Home Life.

I won't lie, I've always been a huge fan of architecture. I just love houses. They make an incredible canvas for telling the world what kind of person you are at a glance, if you care enough or have the ability to make it so. Back in the day (Aka: Middle School) I dreamed of being an architect/interior designer. I still plan on having a prominent hand in my interior decorating and hopefully, if my means allow, in my future permanent residence.

And, since I'm fairly certain I was born in the wrong century, (Or possibly the exactly correct century because I can have all of this stuff without needing to be of the incredibly small upper class of the time.) and I'm a rather dramatic person, I just LOVE Victorian era homes. Preferably just prior to the Edwardian period, where houses became slightly less extravagant, and typically lost my favorite feature, the turret.

Asymmetrical floor plans and varying roof lines are more features of Victorian architecture I love. These two features combine to form exciting and unique exteriors that, in my opinion, stately exclaim "Curb Appeal."

This home features some of the ornate "Gingerbread" trim of the time, that also works to add that certain amount of Victorian charm to a home. The ornate turret balcony of this home particularly draws my eye with its elaborate arches. This home also demonstrates the contrasting and detailed color schemes of the time. Which can be very attractive if done well, even though I personally like the simplicity and freshness of a nice sage green with off-white or white trim.

This home features many of the aforementioned details of Victorian architecture, and simply serves as another example of the complexity that can be achieved by playing with the different core elements. This turret strikes my fancy because it is fairly dramatic and nicely balanced with the left half of the house's ornate dormer window and rounded porch section. This house also exhibits a lighter color scheme that I like better than, perhaps more traditional, darker and busier schemes. 

Moral of the story, houses are beautiful and so unique. It isn't easy to find the right house, and it is a frustrating process at the best of times, but if you're in the market to buy a house I think it is important to find something you really enjoy. They are huge investments and deserve to be treated as such, from the smallest starter home, to the 4800 sq foot 1886 Queen Anne mansions.  (I may or may not be in love with that house.)