I've been creating a wish list for my new house, which we hope to buy next spring or summer. I wish it were tomorrow because my wish list includes air conditioning. I may be the only house in Western Washington to have it, but I will throw tradition out the window for a breeze of cool air to hit me when I walk in my door. Not this stifling, musty hot air that greets me all day long. Can you tell I am completely done with summer? Cleveland was hotter than this and way muggier, but back there I had central air and it was a cool 65 in my house all day long.
So here is my wish list. The bad thing about my list is that it is making the whole house hunting thing really hard because as soon as I find one thing on my list, I find that the house doesn't have something else that I "must" have. Maybe I shouldn't set my sights so high, or maybe I am not looking hard enough. Or maybe I need to stop being so cheap and raise the amount I'm willing to spend on a house. Adam and I have rented the entire time we've been married, and that is 8 1/2 years. Before that I rented in college and before that I mooched off my parents for 18 (okay, almost 19) years. Buying a house is a big deal and I don't really want to settle for something when it's a house I plan on living in for a while. Plus we're too lazy to spruce up a house that is all crappy just to save some money. And we have no skills for that anyway. (By the way, all the pictures are not mine. They are all Google images.)
1. A large kitchen. And if you can't tell from the pictures, I really like the country-style kitchen. And I like it to be white. Something about a white kitchen just says "clean" to me. I would love a kitchen big enough to eat in and cook in and entertain in.
2. A bathroom with room in it, and a bathtub that is somewhat relaxing. We have always had bathtubs with walls that go straight up. So uncomfortable, and I speak from experience.
This is kind of what I'm looking for, but not really wood. Maybe I was drawn to the snow in the background...
3. A back yard with things to do in it. Right now we live in an apartment where our backyard is actually a small deck. Beyond that is the pool (one of the only good things about this un-air conditioned place) where Adam is currently swimming with Jack and Olivia and all I can hear is Jack yelling at Adam for something. If my life didn't depend on the fan bringing in warm air from the outside, I might just shut the sliding door so I didn't have to hear it. Wow... the heat makes me really mean, doesn't it.
Something similar to this. I just love how there are like eight kids on this one play set and none of them are fighting. Or even dirty. Can I have the kids too?
4. 5 bedrooms. I know, this one is a little out there (like the huge kitchen and spa bathtub are realistic). I want the kids to have their own bedrooms and I want an extra for a playroom that can be turned into a nursery later on (no that is not an announcement of any kind. I'm just leaving my options open!)
5. 2 bathrooms, mainly so the kids can have theirs and we can have ours. Ideally we would have three, so we could have a guest bathroom too. You know, so I don't have to clean the other two when people come over.
6. My kitchen would have 2 ovens, a 6 burner stove and enough storage space that things have a place to go without being piled on top of each other.
7. A laundry room that is only a laundry room. I would love a pair of those new front loader washer and dryers as well as a table big enough for me to fold the laundry after it is done. Oh, and a TV in there so I can be entertained while monotonously folding towels.
Kind of like this one, minus the doors in front of the washer and dryer. I love the color though!
Most of all, I want a house that is a sanctuary from the outside world. Where my kids can come home from school and Adam can come home from a hectic day at work and just be able to relax and be together. And trust me, air conditioning can totally help with that. I've always told Adam that I want all these things and we know they aren't realistic, but if I can get even one of the things on my list I might be able to be okay. Olivia insists she has a pink room with a princess-like canopy bed. I'm hoping Ikea can help with that.
So, out of curiousity (and the need to enlarge my own list), what does your dream house come with?
10 comments:
I have white cupboards in my kitchen. They definitely don't say "clean." They say "clean me." white shows drops and dirt and fingerprints so much. I'd much rather have a nice stain.
Right now, I'd settle for a bathroom where the shower and tub weren't separate, and the shower didn't have crusty, gross, sloping floors that you thing you might contract hepatitis from.
I would love two ovens and six burners, too. Having the ovens built into the wall, and a countertop range would be nice (when you've got the huge kitchen and space isn't an issue), but I think when we redo our kitchen, I'll be getting this oven.
I love your kitchen ideas. My biggest "need" in a house is the kitchen. You should check out cedarworks.com for playsets for your backyard. I want two sinks in the bathroom, an open floor plan, a mud room, and a nice backyard that I can send the kids out to play in.
I want EXACTLY everything you do, Carissa! I knew I loved your style.
Oooh, nice pics. I wouldn't mind having something like that but alas it feels like it will be 100 million years down the road. ;) That is awesome that you guys are going to buy a house soon. I hope you get at least some of the wishes!!! Good taste!
I remember when we were first house hunting, I had no clue what I was in for. Nothing. I had never ever thought about things I wanted or needed. And, now that our family is getting closer to being finished...I'm starting to figure it all out. When I was looking at the gorgeous white kitchen, all I could think about was little black fingerprints all over the cabinets. :)
By the way, I think I saw a house just like what you have imagined in Spanish Fork...
Have you thought about building? Just putting it out there! :)
OOOH! Those kitchen pictures are TO DIE FOR! I'm totally with you on the white, traditional looking kitchen! They look so bright and crisp! Other things I would love to have ("need")in a house:
-at least 4 bedrooms
-at least 2 bathrooms
-a playroom to keep all the toys contained that I could transform into a theater/game room when the kids are teenagers
-a big FENCED backyard with fun things to play on and room to entertain my friends too
-(White) Kitchen with plenty of cupboard and counter space and a double oven
-open concept kitchen/family room
-a fireplace with a BIG traditional mantel
-lots of windows to let light in
I'm sure there are lots of other things I could list, but these are the most important to me.
We are looking at houses now too, so I have houses on the brain! If you ever want to go look at houses with someone, you can always call me! :) Good luck in your search!
The house sounds great. You should hire a builder and built it how you like it.
My must-haves in a house: at least 4 walls, two bathrooms, a king-size bed, two sinks in the master bath, and a 50+ inch plasma TV. That's it. As you've seen, Summer's list is much more extensive than mine - it's gotta be that womanly home-beautifying nature.
I like your ideas, although to get all that it would be like in the 400,000 or more range :) Hire Bryan to build it for you! Oh, and I like all your ideas. I want 5 bedrooms - or more. I really want a bonus/play room. A big backyard, a nice size kitchen, awesome master suite, and a functioning laundry room with a TV!!! I loved your post. Makes me want to move. Dang it.
I LOVE that laundry room! The kitchens are amazing too. Garrett and I have decided that the only way to get everything we want in a house is to build our own...so that is the 10 year plan:) Someday we will have all these fancy things and laugh about how poor we used to be. At least that's what I'm wishing for! I totally hear you on the A/C. I don't know how I survived last summer especially being pregnant and all. I get so grumpy when I am hot. Seriously! That is why one of Garrett's and the kid's must haves is A/C:)
I have always wanted to build from scratch a log cabin on lots of land by the sea with a huge organic garden and fruit trees. The kitchen is a big one for me to and most certainly a big walkin pantry, the kind that can store not only food stuff but all the seasonal platters and extras. I'd love a master bath with a huge tub that looks out over the sea, kind of like the outdoors just blends right in with stone and wood and earth tones. I want a huge fireplace (or 3) in a greatroom for family gatherings and cozy nights, and a wrap around porch to sit on and watch the storms roll in. I am going to need to become a reallly famous childrens book author or something to build this of course but hey if we are dreaming that will fit right in:)
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