This month I have a theme! Ooh how exciting I hear you cry! What is this theme? Well, it's really an excuse for me to be a bit of a Nosy Nora - it's all about Other People's Houses!
"Other people's houses are inherently fascinating.
Voyeurism mingles with a desire for inspiration and a little aspiration"
Quote from this article on Daily Life
I don't know about you, but I LOVE to look in the windows of the houses I pass when I'm out walking with Zoe, especially on a spring/autumn evening when it's a bit dark so people have light on but not dark enough to close the curtains. It's not like I smoosh my face up to the window and dribble all over the glass, but I do love to have a sneaky look as I walk past. I also love to have a nosy about on estate agent's websites - the Right Move app on my phone is ideal for this! (ok, I just got distracted there for 15 minutes looking at houses!!) I love to look at huge mansions in the country but also homes near me that are for sale. And I am not alone in this whole 'other people's houses' thing if these boards on Pinterest are anything to go by!
I love to see "how the other half live" but at the same time I also like to measure my own home up against others. My own house is by no means worthy of a feature on decor8 or any other home-style-house-tour sort of blog. There are so many things that annoy me about this house, and with a Mr who brings home what I like to call 'bin-ratch' we have a LOT of stuff.
I bought this house in 2006 with my ex-husband (nob-head as he is now referred to), and he wouldn't let us have anything out on display, nothing on the walls, and everything was shades of cream or brown. Through the whole house (well, the rooms we decorated). We had nothing on display, nothing on the walls, it looked barren and bare. When we broke up in 2010 I moved out with all my stuff, back to my Dad's and the house was empty for a while. I tried to sell it, but it didn't budge (not surprising really but quite lucky now I think about it). When Martin's flatmate attacked him and he had to move out (this is a story for another day), we moved back in to my house, this was early 2011. Martin had come from a small flat that he shared, and I came from my Dad's house - 1 bedroom and 1 garage full of stuff. Now we have managed to fill (and yes, I mean FILL) a 3 bedroom-plus-an-attic house.
So over this month, I'll be doing a house tour of my little home, maybe an interview or two, and there will be a couple of guest posts too from some awesome ladies! I might even fit a DIY in there somewhere!
Do you like to look in other people's houses?
P.S. The winner of my giveaway is... *drumroll* the very lovely MissChaela-Boo! Go and congratulate her on her blog now!
What a whirlwind your little house has been through. Your ex-husband does sound like a nob-head. I might make my new rule "never trust anyone who doesn't like ornaments", just to weed out any rubbish people. Sounds like Martin had a bit of a rough time of it too(!)...
ReplyDeleteAnyway, my main point is - I LOVE looking into people's windows. I do it all the time because I am the nosiest person in the world. I don't want to see the people; I just want to see how they've decorated! In fact, one thing I love the most about our house is it's above pavement level- so people can't really see in. Because, whilst it's ok for me to be unbelievably nosey on a daily basis, I don't want anyone catching me in my pyjamas. Obviously! Haha
Really looking forward to getting to snoop round your house in pictures xxx
Oh I am glad I'm not the only one! People can see me in my PJs though! hehe :)
DeleteI'm so excited to be taking part in this little theme month of yours and can't wait to have a nosey at some other people's houses!
ReplyDeleteIt seems you have been put through the mill with your house, but I'm glad that things have worked out for the better for you! xx
Yay! Thanks lovey! :)
DeleteOooh im so excited to see…cos i too am a nosey parker!!! Arent we all!!! Hope you and little one are all good xxxxx
ReplyDeleteThanks Sally - we are all good :)
DeleteI SO look in people's windows all the time. I really enjoy seeing how other humans live. This is why I love strolls around dusk. :o) The first blog I really started following was Apartment Therapy, also mainly for the house tours. And I love having Rightmove on my phone. I always used to look in my own price bracket, though, until a colleague told me he checks out mansions all the time. I also always loved going to my friends' houses more than having play dates at mine as a kid. I'm looking forward to your month of being nosy!
ReplyDeleteI love looking around the massive houses out in the country - so much fun!!
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