Open House: Halloween Edition

I took this photo last week after photographing a future Open House.  I think of autumn as a lovely time of year, but this scene looks positively apocalyptic. What if I had inadvertently photographed a crime being committed through one of those windows?  A murder?  OK folks, let’s have your fan fiction in the comments with each comment counting as a new chapter.  What happens next?  Who’s the victim?  Who’s the killer?  What’s the motive?  And what’s my role?  How will you build upon and top one another’s outrageous twists?  Will interior design figure into the story?  And how will I fare in the end (assuming I make it that long)?

It’s my party and I can attempt communication with the spirit world if I want to (thank you very much)

Thanks to Backgarage blogger, friend and newlywed (congratulations!) Katherine Raz for urging her friend Libby Alexander to e-mail me about she and boyfriend Ryan McCarthy’s West Andersonville apartment.  As it turns out, I was in the process of looking for a home to write about for Time Out Chicago’s Halloween issue, and Libby was in the process of planning a seance to contact her late grandfather, so the timing was ideal.

Please head over to Time Out Chicago for the whole story and photos of Ryan and Libby’s cool space.  When asked to describe her Halloween decor, Libby said “More of what’s already going on,” so her place is always cool, and I’ll be posting some non-Halloween photos here soon.  Thanks to Time Out Chicago’s The Get editor Kevin Aeh and the whole crew for the opportunity, and of course, thanks to Libby for e-mailing me.

The Ghost of Open Houses Past

In the meantime, Halloween seems as good a time as any to look back on some of my favorite las casas dada.  As the preponderance of Decoratus Absurdum attests, Libby’s not the only person who has Halloween spirit all year long.  Enjoy.

Above: Patina owner Alan Shull assembled this heady decorative vignette.

Above: Artist Nancy Rosen’s living room.  Click here for Nancy’s Open House.  And click here for a tour of her art studio.

Above: Click here for artist Michael Thompson and vintage clothing dealer / yogi Evelyn Daightman’s Garfield Park loft.

Above: Eric and Sean’s place isn’t actually all that macabre, but I think this photograph captures the spirit.  Click here for their very popular Open House.

Above: Meet Roy Horn.  Former Open House star Chris dressed as a white tiger and carried this “Roy” for a past Halloween costume (I’m not sure which year but post 2002 presumably).  Now it’s Decoratus Absurdum.

Below: Chris’ bedroom.  I also have chalk lines on my sheets too, but mine are metaphorical.

Above: Samantha is one cool cat.  She loves animals so much she’s devoted her life to running a private zoo out of her west side three flat.  She also manages a musical act (of cats).  She says they need more practice, but I say they’re purrfect.  Sorry.  Click here for Samantha’s Open House.  And click here for the Circus Cats website.

Above: That’s my bedroom, but the sheets are different now, and I couldn’t take this phrenology head’s funny business any longer.  It’s now an interesting hat stand and not on public display.  Click here to read what was supposed to be a throw-away post about my new sheets, but which of course, turned into a five paragraph post that I’m not even sure makes sense.

Above: Artist Don Seiden created this sculpture, which hangs in he and Jackie’s Rogers Park light, airy and very pastel Victorian.  Click here for Don and Jackie’s Open House.

Above and below: Don’s daughter, artist Michele Stone and her husband Jim’s home.  Click here for Michele’s Open House.

Above: As this photo of my guest bedroom demonstrates, I’m a big Alfred Hitchcock Belgium movie poster fan, and his movies aren’t so bad either.  My favorite is Rear Window (so thanks for humoring me with the comment thing).

Click here for past Time Out House Calls.

Click here for past Strange Closets Open House tours.