Tell me about your dream house
When I was a teenager in the 1990s, I thought that if you grew up and "made it", you'd live in a colonial-ish house with a garage and a driveway, probably in a housing development.
Sorta like this one, from The Unoriginal Mom:
You raise your kids there, and live happily ever after, basically.
Obviously, that vision didn't pan out for me; I lived in a split-foyer (my VERY LEAST favorite home design) from 2005-2022.
Then I got divorced, and now I don't even own a home. Ahahaha.
Anyway, I was thinking about how my idea of a dream home has changed. In fact, this past year I was biking by the type of neighborhood I used to dream of living in, and I noticed it held little appeal, given the new direction my life has taken.
I don't have any immediate home-buying plans, but I thought it would be fun to describe my current dream house. And of course, I want to hear about your dream home too!
My dream home
The house I live in is actually not too far off from a type of home I'd consider my dream home, so it might sound like I'm describing my rental sometimes. 😉
Also, since this dream purchase is at least a few years in the future, I'm going to assume I'm empty-nesting.
I would love:
A small home
My dream home has a bedroom for me, plus an extra for guests, and one for my home office (we need a blogging headquarters, OKAYYYYY?)
But overall, the house should be on the small side. My dream is cute, right-sized, and not a ton of work to maintain.
A design that is not a split anything
I don't want a split-foyer or a split-level or anything like that. A Cape Cod, a rancher, a cottage....I'm flexible in a lot of ways, but my dream home is nottttt a split style of any kind.
I refuse to settle on this.
A bathroom connected to my bedroom
I have only had this luxury once in my life, from 2000-2005, at my townhouse. So, my dream house has to have an en suite bathroom, no ifs, ands, or buts.
Two bathrooms
Since one of the bathrooms will be my private bathroom, I'm gonna need to put two bathrooms in my dream house.
Actually, you know what? Let's do two full baths, plus a half bath for guests. I have never had a half bath! That would feel pretty fancy.
A porch
I have never had a porch, but I think homes with front porches are so lovely. And the porch will have ceiling fans to keep the bugs away. 🙂
Lots of windows
Light matters a lot to me! My rental house has a fair number of windows, but many of them have broken seals, which means they are cloudy.
So, my dream house has multiple large windows, and none of them has broken seals. 😉
A big front window
I love my living room window here! My dream home definitely needs one.
Wood floors throughout
I adore the classic look of wood floors, and I also like how easy it is to keep them clean.
My dream home is 100% carpet-free.
A garage
I've never had a garage in my adult life, and while it is not a strict necessity here in this climate, I would definitely feel a little like I'd arrived in life if I had a garage.
So, we're gonna put one in my dream house.
A neighborhood with big trees
Trees are kind of a pain, what with the constantly falling branches and leaves, but to me, it is worth it. I prefer old neighborhoods that have big old trees growing, and my dream house is in one of those.
And bonus points if it's one of those sort of disorganized neighborhoods, vs. a neatly planned-out development. I like the character of more random neighborhoods.
A house in an area I can walk in
I'm obviously not opposed to driving to nearby trails; I do it all the time. But I also like that at this house, I can just put my shoes on and go for a walk right from my front door; I even have a wooded trail I can walk to.
Here it is on a snowy day. So perfect, right??
So, we'll add that as an adjacent feature to my dream home.
A house on a hill
I know that having a house up on a hill can be problematic, especially if you live in an area with high winds.
Regardless, I have always sort of wanted a house perched up at the top of a hill so I can have an expansive view available outside of my windows.
Also, it would be very good for sunrise/sunset viewing.
Will I ever get my dream house?
I don't know! So much of my next five years feels uncertain, but I do hope one day, I will be able to buy a house with some of these features.
(I realize I may have to compromise on the hill situation.)
But for right now, I am unspeakably happy to be here in my little rental house because my life here is peaceful and free. That matters more than any shape, style, or feature.
My eyes filled with happy, relieved tears as I typed that; it still feels like a dream that I get to live here, that I never have to go back.
