on my walk this morning

I walked over to my neighbors house this morning and found another little graffiti tag on the sidewalk.  Call me a bad person, but I actually kind of like the little tags that don't end up messing up walls or personal property.  Sure, it's illegal, and may be ugly to some, but it made me smile this morning.

Found this one earlier this week a few blocks away.  Same artist? 

isn't this pretty? I snapped a quick little shot of her living room while we were chatting.

my monochromatic neighbor

I see this house every day on my way home from work. I have been noticing it more on these rainy spring days because this house looks especially lovely in the gray weather with the gardens perking up from all the rain, really making it shine.

I love being surprised by liking something I wouldn't normally think I'd like.  If you told me a house would look good with different shades of olive and avocado as the main colors I would have squinted at you to see if you were for real.  But it's been proven, in my opinion, this house is one of the best on my block.

{and yes, that is snowy slush falling mid April.} 

bright spot

On a walk earlier this week this house caught my eye because of the giant lemon tree sitting just inside that big window. {the glare makes it hard to see} It was a bright spot on a gray day and so I snapped a picture and thought it would be the 'best house on the block' today for staying bright and cheery.  

"Hope you have a moment to walk around and see the new beginnings of

Spring.  My parsley, chives and rosemary are bursting forth.  Spring
is right around the corner.  I love those mornings when the sun is

shinning.  May we all have morning hearts, strong and ready to go forth." 

{a bit of wisdom found in an email from a friend}

Happy weekend friends.

just around the corner

from my house there is this pretty little bungalow {the Aves are stacked with them!}.  I love it for the great mix of materials and natural colors.  The lighting at night is very nice too, winning it my best house on the block award.
{I'm seriously thinking of actually leaving something with the people who live in these houses that inspire me.  They should know right?}  

This one reminds me of homes in the northwest.  Think Seattle suburbs with the olive green, mustard, a bit of muted red and all that stone; it would fit right in there. Though it makes a unique statement nestled here in Salt Lake City.   

On my way to work today.  Blustery, bitterly cold out.  But at least the skies are blue.

my {imagined} house

When I look up at my little bungalow when I get home at night, this is what I see. 

 It may really look like any other older home in the Avenues {top left image}but to me there is something magical about it.
Maybe I've imagined it so many times it has become a secret shared between the house and me and it seems to shimmer between reality and imaginary.  What could be if only the weathered wood was painted a pretty color and the brick {I know this is bordering sacrilege} was painted a pretty warm grey. 

 I would take great pleasure in yanking out all those nasty bushes and dated wrought iron to build retaining walls out of stacked stone to compliment the sand stone porch steps. I'd plant a beautiful xeriscape type garden on each level with herbs and blossoming bushes.  Instead of a lamp post, spotlit stairs and architectural details.  Instead of a storm door, something inviting like high gloss terracotta orange.

The porch would have a thick colorful rug and beautiful lighting with cozy chairs to curl up in to enjoy the view of the city below.

And the details...OH! the details.  From unique house numbers, to window treatments to accent the colors used on the exterior... It is never quite the same dream twice, an ever evolving thing that changes with my mood and the inspiration I've run across during the day.  I hold up an idea like a dress to see if it fits.

What would I do with all that free space in my head if I weren't dreaming about design?

Best House: Come Hither Bungalow

 

My neighborhood is loaded with bungalows.  I think it might have to do something with the fact that about the same time the Avenues were becoming the hip new neighborhood for 'starter homes', the concept of buying ready made floor plans was also making an appearance on the scene for the first time and leading the pack was an architect {a contemporary of Frank Lloyd Wright} specializing in - yes - the bungalow.  With out doing a dig around on the web to back up that statement, that will be my semi-reliant assumption.

Needless to say, I see a lot of them, some I dream of gutting, others I dream of walking through the front door and staying awhile.  This would be an example of the latter.  I saw it last Saturday driving home wishing for higher ground because of the giant pink sunset going on behind the trees.  Instead of making it the rest of the way up I Street for the grand view, I flipped around to snap a shot of this home.  I'll never know what kind of sunset I missed, and I'm not about to say it was worth it to now have a picture of some stranger's home to post on my blog, but I do like it a lot and will save it away in the file with the other 'serious curb appeal' photos I've collected. {love the 'come hither' lighting on the porch! It just sucks me in.}

Best House: Stately Presence

These ultra sleek town homes are at the bottom of my street.  Nice modern take on the classic Federal style. Love the stately presence, the black window casings and high impact doors. {especially at night all a glow.} 

I've really gotta come up with a way to get invited into these homes to see if the interiors wow as much as the exterior.

