4.) Describe your dream home…house, location, and grounds.
Funny she should have this as one of her prompts because I have been thinking about this nonstop lately for some reason. Maybe it’s the “starting a family” or “going on our 3rd year of renting this house” or “being in debt to our eyeballs” but whatever it is, I’ve had home of my own on the brain.
And not just home of my own, but an amazing plot of land where family can abide as well. Commune? Maybe.
But not in a weird way.
Let’s dream for a minute that Stephen and I suddenly got our hands on roughly a ridiculous amount of money. The kind you go all Scrooge McDuck on and practice high dive routines into gold coins.
I said dream.
Everyone has a list of what they would do if they won the lottery or inherited a ton of money from a generous relative or found a suitcase full of cash.
Stephen and I have a short, but very specific, list of things we would do for ourselves and our immediate family should we (when we…dammit) ever come into said money. They include paying off debt, college fund(s), scholarships, vacations, retirement, etc.
The main item (after our debt is gone) is a house of our own. One we can grow a family and have multiple dogs.
Location
This would be based on a few factors, namely if our parents could retire and live close to us. Stephen wants to live near his family so he can still be a part of his brothers’ lives. I want to live near mine pretty much for the same reason and so I can be near my mom because I miss her so bad it makes me all stabby. We both want our children to be near all their grandparents and cousins as, for the most part, he and I were growing up.
Undoubtedly, though, it would be in the country in or near mountains and within reasonable driving distance to a decent-sized city so we still had all the amenities of city-living without the hassle (and taxes).
Grounds
Lots of them.
With a lake.
And trees. Good climbing ones.
And room for horses for all the kids to ride.
And room enough that parents and siblings could build homes around the lake and live near enough to each other for visits but far enough away for privacy. They know what I mean.
And a good portion of it fenced so we don’t have to worry about dogs escaping but they can “wander free” between the houses if they want to.
There would also be a garden. A huge garden that we would all tend to together and grow our own veggies and herbs and fruits.
It would be amazing.
House
Now, everyone else’s home would be unique to their needs/wants and taste.
Mine?
Stone. Maybe stone and timber. But I LOVE stone houses. Hardwoods throughout. Tile in the bathrooms. Huge windows to let in lots of sunlight so I can have a fighting chance of keeping indoor plants alive.
Enough spacious bedrooms for us, three kids, and a guest. In thinking ahead to teenage years, each room would have its own full bathroom either en suite or just outside. Minimization of bathroom fights is a must.
My bathroom has a jacuzzi tub. Period.
And the separate stand-up shower is not only roomy but has a nice ledge so I can shave my legs without falling over.
Our bedroom either has a HUGE walk-in closet or fairly large separate his and hers closets. I have shoes, y’all. And dresses. They need space.
The kitchen would be big enough to entertain with more than enough counter and cabinet space for all our cooking needs. Stainless steel appliances because I just love how they look. We’re both a big fan of the open floor plan so either a great room concept or something close for the kitchen, dining area, and family room would be awesome.
A fireplace is a must.
A laundry room with a door that shuts to separate it from everything else would be heaven.
A few extra rooms? Office for Stephen. Media room / Man cave for Stephen. Workshop for Stephen. Library for me with cozy reading areas and tons of shelving to grow our collection. A creative room for me where I can write, sew, etc. A playroom for the kids all decked out with toys and craft stuff. A wine cellar.
Yes, a wine cellar. My one “we really don’t need this but we want it” extra.
And a garage. You don’t realize how much you miss covered parking and extra storage until you don’t have it anymore.
Speaking of storage, either tons of closets or a decent-sized attic or basement to store all our holiday stuff, clothes the kids are outgrowing but I don’t want to part with because I still want another baby, hiding presents, etc.
Outside, in addition to the massive family garden, we’d have an outdoor kitchen for entertaining along with an amazing amount of deck space.
And a swing set.
Of course.
In keeping with my increasingly crunchy nature lately, as green of a house as possible would be wonderful. Solar panels, rain barrels, compost, recycling, etc.
Dream home? Yes.
Attainable dream home?
Absolutely…