In that sense, THIS is my dream house. And since I never have to go back where I came from, every place I live from here on out will be some form of a dream house for me. 🙂
My heart is full of gratefulness.
Ohhh I love your dream house!
I think about mine often. 2 bedroom, 2 bath (because I like having guests but hate sharing bathrooms).
Single story because I don't want to walk up stairs to my bedroom or to a basement for laundry. Ideally 600- 800 square feet.
It would have a bathtub and a dishwasher. A porch or deck or some type of outdoor seating area.
There would be lots of windows! I love ceiling fans and lots of lights, but...not big overhead lights- so they'd be on dimmers or there'd be a ridiculous amount of plugs for lamps. And speaking of outlets- they'd be in convenient areas, including one in the bathroom.
Oh, a place for a home gym. An easy to maintain yard but a garden. And an invisible force field so the lovely deer don't have a daily buffet 🙂 Trees to look at, but none that scared me during wind storms.
Easy peasy, right?
@Shelly,
I love your list. I forgot about a dedicated laundry room, and ideally one that is conveniently located. Also one-story for me. And shoutout to ALL THE LAMPS! 🙂
@Shelly, I like the invisible forcefield! Can it work for unwelcome bugs too?
My dream house is small enough to be easy to clean, but large enough to host friends and family. It should be small enough that nice finishes or repairs wouldn't cost a fortune (hardwood flooring, or a new roof, etc). Like Kristen, I've always had a love of porches. Good idea on the porch fan for cooling and bug control. We'll already have the forcefield for the bugs- but a cooling breeze would be lovely. 🙂 On a hill is good too for the reasons mentioned, but also for water drainage not running toward the house. Two bathrooms seems about right. Maybe 3+ bedrooms, since we're heading toward an empty nest. A flowing weeping willow tree nearby, possibly with a small stream. I like the sound of a church bell tower chiming and trains passing by (in the far distance). Gas utilities make me nervous, so I'd opt for "something other than gas". Generous-sized closets for storage would be a bonus. I grew up in a split foyer, so I agree with Kristen about passing on that design as well. Walkable neighborhood or paths would be great. A pre-existing weed-free (or very low maintenance) colorful perennial garden out front, as long as we're dreaming. A small veggie garden out back, again, no weeds (lol!). AC system, depending on regional climate. Garage with an entrance to the house. Not a cookie-cutter house design, should have a little character without looking strange. Good neighbors nearby. Safe area.
We can dream, right??
[Our giant final team project and presentation are due later this week for my class. Taking time to comment today is both slight procrastination and also a mini celebration because I'm actually in a pretty good place with my project contributions! I'm very much looking forward to the upcoming break between semesters! Confession: I did cave and dust a few baseboards recently- not normally high on my priority list- but a great means of procrastination considering we were hosting Thanksgiving. As was re-painting a wall which was in desperate need of fresh paint. Lmk if anyone else needs productive procrastination ideas!!]
@Shelly, I think I just bought your dream house (in June) minus just a couple things! 840 sf, 2 br, only one bath because that's all I wanted (less to maintain), laundry room next to the bedrooms, LOTS of windows, ceiling fans, lights on dimmers, tons of outlets, an extra room for your home gym (we use it as a music room), a porch and a covered patio, on a very small piece of land so there's little to maintain. The only difference is that we live in a golf resort in Arizona so there aren't a lot of big trees but there ARE citrus trees everywhere.
I've had big 2 story homes in my past and we traveled full time in a 200 sf RV for 7 years. This is my favorite home, by far.
@Beth (in VA), yes, the lamps!
@PD, Love your suggestion. I dust the top of the refrigerator. Clean the piano keys with a Q tip. Dismantle and wash all the glass light covers, and dust the light bulbs. Got to be done, right?
@Kristina, hahaha- those tasks definitely should be added to my must-do-now list! Thanks! 🙂
@RVSarah,
Your current house sounds amazing!
@Beth (in VA), better half turned a three season room into an office and main floor laundry. Lots of windows in both.
I would highly recommend radiant heat floors if budget allows. Makes the office work as it is the longest run from the furnace (and we're in the Midwest).
