Well, it's the middle of the night and I'm still not yet sleepy. So, I'll try to begin a post and I'm sure that by the time I'm a paragraph in I'll be asleep at the keyboard.

Don't expect anything deep or complex!

I've come to the conclusion that I am a sucker for animals, not just in everyday life, but also in design. I know some people are taken in by the smell of cookies during house viewings but what does it for me is to see an animal just chilling.

Sure the majority of the house has been staged but the owner's cat is still flopped on the wide windowsill asleep in the sun. That for me is an instant impulse buy. The cat is happy therefore it must be a good house.

What?

It's also why I love to see pets accidentally or otherwise featured in home advertisements. A cat asleep on the bed during a virtual tour. A golden retriever rolling around on its back in the background of a picture. What's not to love?

My favourites though are when the animals are sneaky. You wouldn't expect a cat to be sleeping on top of the refrigerator. And I certainly wouldn't have noticed that the fridge is deeper than the overhead cabinet above it if not for that cat.  But, it can also draw attention to positive construction that I am happy to see, like a pet bed stashed under a counter.

Pets are great. I really can't imagine a home without a happy animal with a full belly to pet.

While we're on the subject of taking pictures of houses for sale, how do you prefer you pictures are lit?

I really don't like the ones taken at night. I know that with all the lights on it's supposed to look warm and inviting but it has the opposite effect for me for some reason. What about you?