The past month has been FASCINATING. Truly.

There have been barns, bees, dilapidated houses and other interesting & Summery things, SO I thought you might like to see some pictures of my travels…. :)

First, I was so excited to have the opportunity to tour a house (a mansion, really) and its adjacent barn, both filled with the most interesting historic & architectural details….

My husband likes to joke that I love anything that has been set on fire and thrown out of the back of a truck (what does that say about him?!? :) --and I guess, sadly, this property fits that bill. After years of neglect, I don't know that there is anything that could be done to save the once grand house. I sincerely hope that someone comes along with some ingenuity and very deep pockets to preserve what is there in one way or another...

The foyer was one of my favorite spaces in the house, with its grand staircase and coffered ceiling...

If you felt like you were being watched--well, you sort of were. The foyer light fixture...

and the door knocker were just two of the elements with fascinating faces overseeing all that goes on.

Upstairs there was room after room (10 bedrooms & 8500 square feet in all) filled with the stuff of modern life carelessly thrown together with antiquities…a pickers delight, to be sure.

I just kept thinking about what life must have been like in this home 100+ years ago, and was saddened by the lack of care that had gotten it to its current state.

The barn also was filled with STUFF, a lot of it mundane, but some of it positively neat-o, such as an old Studebaker that I am sure was once tons of fun to take out for a spin.

We had to be careful with each step in some areas, since you couldn't be certain that where you would step would support your weight. Here are our favorite contractors, Victor & Vic Burgos, surveying the status of the structure of the barn:

The original stables were still intact, complete with brass nameplates for horses whom long ago went to the big pasture in the sky.

The side of the barn now houses a very active honey bee hive. Amazing--another thing I hope is saved in one way or another, given the state of things for poor honey bees today.

In other fun Revealing Redesign news, I have been asked to help design a barn addition for a client. So EXCITED. Here is a quick sketch I did for them as we discussed possible configurations for the new space:

In addition, my own house & a client's house were both photographed by the amazing Laura Kicey for two upcoming features in Philadelphia Magazine's Property Blog! I will keep you posted as those are published. Humbled and honored. Can't wait to share.

Aaaand of course, we have the usual characters keeping things interesting around here, as always---like Thomas the Cat deciding it is best to sit on the table right outside my office window and YELL whenever he wants to come in (yes, the very same table so serenely pictured in Laura's photo above).

I know he figures "why go to the door?!? I know where she sits."

And we have quite the family of snakes that are thriving in our gardens this summer…oh, and adorable baby Praying Mantises. Is that true at your house, too?

Hope your summer days this season are also filled with joy, fascination, beauty, and those that you love.