@RVSarah, congrats on your new and favorite home. enjoy!!!!!
I used to want an ocean view, or a loft in NYC. My dream was a pool. After living where I live now for so long, I think all I want is a bedroom, a guest bedroom, a second bathroom or a 1/2 guest bathroom. I want somewhere walkable to a small town where there is a library, cafe, general store, post office. I want A CLOSET. Ideally a bedroom closet and a linen or junk closet. I want a dishwasher, counterspace and an eat-in kitchen. I want a roof that does not leak and a house where there are no field rats, squirrels or rattlesnakes.
@Millicent, this would be perfect!
When I was a child, I drew pictures of my dream house. There were horses, a place to ride, and a pond with swans. Yes, swans. I had no idea that all of this cost $$.
Where I live now is my favorite home of all of my life.
I don't think we will be living here much longer, I'm looking at retirement and the grandkids are growing up, so we won't need the guest rooms much longer.
Whew - - the last part of this post is so touching. I'm beyond happy for you.
A lot of my dream house features are similar to yours -- lots of large windows are a must and so is zero carpet. I do have zero carpet now and I would never have it again if I could help it. I'd want a cute office in my house with lots of pretty shelves (and windows!). A hard-surface driveway would be extra fancy, as would a garage. I'd also like to have an a shed for yard things and an outdoor studio of sorts, maybe a modified small shed -- a place to refinish furniture or try my hand at stained glass or whatever else, so I could use my garage for my car and not for storage/projects.
One of my biggest dreams would be a well-designed, highly functional kitchen that's not super modern looking, but also not ornate. At 54 and looking ahead, I'd want it to be easy to access pots and pans -- my cabinets now are original from 1964 and it's such a pain to get to things in the bottom cabinets.
This is a fun exercise. Thanks for kicking it off. I'm eager to see what ideas others have.
@Beth (in VA), I like your dream too. I have hung my pans on a pot rack that is wonderful. No more digging out the back of deep old cupboards. I put drawer systems in the old cabinets and they work much better.
Oh, this is fun! Though I never want to own a home again, I like perusing homes for sale online and peeking at the pictures and evaluating them. Like Kristen, the house we're living in has a lot of features that are part of my dream home.
Non-negotiables:
--One story. I do not want stairs. We also lived in a split-level, I grew up in a split level, and I have fallen down and tripped on stairs enough in my lifetime. Plus, as one gets older, stairs are problematic.
--At least two toilets. Right now, we would love if our home had three, since we have six people, but it works out pretty well. Ideally 2.5 baths.
--Tile or wood floors. But not the splintery wood floors we had in one rental. The landlord was so proud of having gotten that wood "at a steal" and his son installing it himself, but I'm here to tell you there was a reason that wood was cheap. I do not enjoy pulling splinters out of my feet or the feet of my loved ones.
--Fenced in back yard. I could probably live without this, but I like knowing that there's something keeping stray dogs (or people) out of my backyard. It doesn't have to be a privacy fence, either.
--No basement. I don't want/need the extra storage space (nature abhors a vacuum, and storage spaces get filled with stuff eventually), and every basement I've had has been leaky.
--Attached garage. Right now we use the attached garage as a bike garage, mostly; our cars live outside, but we bike more than we drive. It's also handy for bringing groceries in and for an outside litter box for Sir Clark.
--Good, solid windows.
Nice to have/Wish list:
--Enclosed front (or back) porch. Never had one of these, but I would love one. The Commodore would get lots of window sniffums, and I could read outside in the summer/spring/fall without getting eaten alive by bugs.
--Larger kitchen. We do very well with the small kitchen we have (the house was built in 1960, I believe, and has never been expanded), but a little more counter space and food storage would not go amiss.
--Dedicated laundry room. We have this now and the room serves as a multipurpose room as well, housing an extra fridge, a utility sink, and an extra workspace, so I would miss it. I've lived in houses with just laundry "nooks" and I don't like that option.
