Housep*rn

One of the appeals of reading houseblogs for me (along with watching HGTV and devouring all the shelter mags I can get my hands on) is indulging that raw longing for your very own home, preferably idyllically fascinating and fabulous. The internet is an almost endless source for the housep*rn fetish. Have you ever spent hours looking at rental villas, riyadhs, casitas, and cabins websites? They are GREAT places to feed the beast! There's a greak Flickr group called Housep*rn. This pasttime is heightened to an Olympic Sport in New York City, as regularly displayed on Apartment Therapy. And isn't this craving the engine that drives the growth of the Martha Stewart Omni-Empire?

One of the things that I thought was so interesting and poignant about Me and You and Everybody We Know was the portrayal of Sylvie's home decor obsession. At maybe eight-years-old, the young girl has mixed up her desire for love, intimacy, sex and housewares in her mind.

Sounds crazy, I know, but isn't this what wedding registries are all about? I'm a cancer, zodiacally speaking, and had divorced parents, so I know a thing or two about the deep need for an meaningful home life.

In the month since buying and living in Our House, I would say the beast has loosened its grip somewhat. It's no longer that vague ache - not knowing what you want, so many options, or whether you will ever find it - but there are much more specific desires. What rug will work in the foyer? What color should we paint the kitchen? And will I ever find a shower curtain I like?

As a few rooms have come closer and closer to an attractive and functional state, I get a really profound sense of calm and satisfaction. You know, it really is similar to finding my dear husband. I used to have a hole in my heart that needed, and it's just gone now that I have him.

I think Old House freaks might have a teeny-tiny Hero/ine complex, because what seems to get us going isn't the gorgeous, staged J*nna J*mesons of the house world, but the Blanche Duboises, aging, battered, stuck in another era, and waiting for the kindness of a stranger.

I'm heading off for a week, and D. is starting school, so posting might be light. To hold you over, I wanted to help our dear readers get a fix:

The view from our western windows - pretty cool! It's the tower of our county courthouse.

An intriguing house on the next block. Gorgeous wood detailing, funky stained glass that is common in our area. To me, this house looks naked, recently bared, making me think it used to be vinyl-sided. A building permit in the window indicates someone is going to do something with it - but what?

A closeup.

A real Greek Revival house in Our Town.

When we were on vacation in the Catskills a few years ago, we saw this house for sale in Kingston, NY. It was a crazy painted lady. This picture doesn't show the half of it - but you can see some of the contradictions. Is is Dutch Revival like the gambrel or Victorian like the fishscale siding?

The doorway.

Caught this one yesterday on my trip to a nearby city. The picture doesn't quite convey just how tall and pointy it was. Check out the cool stained glass in this detail.

Got any of your own housep*rn collection to share?