This morning, I opened an email from HGTV  about the Ultimate House Hunt 2020. The article featured beautiful photos of hugely expensive homes from all over the world.

What struck me most:  the vast majority of the photos were not pictures of bathrooms or kitchens. By far, most of the photos were of the exteriors of the houses,featuring stunning views, restful pools and patios and lovely gardens.

That’s right. HGTV’s bread and butter is shows featuring interior remodels, with some landscaping thrown in as an afterthought. Yet the 10 homes they picked as the Ultimate were more about the outside than the inside. Sure, there were some photos of kitchens and dining rooms, even one bedroom. But landscape was the star.

Of course, some of these homes were situated in naturally beautiful areas with a view of the ocean or a lake or a mountain valley. But even the ones situated in big cities mostly highlighted the garden areas.

If 2020 has taught us anything, it is that Nature is critical to our well-being. When millions of people were confined to their homes for months, they turned to whatever little bit of Nature they could access, whether it was a small vegetable garden, watching backyard birds, a garden pond, or even indoor plants. While many businesses were suffering, firms that could add to the enjoyment of the outdoors experienced a very good year.

So what does your little piece of paradise look like? You may not be blessed with a mountaintop view, but the view out your window can still be calming and inspiring. Give some thought to where you spend your time. Do you look out a window from your easy chair? Is your patio visible from your kitchen window? Or do you like to sit on the front porch? What can we do to help you improve that view?

Just like on HGTV, it starts with some pictures and some inspiration, and we are here to help you enjoy your corner of the world.