--An extra room or two. We have four bedrooms, and the sons each have their own room; DH and I carved out another bedroom in the main living area by using door panels attached to furniture and a privacy curtain. It works very well, but an extra bedroom would be great, or even two so there could be a home office for DH.
I nearly forgot: a white roof to help offset cooling costs--why most roofs are black I will never understand, it just makes them hotter in the summer. And a WHOLE HOUSE GENERATOR, thanks very much.
@Karen A.,
I had a metal roof installed; I chose an off-white color to match the bricks on my exterior walls. Don't know if it is the color or the material, or maybe both -- but my AC bills seem to be lower. Previously, I'd had dark composite asphalt shingles. Another nice surprise: the new roof is not at all noisy when it rains. Everyone said the rain would really disturb me, but I can barely hear all but the hardest rain showers. And even then, it's muffled.
@Karen A., one of the trends that makes me scratch my head is the darkly painted farm house. There are several near me, but a black clapboard house is Florida just doesn't make any sense.
@Fru-gal Lisa, Yes! A light colored metal roof is exactly the thing DH would love on a house. When this roof needs new shingles we think we can talk the landlord into letting us install white shingles, he agreed it sounded like a good idea, but he doesn't want to do it until it "needs it."
@Karen A., lack of a basement/more than a limestone/crawlspace basement is a must. Tornado safety as well as a cool space if the power goes out when it is hot (which is a lower temp for better half than I).
The older I get, and the longer I live in my home, I realize this IS my dream house. When we bought the home 30+ years ago, my mother-in-law said that it would be a nice starter home. We've not yet moved.
Built in the late 1800's, the house has many of the original floor-to-ceiling windows that capture natural light. It has thick walls that provide warmth in winter and coolness in summer. It's built at the top of a small hill in town. It has a front porch and a back patio. There are no houses behind it, so I look out into the woods and watch the birds and all four seasons. I can see the houses on the street below when the trees are bare. Living in town means I can walk to shops, restaurants, the library, the schools, and the post office. The houses here all look different. It is a 40-minute highway drive to a city. I can get on my bike and ride through hills and reach a county park. There is a rail trail in town now. Each day I thank Mr. Smead, the original owner and builder, for his site choice and building design.
Many of my family members live in new-builds or subdivisions. For the longest time, I thought that was what I was supposed to do as well. I felt like the odd duck because I liked and wanted very different things. I live frugally, I like vintage, quirky, and arty things. I would rather do myself or do without. It took many, many years to feel comfortable in my own skin. A lot of growing up. Looking back on all the choices Ive made so far, and the decisions my husband and I have made together, I feel like I'm where I'm meant to be.
@MH,
Your vintage home sounds very much like a dream! Esp. as you describe your surroundings and the town. Thanks for sharing.
@MH, your home sounds lovely
@MH, what a beautiful home, just from your description. I love old homes and would much prefer one like yours if I had a choice.
We honestly never thought we'd own a home because we wanted to buy one outright, with no mortgage, and then we happened upon our under-priced castle! We have the good fortune of already being in our dream house.
Size: At <750 sq/ft, it's perfect for two people and three cats. It's compactness also makes utility bills cheap, cheap, cheap.
Age: Built in 1890, it's solid and had already survived several tornadoes in its lifetime. It's also full of hand-carved details and all of its original woodwork, including the floors. Yes, it has old-timey maintenance, too: I get to re-glaze all of our windows next spring, which needed done since before we bought the house a few years ago. That said, anything that's already made it 135 years is worth the effort, and it's something I know how to do now.
Color: After a life-time of renting, we've gone all-in with paint--jewel tones for the win! The kitchen ceiling is purple because my husband asked for it to be, and it looks amazing with the dark cabinets, "Silver Glamour" (official paint color name) walls, and wood floors.
Yard: We've a giant yard--as in, 1/4 of the block is ours--with no HOA in sight. We can have our ever-expanding garden, water barrels, etc., and no one cares! We actually get compliments on our efforts surprisingly often.
Community: In finding our house, we discovered quite the gem of a village. It's a very supportive, welcoming community, and thankfully not a a nosy or gossipy one. We love it here so, so much.
