Monday, February 22, 2010

Outside the (window)Box

I've always loved the way Southern California adds its own carefree, sunny spin on traditional architecture. Here we have a vine-covered English mansion ... with sky blue trim. The arched door, the Tudor details and the overflowing roses in the flowerbeds are authentic examples of the period, but those windows! They add such panache. If this home were a proper English woman, she'd wear a strand of turquoise beads with a tweed suit.

19 comments:

Dixie Jane said...

It's easy enough for those of us living in the leavin's of a cold winter (everything has been frozen and turned brown) to be jealous of your architecture and overflowing roses. When things get too depressing we can just escape to your blog and see green grass and abundant flowers spread on the lawns of architectural treasures, like this. Mid-70s yesterday and we expect snow tomorrow.

Yakpate said...

LA: You've done it again! Only, this time, it isn't an enchanted cottage you're offering... it's an enchanted mansion!

An enlargement of this shot reveals that the facade is covered in cupcake frosting, which magically self-replenishes. And inside... the law of gravity is suspended, so visitors can take a step and float to the ceiling. All good wishes come true here... and all negative energy is transformed into a pair of tap shoes, so unhappy thinkers can dance away their blues.

BlossomFlowerGirl said...

I've never seen a purple house before. It looks like something out of a fairy tale. Any minute I expect to see Hansel and Gretal come skipping out.
Cheers.
Melbourne Daily Photo

Anonymous said...

She's right. You've captured that lilac color that seems only to exist in South Pas. (I'm surprised you were able to post, given the Chuck E trauma.)

Mister Earl said...

Chuck E. trauma? There was an incident in Sacramento years ago where the 6 year old birthday girl was quoted on the news regarding her uncle, "He pick up Chuck E. Cheese and threw him in the salad bar!"

Nice photo. I don't think I'm allowed in that part of town.

TheChieftess said...

Glad to hear the Chuck E trauma was just a bit of overwhelm and not a broken limb!!! Nothing worse for a parent or grandparent than to have to endure Chuck E!!! Do they still sell wine and beer???

Bellis said...

A proper English lady would be ostracized if she showed such bad taste. My theory is, the painter got the wrong color made up at OSH - thought he was getting slate grey. By the time the owners came back from work, it was too late.

Margaret said...

But that is such an American lawn.

Halcyon said...

It's a lovely looking home. I bet the yard requires a lot of upkeep!

dbdubya said...

This is one of my favorite houses on one of my favorite streets.

As for Chuck E, no doubt they still serve beer and wine. Otherwise, no adult in their right mind could survive more than about 20 minutes there. I recall taking my kids there when it was new. Kids were running around playing games and all the adults were in one room eating bad pizza and drinking - a lot. My son used to love Chuck E. Cheese. Now he dislikes going there as much as I did. Like Father, like Son.

WV: Cutch - what happens when you eat Chuck E. Cheese pizza - it cutches in your throat requiring large amounts of alcohol to wash it down.

alex said...

what a lovely mansion. from afar, the wall foliage was really remarkable, but up close, the puppy statue and literal "doorbell" at the entrance are really neat:)

Non-sequitur: is this home on Chelton? If so, it is gated off from the rest of us, although Mr Earl, I think you could always enter through Ashbourne and Garfield (where the gates are left open).

I personally am not a huge fan of gated communities...and they seem almost completely superfluous in a town like South Pas. I'm especially not fond of the Braewood Estates on Meridian that were built in the '90s, though I suppose adding a handful of multi-million dollar McMansions along Meridian made the 710 surface route that much more expensive to build.

Sorry for digressing. This is a beautiful home!

dbdubya said...

It's not on Chelten, Alex. And Chelten is accessible from the north - you don't have to enter from Ashbourne. The gate at Chelten and Monterey is activated when you approach from either direction. You don't need a controller. This discourages people from using it as a shortcut since it delays entrance into the neighborhood, but doesn't deny access.

Mister Earl said...

Chuck E's in Love!

Say Cheese!

Yakpate said...

LA: Give us more magic! More beauty! More lavender!

Laurie Allee said...

I haven't explored the gated areas yet. But now that I know they'll open the gates for anyone, I should take a look!

Mister Earl said...

Where is this house, LA?

Hilda said...

Even bare, the vines are gorgeous. Lovely house and garden.

Jilly said...

How extraordinary. I assumed you'd changed he colour in the photo but reading it seems not, and yet....

Love the house.

Laurie Allee said...

THanks, everyone!

As to this mysterious lilac color that permeates so much of the stone in South Pas... I can't figure it out. I shoot with two different cameras and in bright afternoon light I often capture purple hues. I'm going to just choose to believe it's magic. I've heard of purple prose... but purple photos?

Actually, this house really is magical. Mister E, I forget the name of the street -- DB will know -- but it's over near the Arroyo on one of the hills.

Thanks for all of the comments, everyone! Until tomorrow...