Wednesday, July 16, 2008

A walk

Come with me on a walk in my neighbourhood. I love how green it is in the summertime.



The houses are divided into two types. The older homes are almost all bungalows. This one is cute.



Some are quite modest, like this one.



And then there are the new monster homes. Here's a mansion with a two-story foyer and three garages. It's a popular style.



There are also a lot of homes like these, with stone exteriors and metal accents. The metal looks like copper when it's being installed, but it doesn't turn green, so maybe it's brass. I'm not sure.



On every block there is at least one site where one or more old bungalows is being torn down and/or a giant mansion is being built. Here's an odd couple side by side. The monster home looms over the little bungalow.



I like the bungalows. I hope that some of them are preserved. They allow for more greenery, with pretty gardens in front instead of giant parking pads.

18 comments:

michelle said...

so, apparently, suburban homes are now taking their architectual influence from casa loma? you see a similar phenomenon here in halifax ... i like the bungalows better, to be honest.

Zoemonster said...

How pretty..

And what a coinky dink

Lately I have been noticing greens too.. especially a God color

I am also esp sensitive to them when my BP dips Down LOWWW for some reason

Also, I Just fired off the promised e-mail to you w/ the URLs and a Q

SL

Anonymous said...

I'm really biased on this subject. I love those big mansions being built on the ruins of old bungalows because it's the building of those houses that keeps me employed.

But generally, I dislike those neighbourhoods. Everything's too tight. I much prefer the burbs where there are both bungalows and two storeys and room for lots of greenery.

Claire said...

What a lovely neighbourhood! Thank you for the tour!

Cxx

Jenski said...

That looks like a great neighborhood to take a stroll through and just look at the houses!

Great pictures. That first monster house with the three-car garage is a little scary.

Sparkling Red said...

Michelle: You're right! I never noticed the resemblance, but those monster homes look just like Casa Loma. Which kind of makes sense, because it's the Original Monster Home.

Syb: Cool, thanks! Green is my favourite colour, except for when I'm in a purple mood. The relationship to your BP is intriguing. I'd like to know how that works.

Whatigotsofar: I agree that the houses are jammed up too close together. It's claustrophobic. Everything south of Steeles is like that. Go a few blocks north and suddenly everyone has acres and acres of lawn. It's like being in a different country.

Claire: My pleasure! :-)

Jenski: I love walking in my neighbourhood, especially because of all the big, old trees. There are a lot of very nicely tended lawns and flower gardens to admire. Actually, I like the untended lawns too. They have bratty, yellow dandelions and bees buzzing in clumps of clover. It's all good!

Warped Mind of Ron said...

Very nice neighborhood. Very similar to mine only without all the green grass and big houses and not quite as safe looking :)

Anonymous said...

I love these old places and I'm always sad when they get torn down :(
Beautiful neighborhood though :)

Anonymous said...

Bungle... Oooooh!

Nilsa S. said...

*MOST* garages are butt ugly. Why on earth would you highlight garage doors (let alone three of them) in front of your home. TERRIBLE curb appeal. Like you, I adore the bungalow style. We have lots of them in Chicago.

Sparkling Red said...

Ron: I always pictured your house as a fancy mansion. How could I be wrong? Well, since you're doing home improvements, just bung some big, shiny, golden awnings over your front windows and then you're all set. ;-)

Nicole: I get seriously emotional when I see a cute, little bungalow all abandoned and boarded up, with a notice of destruction up on a post in the front yard. I always stop to say a proper goodbye. :-(

Nilsa: I agree. I like the old style of garage or coach house, which was behind the main dwelling and out of sight. Although there is one super-fancy mansion on my walk that has gorgeous garage doors - I swear they're made of hand-polished mahogany. In that case I'll make an exception.

Keera Ann Fox said...

I see McMansions are being built in your neck of the woods, too. I prefer the first house, the brick one.

The metal is probably copper. They can treat it so it keeps a brown color. It's used on Bergen's concert hall.

Aunt Debbi/kurts mom said...

You could be in the lakewood area of dallas. We call them mcmansions.

Dianne said...

we call them McMansions here in NJ too - for the most part they're hideous but at least they tend to cluster together rather than over taking bits of a neighborhood here and there.

I love the stone and metal homes, they're lovely.

thanks for taking us for a walk :)

Sparkling Red said...

Keera: I thought it looked like copper! I'm glad to be reassured that I can still tell my metals apart. It looks nice once it's weathered. Much better than the old-fashioned green look.

Aunt Debbie: Really? I've never been to Dallas, but now I know what to expect if I go. ;-)

Dianne: "McMansions" pretty much sums it up. They're definitely Supersized! I wonder if they come with fries...

Jameil said...

i don;t like when they mix architecture like that. they're having a similar problem in i believe they said brooklyn or maybe queens, ny. but the house on your walk w/the turrets? i need it!!

Zoemonster said...

i (think) i know zactly how/why it works... has to do w/,,,, read some of the links I sent you.. IE "j"


nOt that I qualify .. but STILL

i AM add/hd plus some:)

sl

Emma Gorst said...

Yep, I prefer the bungalows. But if the bigger houses keep people inside city limits and keep property values up that's not a bad thing too.