Best House: Gray Love

Isn't this one pretty?  

I love everything about it from the blue door, great 22 house number, and the gray with white accents.  Even the red vine on the right side of the door is adding to the appeal, and is in fact the first thing that brought my attention to this little charmer.

In keeping with the game of improvements: maybe a fun door mat and I'd love to see what the window boxes look like with some frisky orange flowers in them... but really, I don't think I'd change a thing.

best house on the block: potential

 It has been awhile since I shared a 'best house on the block'.  I hesitate because I see through the updates and overgrown shrubs and see The Best House while the pictures just show what others might see.  My friend told me when I stopped for this one that he just doesn't see what I see. Maybe I should change my game to potentially the best house on the block and include changes?  Fun?

{Example:  landscape, mix in some natural materials on the facade, paint, etc.}

 The perk to this house, aside from the view of the valley and sweet modern lines, is the location.  A block away from the BST {Bonneville Shoreline Trail}trail head at the top of our neighborhood makes it even more appealing to me.

The dog doesn't come with the house, but he is my new walking friend.  I met him earlier this week and my beliefs on love at first sight changed forever.  The really great thing about him is I can borrow him whenever I want and then he goes to his house, and I go to mine.

here's to standing out

So there I was running straight up 'H' Street the other week when this home stopped me dead in my tracks. I just stood there on the side walk panting and looking suspicious while contemplating worst case scenarios after being caught trespassing.

Wouldn't they understand my motivation to disregard the posted signs and snoop around their construction site? Strictly admiration, nothing malicious. What has happened to my adventurous streak? I wouldn't have thought twice about if before.

The new {and I suppose, mature} plan: take them a welcome to the neighborhood gift and that will naturally lead to a tour right? That might be the more polite solution to my urge to help myself to what I consider to be the very best house on the block, even neighborhood, for its lack of concern to blend in with every other Bungalow or Victorian on the block. Not to mention the fantastic juxtaposition of natural materials. The pine, the rusty metal, the gray tile and stacked stone add heaps of natural appeal.

This might be love. Yes, I think I'm in love.

Best House: The Big Cozy

I get a kick out of the irony of my job sometimes. Getting paid to go into homes I've admired over the years is a thrill I don't get tired of ever. This has happened to me a few times over the last few months and I have a little pep talk with myself walking to the front door because while I'm there to give my professional opinion, I also feel like I'm on a private tour.
This home is one of those I've had my eye on for a few years wishing I could see more. I was not let down. I'd share more but without asking the client for permission it might not be the coolest thing to do. She has done a superb job with the size of the home because so many times I feel like the houses are just too big. This one doesn't feel that way at all because it is still cozy despite the size.

a new feature: best house on the block

I'm adding a new feature to design sparrow: Best House on the Block. It goes along with the game I play when I'm out n about "If I could move into just one of these houses.."
and the ever present wish following the selection of the winner of my little game, "I wish I could get a sneak peak." I'm working on a way to get that sneak peak, but for now, I'll share my favorite houses with some serious curb appeal.
The winner last night: This beautiful home tucked back from the road was the gem of all gems {the aves are full of them in my opinion.} Perfectly secluded, but not in an overrun way. Love the arbor, the simple wreath {I want one!} and the color scheme, oh the color scheme! The fun blue mixed with the perfect amount of natural wood and the white accents bring it to perfection. {+Plus!+} having the porch light on adds a heaping load of charm. Auh, the details.
I won't always do runner ups but last night strolling around the avenues it was hard not to include a few more for good measure. Love the ivy, the blossoming trees and the perfect amount of silver accents. Don't even get me started on the brick painted gray. Genius.
Along the way we saw a lot of blossoms, smelled a lot of yummy cooking going on inside, and met some really friendly cats, a rare thing when it comes to cats don't you think? One even crossed the street to say hello.

Two more honorable mentions: The one above for the porch and the gardens {that unfortunately can't be seen in the photo} and the one below for tidiness and leaving me wondering what will be planted in those pots.