@N, Yours also sounds like a dream! So nice!
I definitely don't live in my dream home currently, but it is near the beach which is one of my dreams:)
Unrealistic dream: a cottage near the sea or the Practical Magic house.
Realistic dream: A house which has two bathrooms, four bedrooms, a reasonably sized kitchen and a spare room I can turn into a library. Oh, and a window seat.
My only real wish besides the basic needs is that it's near a body of water 🙂
@Sophie in Denmark, How could I forget the most important feature? CATS!
I love my little home and I don't plan on ever leaving, but if I did I'd do it for a slightly bigger, flat yard - I don't want to mow a field, but I do want more space for an energetic pup and a garden to coexist. A fireplace, I know I live in Florida, but I'd have used one multiple times in the last few weeks. A walk in linen/coat closet - my current home barely has a linen closet and I have random household necessities crammed in the oddest of spaces. A nook that can be turned into a cozy reading space. My "retirement plan" is to roam the country in some form of small camping setup, so I would like room to park either a van or small trailer out of the way so I don't have to pay to store it.
Things I love about my home that have become non-negotiables. French doors out to a screened in living space - sliding doors just don't cut it anymore ?. 2 car garage for my 1 car and my workshop. Walkable neighborhood. Shade trees but also lots of natural light. And, while I don't use it often, I love my pool. There's something peaceful about looking outside and seeing water. I could probably negotiate this out for a view of a natural body of water, but close proximity to natural bodies of water come with risks and pricetags that I don't want, so ?
This is fun! One way to realize you live in your dream home is to pay the mortgage off!! Nothing like living in a place you own completely. I realized as a young woman that I could never live anywhere that had an HOA. No one was ever going to tell me I could not hang my laundry outside! Luckily I live on a farm, in a simple little house, and when I hang the laundry, I can savor the views and fresh air!
The teenaged Gina would think the Empty Nester Gina was positively wealthy - living in a home that has heat and A/C, food in the fridge, a patio! yard!, and so much more. I have spent the last 4 years molding this house's spaces into my dream home and I will be sad to leave it some day. But my dream home would be smaller, updated, close to my kids, and 100% be paid for.
@Gina from The Cannary Family, may I please interrupt your lovely dream for a moment? There is no such thing as a 100% paid for house. I know this is a fantasy exercise, but this sort of magical thinking leaves people with broken dreams. There will always be taxes, insurance, utilities, and maintenance. With time, these may well exceed the original mortgage payment. Best to make sure you have enough invested to support the home of your dreams once it's paid for. Save first, then pay the mortgage off, if you so desire..
I live in a dream house (It played a role in how I met my husband <3), but the property taxes alone are more than I made in my first career job out of college. Insurance has nearly tripled, utilities have doubled, and maintenance costs are significant. Not complaining, because our nest egg can handle it. I thank my lucky stars for the person who pounded this counter-intuitive lesson into my thick, stubborn skull.
Back to dreaming. Thanks for sharing your space with me.
And like you, when I sit and look around I thank God for this amazing blessing and it does bring a tear to my eyes. (: In a good way!
I live in my dream house, a condo at the beach. As I write this, I’m watching the sun rise over the ocean. My place is small and easy to take care of, with gorgeous views. I hope to live here the rest of my life!
I did a whole post about this once! https://going-country.blogspot.com/2024/06/apd-dream-houses.html
I have lived in a LOT of different houses and my home is the most important place in the world to me, so I have Many Opinions.
I like stone houses, or adobe. They are solid, quiet (the mass of the building material muffles exterior noise), and thermally stable. My absolute favorite style of house is the courtyard style, in which the house is built all around an interior courtyard. That is somewhat dependent on climate, however, in that they would be much harder to heat or cool in our modern way given how spread out they are. So I would prefer to have a small stone house with a completely walled exterior courtyard, much like the old walled gardens. I would like space to grow things, but I don't need a huge garden anymore.
The layout of the house would need to have the bedrooms separated from the kitchen and living spaces in some way--maybe a hallway--to avoid hearing the sounds from those rooms.
