Friday, October 16, 2009

Victorian front doors on my afternoon walk

On those days I pick my daughter up from school we (very infrequently) walk the 8 minute walk to collect her. Yes you read correctly. It is an 8 minute walk and I am often Too Busy to walk it. Talk about not stopping to smell the roses.

A street around the corner from our house has a row of 6 Victorian double fronted two storey houses, all with elevated and lovely entrances. It is rare to see such an unspoilt row in my part of Melbourne. Or really anywhere for that matter.

I have a bit of a thing about front entrances.... Equally I have a thing about other people's houses. Don't we all? Ever since I was a little girl I have loved to imagine what is behind those front doors. And I think the way a house presents itself to the world says so much about the inhabitants. How clean is the verandah or front terrace? Is it stacked up (as mine was recently) with packing boxes too large to throw out? Does it have prams and other paraphenalia parked outside? What colour is the front door? How much personality of the owners can you see in the closed off face a house presents to the world?

So here are the houses of my journey.


This house is a lovely pale pistachio colour.



This house has a bluestone front terrace, planted with camellias.




This is my favourite - topiary, bluestone and a quirky Mexican glass star light hanging over the entrance.



Tesselated tiles are not my thing but there is a lovely consistency in the tones of this entrance.



Look at the lovely urns in triplicate.



I was too embarrassed to stick my camera throught the gates of this house.


I am aware that this is a slightly weird, nosy parkerish thing to do, so thank you to the owners....

Oh, and here is my front door, on a relatively neat day.

9 comments:

Samy said...

What an interesting post! I love your door :)

Dumbwit Tellher said...

I second your first pithy observation, your door is pretty. All the row houses have beautiful entrances, such intricate trim.
Thank you for sharing. I too wonder when I pass bye peoples home, what it is like inside based on the exterior. The outside is like a window to the inside. Xx

Jacqueline @ HOME said...

Oh Jane, I love these houses. I live in a Victorian double fronted house but I envy the, I think that you call it 'gingerbreading', around the door.These are my favourite types of houses. I am always trying to look through peoples windows and try to see their hall when the front door is open !!!! I don't call it 'being nosey' just'interested' !!!!
Love your front door too but you could have left it open a bit more so that I could have peeped in !!!! XXXX

Millie said...

MOTH would go crazy for the Melbourne bluestone pavers in the 3rd image Jane!
Millie ^_^

Anonymous said...

Hm, now I'm curious how the interior looks behind those beautiful doors. Could you please ask???? (Just joking). Thanks for this beautiful front doors post. XXX, Carmie.

Anonymous said...

Hey did you change your Header?? I love it.

Mise said...

I'm just imagining new web software called Google Front Door for all of the inquisitive home-spies among us. I love peeks at other people's houses too. The second door is my favourite of that style, and your own is lovely too - very welcoming!

Pinecone Camp said...

This is my first day, this week, to really sit back and read blogs. Yeah!
This is a fantastic way to start!! We'll be in Melbourne in a few weeks and I can't wait to wander the neighbourhoods....mainly Toorak, St. Kilda, and Fitzroy. I'll watch for a woman sticking her camera through gates of beautiful homes!
Have a great weekend!

brismod said...

Jane, what a nice walk to school you and your daughter have together! Such a pretty neighbourhood.

Related Posts with Thumbnails