Dreaming

According to my handy-dandy self-imposed Calendar of Things About Which to Jabber, today I am supposed to tell you about my dream house. Past Me is very smart, because she knew that I would be deep into apartment hunting by this time and that what I would REALLY need to focus on are the things I want but cannot afford right now. Huh. Past Me is kind of a jerk. But, since neither Present Me nor More Recently Past Me has not come up with anything better for today's post, I'm diving right in.

So, starting with location: I think my dream house would be near water. The ocean scares me a little with it's occasional habit of hurricaning and tsunamiimg, so a small lake or a creek is probably best. This house would also probably be somewhere with visible mountains and lost of trees and wide-open space. This is sounding more and more like Far north, but I don't think it has to be.

Probably, the most important things are light, air, space, and gathering places. I'm thinking tons and tons of windows. Floor to ceiling windows, wrapping all around my house. Natural light everywhere! And tall ceilings, at least ten feet, but higher is better. At least one main gathering room (like the living room or family room or something) should have vaulted ceilings with windows all the way up, so that I can survey my kingdom the water and mountains and nature.

I want a giant kitchen that allows me to cook and bake and socialize with people while I do all those things (I have grand illusions that I'm not an introvert and will have amazingly giant, yet surprisingly intimate parties. Riiiight...). Ooooh, and a giant pantry! I love to stockpile dry goods--a product of growing up somewhere with a constant threat of blizzards stranding you for days. I want a semi-open floor plan so that you can move easily form room to room, but I won't feel like my dirty dishes are constantly on display. I don't care about a dining room (versus a kitchen table eating area), although I think it might be necessary if I'm having grand parties all the time, but I would like a little breakfast nook or something where I can sip coffee early in the morning and get some quiet time.

I'd like hardwood floors (or laminate, I'm not that fancy) with rugs every where. And  maybe some rooms with big stone tiles. I don't care about fireplaces here in Texas, but they're nice in cooler climates as long as they don't overpower the room with half a wall of brick or stone. I like dark wood on kitchen cabinets and light colored stone counters (probably the same for bathrooms, too). I love crown molding and even like the look of chair rails when they're done well (but no wood paneling as a wall covering. no. stoppit), but all the accent wood should be a glossy white--doors, door/window frames, baseboards, etc. Oh, and arches! I love the look of tall, arched, open doorways.

I want several bedrooms so that I can open my home to foster kids or exchange students or travelling friends and family without feeling cramped. In my bedroom, I'd like enough space for a sitting area, a walk-in closet (not too big, because I don't really have that many clothes, but more than just a hole in the wall with a sliding door in front of it), and a master bathroom with a soaker tub AND a separate shower.

I would love a cozy little office with lots of windows and bookshelves and a good desk chair where I can write in comfort, without distraction. And maybe a comfy sofa or chair for brainstorming when I need a change of pace. OH! And a library. A giant, Beauty-and-the-Beast style library with tons light and bookshelves and ladders to get to MORE bookshelves and maybe multiple stories of book space and little nooks with overstuffed chairs and hidey-holes for reading in secret. That sounds really extravagant and maybe a little selfish (once I read the books once or twice, they just sit there, not being read by anyone), but if I'm dreaming, I'm going to be honest. Maybe I'd encourage everyone I know to come check out books like a real library. Total honor system--just write down what you took and bring it back when you're done. That might alleviate some of my guilt.

Let's see, what else? I've always wanted an attic. Homes in Far North don't really have basements (unless you count the daylight basements, which we didn't) because of the permafrost and most are too modern to have attics. But I've always loved the idea of sneaking away into the quietness of the rafters to look through old photographs or read a book without interruption. And having an actual basement for a playroom / rec room/ TV area with a cushion pit sounds awesome. I'd love to have tons of space for kids--to be the house where my kids and their friends want to hang out because it's safe and loving and fun and welcoming.

I also dream of a big yard with a huge table and twinkly lights strung overhead (definitely not in Far North now) and maybe a grilling pit or something. There would be a big flat green lawn, but there'd also be a good amount of woods for the kids to play in. And a TREE HOUSE! I always wanted one and our trees were too wimpy to bear the weight safely. And a wrap-around porch! With rocking chairs! And a PORCH SWING! AND A HAMMOCK!

I just had to step away and calm down a bit. Sorry about the capslock and the exclamation points. Thisisn'trealthisisn'trealthisisn'treal.

Anyway, I guess if I could sum up (I do this a lot when I talk too much. As if adding more of the SAME words at the end of a lot of words will help people forget about ALL THE WORDS), I want a place where people can gather and that I can use generously to provide hospitality and help. I also want a place that has a lot of natural elements--light, air, water-- with lots of open space. And then I want to add on cozy little nooks where I can get my introvert on. That's my dream home. What's yours?