After so many years of living rurally, I do NOT like having neighbors too close. Although I also have no interest in a lot of landscape maintenance, so it would probably be a maybe one-acre property that is mostly unlandscaped. I do like to have big trees by the house, though, for shade.
I like wood floors--with some Oriental rugs, though--and carpet in bedrooms. Practically, I would need at least three bedrooms any time in my life, as I hope my numerous children will want to visit me even if they don't live with me. At least two bathrooms, one with a good soaking tub. And a fireplace somewhere in the living area, but with a gas insert because I love fires and have had enough of dealing with firewood. 🙂
I could go on, but I'll stop there.
@kristin @ going country, I also love a center courtyard. It is a great style for indoor outdoor living.
@kristin @ going country, the lots in our rural subdivision are large. We bought the 4.5 acres across the street from us to ensure our privacy. We first lived in a cold, drafty rental tenant farm house. Our first big purchase for our next home was a wood burning stove. Which we moved to our current, retire in place home. We have a lot more trees here plus plenty of neighbors who let better half cut standing dead/might fall on our driveway trees.
I want a single family house. I moved into a townhouse when my children left home, and I miss having a garden!
I would like an hall if one enters from
the front door rather than walking directly into the living room.
On either side of the hall would be a living room ( which I would make into a library) and a dining room. Behind it, I want a kitchen and a family room.
It would be nice to have a sunroom off to one side and the primary suite downstairs on the other side.
Two guest bedrooms so I have room for future grandchildren would be wonderful!
I would love to have a large front porch and a screened patio in the back.
Also, it should be in walking distance to downtown.
@Lizzy, oh, yes, an entrance other than right into the living room!
Oh, you’ve asked about my dream! Here we go!
Not a traditional house. A metal building with lots of windows. A deep front porch and a screened in porch overlooking the pond. A double door entrance. Quality windows, doors and floors. Stained trim never to be painted.
An open floor plan, 2 bedroom, 2 bath. A Mack Daddy mudroom with a built-in folding table for laundry. Also Built-in cabinets to hold small kitchen appliances, extra food and dog food, etc. The kitchen can have a smaller footprint if I had this. A large window over the kitchen sink with a deep ledge for plants and other pretties. Cabinets and counters don’t excite me so I could save money there. Granite or other patterned counters are a negative for me. Are they dirty? You can’t tell so you clean them needlessly.
Also, a ramp to one entrance. Not because we’re disabled or old but how much easier to bring things in the house especially things like furniture.
I think that’s it for now. You’ve touched a dream nerve of mine this morning.
PS - We live on 80 plus acres so no neighbors visible.
I wish all our good dreams could come true.
At present, I'm This Old Woman in This Old House, and I'm very happy here. The only feature this house lacks that I've always wanted (I'm with Karen A. on this one) is an enclosed front porch. All the other things I want/need--architectural character, land for gardening, and wonderful neighbors, mainly--are here.
But I'm realistic enough to know that I'll probably be downsizing to a one-level house or an apartment one of these years. And after budget-busting expenses such as the recent felling of my maple tree, there's a certain appeal to the idea of becoming a renter!
I only know you through your blogs but my eyes misted over about your last part about never having to go back to your old life and old house. best wishes for the future.
Growing up, I lived in a 2 story suburban colonial and thought getting a college degree was pretty much a guarantee that you’d end up with a house like that. Reality check when I graduated college! Right now, I live in my least favorite style house. The front is basically a garage and a front door, but it has wood floors, gets lots of light, has enough bedrooms that my two kids don’t have to share, has a great backyard for gardening, is in a good neighborhood, and unlike our last house … it has yet to flood! Finding a less susceptible house was at the top of my list when we moved here.
My dream house would be passively sustainable, so it would need significantly less energy to heat and cool. A greywater system and solar panels that would feed into a backup battery so we’d never lose power would be great.
I’d love a big porch that was screened in and shutters that were functional and not just decorative. I live in a very windy area and it would be nice to shutter the windows during the many Midwest storms that come through.
