I’ve still got all those pretty homes
in Geneva on my mind. So today, I’m sharing part two of my mini "homes tour"…
This first home is probably the most prominent
of all the homes in town, and it sits just near the train station. The trains
don’t run that often so the noise is not at all a bother. I love how
immaculately this home has been kept with pretty topiary hedges all around.
This Italianate Victorian style is
quite popular in Geneva and I just love the little cupola on the top of this home!
And look at all the vintage detail around the roof and porch!
This little update farmhouse is one of
my faves! Isn’t the contrasting black and white façade just fabulous? This is how you
modernize an older home without damaging all the character it was originally built with.
The courtyard and entry is so
inviting! Look at those barn doors on the side of the garage… so cool!
And this house may look tiny, but it
extends further back in the yard. The rest of the home is painted black like the
garage, and is mostly hidden from the front street view. This home also sits across
the street from the home I fell in love with, but more on that later…
This ivy covered home sits to the left
of the black and white farmhouse. I also fell in love with the character of
this home, especially those huge front windows that are original to when the
house was built in the 1800’s. They have that soft wavy quality to the glass
that you can’t replicate anymore.
Since this home sits on the corner,
you can take in two sides of this ivy-covered beauty. And speaking of ivy-covered beauties...
Here’s another home that looks like a
beautiful mess. The ivy has just the perfect overgrown quality that just draws
you in. And how about that red door! Always a welcoming sign, the door is
flanked by two urns planted with coordinating petunias.
This pretty home with the red door has a sprawling back
yard and sits on the banks of the Fox River. The island park is right across the river and features live bands during the summer!
We visit this home every time we’re in
Geneva because it’s the first house my husband lived in when he was a little
boy. He remembers playing down by the cemetery and the train tracks which are
both a block away, and that was all before he was six years old!
He can’t
believe his mother let him go on these adventuresome outings with his older
brother and sister.
I love the wraparound porch, and with
the morning light shining down on the red floor, a pink aura envelopes the
whole side of the house. I guess the flamingos and gnome feel right at home!
Now we’re headed back to my absolute favorite neighborhood in Geneva that features the little black & white
farmhouse and the ivy covered home on the corner that I just showed you. Here's a stately and chic antique
home that's quite to my liking, but wait…
The front yard has been converted into
an adorable vegetable garden that’s absolutely acceptable from the street because of
its symmetrical beauty and gravel paths. Isn't it darling?
A Victorian farmhouse with Annabelle hydrangea
for days… another favorite in my little neighborhood. Details, details, details!
Every morning, I'd let my family sleep
in and I’d sneak off for an hour or two to walk around town and take in the early morning vibe of town. By day three, my
internal GPS would automatically take me to this corner of 6th and
Fulton Street where this home sits.
I sort of fell head over heels in love
with this pale yellow home, which just happened to be for sale. Day after day,
my affection grew, and I could picture myself living in this 1851 home with grand
rooms, huge summer porches and a beautiful curving staircase.
It's the sort of home I've always wanted, and by peeking in all the windows, I could tell it was absolutely perfect! Luckily the house was vacant, so I wasn't overstepping my boundaries.
Well, those morning walks through
Geneva were precious to me, and that pale yellow house still holds a dear place in
my heart, but realistically California is our home, which really isn’t anything
to complain about!
ciao! fabiana
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