Usually I can search around and find one house that has everything I need. Like the Lake Tahoe hideaway where Ryder took Langley in Wicked Obsession.
I even spent time searching for Langley's condo. In the original draft, part of the prologue took place in her condo, so it wasn't as if I had no plans to use the information, but since the scene was in her Point of View, I didn't need much detail. We don't think much about things we see every day. But I even have floor plans of her condo although that was overkill.
For Wicked Intention, my upcoming romantic suspense novel (and part of the Paladin League), I did need to know what my heroine's home looks like, and since the first scene in that space is in Finn's Point of View, it was going to need to be more detailed. He uses the appearance of her home to try and figure her out.
Only this time I couldn't find one house that fit Finn's heroine. She lives in a condo in Los Angeles, so I started there. None of the condos worked. Most were too dark, too masculine, or too fussy and didn't fit her at all. I expanded to homes in LA. Still nothing that really worked.
I search homes for sale, so it could have just meant that no one with the right condo/home was selling when I searched.
Next I searched Palm Springs, CA and I found her great room! Kitchen, family room, and dining room. It actually was kind of unexpected because there were bright pops of color I didn't know would be there. This is why I like pictures. Not only did Finn get some insight into her personality, so did I. I knew her really well already, but her surroundings added another facet.
A different house gave me the guest bedroom. I haven't found a master bedroom yet that really fits, although I have one that's close, and no office yet. I might expand my search a little farther in Southern California and see what turns up.
Will I need all these rooms in the book? I doubt it, but I like having the images anyway.