I have a one-butt kitchen and would love to be able to easily fit another butt or two in there at the same time. A food pantry would be amazing! I’ve yet to have one as an adult.
Old-house built-ins have been one of my intense loves since childhood. It’s always been my dream to have one of those old school butler’s pantries with the built-in cabinets with those cute latches and a little window. A linen press cabinet, window seats, etc. would be amazing.
We could really use another room. It doesn’t really even matter what it is … an extra bedroom, or a study, or a dining room. Any sort of bonus room would be great. I’d even settle for just having bigger rooms with some actual walls for furniture.
This one is really a dream, but …. a perfect food garden that waters and weeds itself!
This is your dream *life* - I'm so happy for you - and wishing you your dream house in your nearer than expected future!
We're approaching empty nest . . . one grad student still here. But my dream home has similar wishes to yours [though I hadn't thought about the hill LOL]. I'm in close to my dream home but I'd like a little more space between houses [we live in an urban suburb - lots on our street are considered large for the area and they're 60 feet wide!] but I love that I can get to the beach or the city in half an hour or so. I would like more access to forest . . . and no stairs . . . and that extra half bath! And a bigger kitchen . . .
My dream home is mostly about location. I want to be near a beach (preferably Edisto Beach, SC). I don't want to be on the beach (hurricanes, insurance, etc), but within a few miles to go any random evening. I would like 1 -2 acres (Edisto is perfect for that as it is beach and then country). House probably 2500 sq ft or so, but I'm happy to make a house work if the location is right. I would prefer 1 story cottage type home. 3 bedrooms, lots of light. We've had 3.5 baths and 2.5 baths and 2.5 baths is the way to go. That third one is just more of a chore to clean and never have we had a bathroom emergency that more than 2 bathrooms were full at once haha. I would love a kitchen with a bank of windows if it is my dream home. I would prefer a detached garage. We've had a detached garage twice and attached many times. I like the detached so DH can work out there with the air compressor or whatever and it is separate from me.
Outside I would have a pavilion with an outdoor kitchen area for grilling and canning. I would have a garden, fruit trees, and berry bushes.
DH would only have 1 item on his wish list. He would prefer it wasn't a fixer upper. After gutting and redoing 2 homes from top to bottom...he's over doing that.
Our current house is in my dream location (we can walk into a nature preserve & hike all day if we want), but it needs some updating. It doesn't have a bath tub! I'm bath taker, so this is my number one request!
@Hawaii Planner, the old saying is you can always change the house, but you can't change the surroundings/location. Very true!
My house is very dreamy in that it's paid for, and it has great features. BUT if I could pick out of the sky, I'd wish for a view, a second bathroom, and a floor plan where I could better control my cat's litter trail. I have litter mats, I have a robot vacuum that does the "litter path" before we get home, but still litter gets everywhere! So I sweep. A lot! This cat is the best litter box user (he covers and covers and covers) so there is that.
@Sarah C., I don't know if you already do this, but I found that I had to switch from the "light" litter to the heavier stuff. The light was so light my cat was tracking it everywhere. The heavy wasn't as fine (still clumping but not milled as finely). He doesn't track it as badly.
What a fun topic! Our house is in so many ways my dreamhouse, it was in fact this neighboorhood I wanted to live in if we bought a house in this town. Our whole neighboorhood is identical houses built thanks to the Marshall plan (The European Recovery plan) after WWII. Now 75 years later most houses have been remodelled in some way or another, but you can still se that the «bones» are the same. All the houses has four floors and while I love that there is a front- and backgarden and room between the houses it’s a lot of stairs and mostly that’s what I would like to have changed.
Things I wish for in our next house:
- laundryroom on the same floor as the bathroom and bedrooms and big enough to dry camping gear and such. And preferably on the first floor so it can have it’s own door outside.
