Boring Suburban Houses

Often, people have this image of the suburbs as a bland, cookie-cutter type place where all the houses look the same. I’m lucky enough to live in a suburb like Bolingbrook, where we have enough interesting (and eccentric?) people, apparently, that this is not the case.

Believe me – plenty of suburbs, and even post-war neighborhoods in Chicago – have this look. From rows of look-alike bungalows to blocks of look-alike McMansions. Bolingbrook does, too. For instance (pretty as the sunset is):

and:

But a week or two ago, I decided to drive around Bolingbrook’s “Historic District.” (I love living in a town where the historic district dates to 1960.)

I was curious about this first subdivision, built amidst the cornfields shortly after I-55 was constructed. For an idea of the mix, see the photo below, from 1978. That’s the interstate at the top of the photo. And the “Old Chicago” indoor amusement park.

Bolingbrook Public Library

Homes in Bolingbrook ran about $10,000 in 1960 – although buyers often didn’t realize until they moved in that things like finished flooring and lawn sod were considered “extras.” And don’t ask about things like square corners or level countertops.

Anyway, I went exploring around Westbury, now almost 55 years old. Many of the houses do look alike but they seem simple and cozy. (Despite all the dirty snow of a late Chicago winter – just keeping it real.)

This whole time I was sort of jittery about taking pictures of other people’s homes. It seemed like trespassing… although of course, Google Maps does it every day. But I kept expecting someone to come out shaking their fist or wielding a shot gun. Luckily, I’m “just a cute little white girl,” (as my old friend, Paul R. F., an African American man, once notably reminded me when I was worried about something similar), so probably that helped.

But then, I came across some houses that were… different.

This was the first one I noticed:

A house, in Bolingbrook, with a TURRET! And a red door, I might add.

Then I saw this one:

It seems like it was traced into a sort of wet concrete. We have a growing number of Latinos in Bolingbrook – could it be a Mexican or Central American decorative style? Anyway, I don’t think it was one of the original Westbury design choices for exteriors.

There are also some bright colors out there – including this aqua, right along Route 53:

(The driveway had a big No Trespassing sign, so I took this one from my car.)

This is the last, and most striking house I found in Westbury:

Pink and blue! It looks like a Swiss Chalet. Also, see the blue-and-white patterned garage door to the right of the front door?  Definitely not boring. (Note the silk geraniums, since it was February and all.)

There’s nothing wrong with an ordinary looking house.

…but variety makes a neighborhood feel a bit more real. Like real humans live around here.

Harder to resell, perhaps, but more real.

Our house is kind of boring. But we’re going to need to replace our 20-year old siding at some point… maybe we should consider some creative choices? Liven up the neighborhood? Something more “real” than colonial grey or whatever this is. A cheery Scandinavian red? A cozy Tuscan orange?

I’ll have to see what Adam thinks…