.

The older I get, the more I wish to make what I call wacky decor choices.

Sadly, I fear that our house is not nearly wacky enough!

More on that, later.

Let’s look at the pantry doors.

Some of the comments were not favorable (too rustic!),

re: those chippy, recycled doors, but I disagree!

They are FAB, people (+ I also love the large, black clock!)

Of course, the bathroom is as charming as all get-out,

+ I am wondering how I might incorporate the long shelf into ours.

The bedroom.

The vaulted, wood-clad ceiling, the beams, the gable window, the view —

they’re all stellar, BUT THE FLOORS!!!

Painted + spattered floors like this are/were a ‘thing’ New England,

+ I, for one, think they should be a ‘thing’ all over the U.S.!

Across the room, there’s the cutest, little dresser, ever,

+ a small scale slip covered chair.  ADORABLE!

And, in closing, let’s have another look-see at the fantastic view.

One of the reasons that New England is so charming would be all the sailboats!

I shan’t risk hurting the feelings of any jet ski enthusiasts who read my blog,

but let me say that I think the jet ski is the antithesis of the sailboat.

Our beloved G.O. loves the jet ski.  Oops.

Let’s focus, instead, on something more pleasant.

They’re finally back + waiting for me at the grocery store!

A Waterfront Saltbox House For Sale

Our late, great mom used to hop up + do household chores

during the commercials on Wheel of Fortune.

Talk about multi-tasking!

Anyway, here she is, with our dad,

sitting on the deck of the riverfront farmhouse

that we built in or around the year 2000.

So.  I honor her multi-tasking legacy by looking at houses on the bozoputer

while watching Cardinals baseball games on TV!

Sadly, all the local houses on realtor.com were a tad boring,

so I looked in Wilmington, IL, (where our riverfront house was located.)

You might not think I would dig this house (below), but I do.

I’ve always loved a house with the chimney in front.

Is that weird?

The asking price’s been lowered to $149,900.

That garage door needs to be more plain Jane

+ painted a color instead of white,

+ you just know Joanna Gaines would remove the 80’s arch window topper.

How about adding a more “now” transom, instead?

https://cotedetexas.blogspot.com/

Omigosh, the pastels in that room!

Pass me the white paint + get out of my way!

But back to the porch.

I also want those posts to be fatter — + maybe in pairs on either side, like here.

Yes, of course I’d also love a standing seam metal roof, too!

• * * * * *

Now let’s discuss the interior, starting with this 2-story living room:

Okay.  I really like that stone, + the hardwood floor is good, too.

I super love the vaulted ceiling.

Can we put some wood planks up there + say goodbye to the track lighting?

 We really need to beef up the mantel + add tons of woodwork, too.

Most importantly, though — that bad (more 80’s!) deck stair railing must go!

I think I’m in the mood for something in wood + iron, instead.

Check out the wainscoting surrounding this beautiful staircase!

Back to my house.  Here’s a view from the second story.

Now let’s look at a house with a similar 2-story living room.

I’m loving the wood + iron stair railing combination again,

+ speaking of Joanna Gaines — look at that shiplap!

The kitchen looks about like what you’d expect.

I don’t hate the cabinets, + there are plenty of them.

Let’s say goodbye to the soffit, though, + move the refrigerator elsewhere.

Maybe here?

As far as the stove is concerned,

I want to make it more of a design focal point.

Exhibit A:

Man oh Manichewitz, do I love that custom range hood!

Also, I’m saying yes to the glass uppers flanking the hood,

+ I will never grow tired of subway tile back splashes

(although I think I said that once about early Americana*

+ eagle decor*, back in the 70’s!  HA!)

*Go ask your grandmother.

The bathrooms are, again, what I would expect.

What the heck — let’s just go straight to some Fixer Upper bathrooms for ideas.

Since the vanity cabinet is perfectly fine, let’s slap a coat of gray paint on it

+ add a pretty gray + white marble vanity top, too.

Don’t forget the crown molding!!!

Since I couldn’t possibly have a fiberglass shower surround in my dream world,

let’s choose white subway tiles — again.

Ix-nay on the frilly shower curtain, but I never have been much of a girlie girl.

Out back, we have a nice, spacious deck, + look at all the trees!

  Just say no to mold in a real estate photo, though!

Somebody needs some Clorox + a scrubby brush!

Anyway, surprise!

It looks as though there’s a pretty wonderful balcony upstairs!

Let’s give the 80’s deck rails the heave-ho, shall we?

And look!

My new house is located right next to a body of water!

From the looks of that H20,

I think I’m going to need to stock up on the citronella candles,

but it is waterfront, which is usually a plus.

I did some research re: which waterfront we’re discussing,

+ I think that my house is located in a community called Shadow Lakes.

The “lakes” are actually former strip mines, believe it or not.

In southern Illinois, there are still operational, underground coal mines,

but up north, they opted to just go in from the surface + dig out the coal.

Interesting.

Here’s one more photo of my house.

That roof line makes it look a little like a modern salt box house.

+ I’ve always liked fences like that, too!