Sunday 13 February 2011

Window Haunting


One of my favourite things to do is to scurry and lurk, scurry and lurk past people's windows. I walk fast down a chosen street and then, invariably the glimpse of an interior induces me to dawdle as I peek into the lives of the inhabitants.

It's partly the reason why I love the autumn so much, as for months my prying will have been hindered by the fact that I was in plain view. The onset of early darkness aids my hobby as I am covered by its velvet complicity.

Virginia Woolf writes wonderfully about windows in Street Haunting;
"high among the bare trees are hung oblong frames of reddish-yellow light - windows; there are points of brilliance burning steadily like low stars - lamps; this empty ground, which holds the country in it and its peace."

But , Woolf reminds us that we must be careful not to dig 'deeper than the eye approves' and I remember this when I am walking past people's houses, watching them sit down to supper or slumped in front of the TV or admiring their bookshelves. A glimpse is all I need to imagine their lives. As I was walking home the other evening I approached my own house and glimpsed how it might look from a fellow street haunters perspective. So I took a photo - which is above. I wonder what Woolf would have made of it?

19 comments:

  1. Beautiful glimpse into your home! I enjoy spying bookcases and big kitchens/communal dining areas.

    Have a look at a Glaswegian artist's work, especially Windows in the West, Kissing and The Gathering: http://bloomsburybell.blogspot.com/2011/02/window-haunting.html

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  2. I do the same, I too enjoy a simple glimpse and make up the rest, it's the nose writer in me who continues to make up the story as I ramble along. Books and plants are all that you can see from my window. I just hope the passer by enjoys my view.

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  3. At my work, we have a massive window in the kitchen that looks out onto the street, and across from us is another large office building. Once it gets dark, I love peering into the windows across the way -- one has a massive shoe rack with a dozen pairs of shoes of which I am envious; one has an absurdly large clock that I can read from where I am; one has a poster of Winston Churchill. I like imagining the lives of the people who work there.

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  4. I love it when you can see people's bookshelves...

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  5. I like looking into windows from the top of a bus - but I did get waved at by a person in the room, once!

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  6. Nice attempt to legitimise/romanticise the fact that you are actually a STALKER!

    Glad to see you've got your bookshelves up. Can't wait to see the little cottage in the flesh in six months! We will be reunited!

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  7. Ha - I LOVE doing that too, especially looking to see how many books people have!

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  8. Phew- so glad it isn't just me that likes doing this!

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  9. In my book (pun not intended!), a house filled with books has very interesting people inside.

    And as I commented at Rachel's recently...watch the curbs at night. I've lost count of how many times I've tripped on them whilst stealing glances into other people's windows! Shameful...

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  10. Lovely! It always makes me happy when I spy bookshelves in other people's homes.

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  11. Love the photograph - those voyeuristic peeks into other people's lives are always more intriguing when they involve bookcases. I love a good snoop through other people's shelves!

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  12. Yes, I love this too! I really like the end papers to the Persephone I'm reading at the moment -- Dimanche and other stories -- for this very reason (see a glimpse of it here if people haven't seen it already: http://www.persephonebooks.co.uk/pages/titles/index.asp?id=141)

    Your home looks so charming and welcoming! Like everyone else, I am always excited by houses with lovely bookcases ;)

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  13. No, I'm so with you. There's a historic neighborhood of old houses in my neighborhood, and once it start getting dark earlier I made it a point to take my walks at dusk, as people turned on their lights. To the residents of Cottage Farm: I'm harmless, really.

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  14. It's the same as looking into people's back gardens from the train. The rushed glimpse of something and then it's gone. Very satisfying but leaving one wanting to know more.

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  15. I am like you, I love to get a glimpse into windows, nothing predatory, just a few moment of observing the light, people perhaps and some fleeing moments of seeing someone else's surroundings.
    I imagine stories behind closed curtains and love those quiet rooms sometimes filled with books.
    I posted once about it too!
    You door and window looks incredibly inviting!!!
    Victoria

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  16. She would approve of the books and the cosiness, I think.

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  17. How wonderful to know that there are others out there like me. Tis all harmless of course, and just think of the inspiration one might receive from certain interiors. I especially like to look into the old houses of the neighborhood.
    As one commentator above said..a house filled with books has very interesting people inside. I agree! :)
    Sandra

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  18. I'm always so much more aware of window voyeurism when I'm in London . . . although even then it's only a "glimpse." There aren't many possibilities for it in the countryside!
    What I really like is when I can see into a KITCHEN.

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  19. I always knew I was in good company regarding my own voyeurism. I'm especially obsessed with Divinity Road houses for some reason - it's all pianos, expensive rugs and first editions up there!

    Lovely blog by the way!

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