CURB APPEAL . . . . .

As an interior designer, I often find myself driving into some of my favorite neighborhoods and wondering who lives there, how is their home decorated, their style, young family, middle aged family or older.  Some exterior colors are attractive and updated and some are so in need.

Since March of this year I have been photographing homes from the curbside in hopes that I won't be caught!!!  Of course I picked only those with curb appeal.  East coast, West coast, North and South.  I have captured them all.  You must know that I left a few behind as sometimes my driver was driving too fast!

This home was all white and glass.  It appeared to have had some

updating.

This home was quite large and since someone else was doing this 'drive by'

for me, I shot the major center of this tastefully done, architecturally inspired

Spanish home. 

This home had great curb appeal.  It was all white with garden green

accents  on the shutters and railings.  The Impatiens were glorious!

While this was only an entrance, the main house was too far back

to even begin to photograph.  The entrance was amazing and meticulously

groomed.  If only I could have taken a little walk. . . . .

JUST A LITTLE TOUCH OF OLD NAPLES . . . . .

This is a little touch of the WEST.  Houston to be exact.

Most of this home was hidden by trees, but it rambled on forever!

Love the roof lines of this Houston home in the Woodlands

It is back to the Midwest. . . . . love the turet, the eyebrown roofline

over the two story entrance.  Also love the ivy, tho' it does look like

it needs a trim.

City Living . . . . . Chicago style!

California style . . . . Pacific Heights.  I love how the charcoal green

arch accents this front entrance.

A Pacific Heights  Victorian painted lady. . . . if you have ever walked these streets

and I did so while photographing,  you will understand how this suburb of

San Francisco got its name. . . I stood on the corner looking up to take this shot.

What an entrance!

While walking these hilly streets I can across this small, interesting,

compact home.  The sandy exterior home with black accents, framed with

green Cypress trees and a flowering shrub of some kind.  Very clean and striking!

Just to show you how high up I was, I am overlooking a housetop

and the Bay with part of the Golden Gate Bridge in the distance.

Love these side by side black doors and the green ivy topiaries. The ultimate

classic combo.

A coach house entrance. . . . . love the allure of this pathway that

leads to the front door.

Good ole California style with lush and plush greens which

are always so beautifully out of control . . . .

A seawater blue exterior with white,  was so welcoming. 
While not a fan of the multiple topiary specimen, it really

looks great the way it was used.

A suburban Chicago Cape Cod. . . .

.

Back to the Midwest . . . Northern Michigan and a sweet

B&B in Harbor Springs.  Don't you love the mass plantings

of daisies and geraniums?

The south of France???????????  No, this little French farmhouse

is in Hinsdale, Illinois. . . . and we ARE going to go inside one of

these days.

This house use to be red brick......a big committment going grey,

but so beautiful with the white shutters.  I love how the Impatiens have been cut into the boxwood, with the blue Hydrangeas behind.  Great curb

appeal.

Love the mix of white, brown and grey combined with the slate roof.

Hinsdale, Illinois

Great curb appeal.  . . older updated home in Chicago's suburbs.

Chicago's Lincoln Park neighborhood nestled among the shade of the trees.

A condo in Elmhurst, Illinois

We have been all over the United States, visiting home sites of what makes

up this wonderful life and the places we live.  We have been to Naples, Florida,  Houston, Texas, Harbor Springs, Michigan and the streets of Chicago and its suburbs.  Little homes,
big homes, condos and city living at its best.  Cottage homes, lake homes, ocean homes and country French homes.     Regardless of costs, make up, style and comfort or who might

reside at that address. . . . It always hold true that there is

NO PLACE LIKE HOME.

Enjoy the rest of your weekend.