Everywhere we go on vacation, I like to play a little game of house stalking. The mister and I get up early, grab some coffee, then drive around neighborhoods looking at the houses of the area. It’s fun to drive around, looking for inspiration. We kinda feel a bit like creepers, but we can never seem to help ourselves. Wanna follow along with me on a little house stalking in Pensacola, Florida? Let’s do a little house stalking: beach houses style.
This first house caught my eye – probably because the architecture was so different from any of the rest. That chimney? Swoon worthy.
Seeing all of the brightly colored beach houses always makes me want to run home and slap some color on my own house, however my neighbors might think I’m a bit crazy if I went after a shade like this one. I love it in a beach setting, though! Look at those porches. I think I could definitely make myself at home there!
Some houses have tiny details that take my breath away, like the spiral staircase. The fluid motion of it really draws you in against all those straight lines. I’m also pretty smitten with that color!
The roof on this house really caught my eye, since it’s the same style we’ve been looking at for our own house. And again with the porch. Of course I went to the beach before porch building commenced, so I was drawn to every one I saw.
But this house. Oh this house. It sang to my heart! I love the grey siding, the roof, the grey/black/white combo. Notice the shake style siding? I’m totally sold on the look of it and am determined that’s what kind I want for my house. White pickets? Check. Dark floors? Yep. Then I saw the black shutters, which totally made me want to add them to my wish list. And so, this is my vision when making decisions for my own house. It’ll take a while, and it won’t be exactly the same, but there sure is a lot of inspiration I can apply to my own home.
Are you a house stalker, too? Please tell me we’re not the only weirdos out there that schedule in time on our vacation for it?
They’re beautiful – our last home had a wrought iron sprial staircase outside. And lol at the stalking – isn’t that the very essence of blogging – we’re ALL stalkers ( in a good way LOL )
Have a great wknd
Hugs,
The yellow house reminded me of a joke my sister and I have. Painting your house yellow buying tropical art for a new England colonial, seems so right on vacation then at home all wrong. We call that our Sombrero. Yes my sister bought one in Mexico got home and thought what was I thinking? 😉
I’m an early riser, and I like to house stalk as neighborhoods are coming to life. Also lets me see how the early morning sun plays on the architecture and landscape.
I think most people are house stalkers if they’d admit it. That’s why they invented those HGTV shows. I once had my husband drive me around a neighborhood until I found houses similar to the color I wanted to paint ours. Then I would run up and lay the paint chip on their house and run back to my car giggling!
Oh Gina this gave me a chuckle. We’re currently on vacation and my camera is loaded with pictures of architectural details and landscaping inspiration during our “creeping” drives and walks. In fact, I’m making Mr Frugalusta drive by a specific building after breakfast just so I can get a better shot!
I love to do this! But my husband does not. 🙁 I so wanted to do this at Folly Beach in Charleston, SC. They have a lot of really quirky places there. Some tiny little huts and great huge houses all stuck in there together. One in particular that I remember literally looked like an old weathered shack with vines growing all over it. I would have loved to see the indside of it.
Oh yea, we’ve house stalked 😉 Our favorite place to do this is in Charleston & Isle of Palms, SC. Another common activity that goes hand-n-hand with the house stalking … drooling. Yep, plennnty of that 😉 I’ve posted some of our favorites on my blog & will soon be posting again, as we are about to vacation there soon.
Oh my goodness, house stalking when I’m on vacation is one of my favorite things to do!!!
What a funny idea for an adventure or bonding activity! Some of those beach houses really had amazing architecture, with bright colors suited for something built between the sand and the sun.
I am at the beach this week and I have been getting in some serious house stalking. Little beach cottages to massive estates call for me to buy them. I ride my bike up and down the street just gawking at their beauty. But you know I never really see anyone outside of these sweet homes. I always say, if I lived there I would host family, friends and strangers over all the time. My real house sits in the country but, I am loving the plantation storm shutters, Awww!