for the voyeur in you

Admit it. You would just love to nose around someone else's home and evaluate their decorative choices.

Me, too. But all too often, decorum and politeness (read: my mother's voice in my head) prevents me from saying, "Hey, could I see the upstairs?" Once I was at a work-related party in the department head's home. There were maybe 30 people there, the thing was catered, it was great but also was obviously a lot of work for the hosts.

I was among those staying to the bitter end, waiting for a ride from another guest. As the last people left, one guest said, "Hey, could I see the upstairs?"

"Well, it's really a mess," the hostess demurred.

"Oh, that's okay. I'd love to see it."

"Well, it really isn't in any shape---"

"Oh, I don't mind---" in short, Bossy got us all invited upstairs. At that point, it seemed more rude to stay downstairs. but it was very uncomfortable; I mean, this wasn't a housewarming; the chair and his family had lived there for like eight years. There we were tromping through the kids' rooms, and the upstairs bath...and it wasn't interestingly decorated. You go to the home of a cutting-edge designer or a home that's really special, like it's a treehouse or a houseboat or something, and maybe you can hope to be invited on a tour. But this was a split-level, nice, but nothing that was going to be featured in Dwell, if you know what I'm saying.

Okay, but get a load of this. One of our favorite design blogs, by Jennifer Ramos, has photos of the Designer's Own Home!



What I love about this is that it looks great, interesting, reflects a unique personality, and yet also looks so easy to live in. It isn't stiff or stuffy.

You can see more of Jennifer Ramos' work at

http://madebygirl.blogspot.com/

Comments

[guinea pig pets]

I've got to admit. I do "nose around" when I'm inside other's houses. I want to get some idea who they decorate their houses and apply it on my own dwelling!