- room for a kitchen table
- refrigeration room (or what the correct English word is) on the same floor/in connection to the kitchen
- room for a sewing studio in the basement or someplace I don’t have to worry about the noise from my otherwise beloved Yuki industrial sewing machine
- view of the sunset or at least the evening sky/midnight sun
- room for both a bathtub and a shower
- halfbath for guests on the same floor as the livingroom, preferably beside the entry
- entry with room for plenty of storage for coats and such. And while dreaming big, a separate room in connection for all our camping gear
- lastly guestroom that’s a bit for it self. Now we have it beside the kitchen and livingroom and that’s not very practical in regard to noise.
Your house is a dream house! A place you are happy and content.
I’ve always said my dream house has lots of windows and built in bookcases. We moved across town a few years ago to a single story with fabulous windows and skylights (so much wonderful NM light!). Last year I had my office closet converted to a library. Built in bookcases all around! And this house has two garden beds, which makes me so so happy.
Your dream house is very close to mine. Small. Right sized. Porch. Not in a planned neighborhood. Must have a garage or large shed. Every house I have ever lived in has had a porch! It’s truly all I know.
I think I am actually living in my dream house! I have a medium sized Cape Cod with a front porch, a rear screen porch, and a big yard. It looks small from the outside but is well designed (not by me) and spacious on the inside. I can walk to the library and a park and my kids walk to school.
I sometimes wish we had room for a pool but that would require more maintenance. I sometimes wish for a bigger kitchen, but that would also require more maintenance and more room to store things I probably don't need. I also wish we could walk to downtown but then I would lose my big yard and mature trees.
When I was younger I thought the Tudor style houses were the ultimate aspiration!
2000 sq feet, four bedrooms, eat-in kitchen, two bathrooms (one en-suite), living room at the back of the house, dining room, nice yard for dogs and a neighbor next door who is also a dear friend. Lots of windows. A walk-in shower, and one walk-in closet in our master bedroom. Oh, wait…I ALREADY live in my dream house! I am beyond grateful to my wonderful husband for my house…I love my house.
I love this topic! And in particular I love how you highlight that dream homes change as you get older. 18 months ago my family moved into a 100 year old house that is oozing with charm. HOWEVER, I had no idea how much maintenance this type of house required. It’s eye wateringly expensive and labor intensive to maintain. Although I love the charm of the house and the neighborhood, I miss our low maintenance and “boring” 1997 house we used to live in. There I never worried too much about maintenance issues, but here I’m worrying constantly.
I feel like we are fortunate enough to be living in my version of a dream house! It’s a 100 year old, 2000 square foot brick Dutch colonial in an older neighborhood. It has 3 bedrooms and 2.5 baths. It has no grand entranceways or big hallways, but the rooms are generously sized and it has plenty of charm, including a large fireplace (which I love). It has been plenty big enough for our family of 3, yet not too big for when we are truly empty nesters. I don’t want yo move to a place that’s so small we can’t easily accommodate overnight guests. We have put a lot of work into the house and our yard since moving here 22 years ago, and now it’s just about perfect ☺️
We have a wonderful sense of community in our neighborhood, we live just outside a major city, and we are walking distance to the train.
I wish you the best of luck finding your dream home someday, and hope that you don't have to compromise too much.
My home is small, in a walkable neighborhood, and I have one floor living, which means barring serious medical issues with age, I can live in my current home for quite a while.
In more populated areas (needed for work, unless you are independently wealthy, can work remotely 100% of the time, or if you are a nurse that can work almost anywhere) you are going to have trouble finding "small". Builders have been building large for many decades, and older small houses have had floors and wings added to make them more appealing to buyers.
Such a lovely dream house. I thought I knew what my dream house was. My husband and I did not purchase our first home until we were in our 50s. We were always renters. We wanted a home with no stairs, a nice basement, at least two toilets, and at least three bedrooms. Lots of trees and a beautiful yard. We thought we had found it and waited nine months until the deal fell through and we couldn’t wait for it any longer. Less than a week later we happened upon the best little house ever and it had none of the things, except the beautiful yard and the trees, and we are so happy. We have wonderful neighbors and we live on the prettiest street only a block from the lake. Sure there are some things I would love to have, like that second toilet, but gosh, it’s amazing how dreams can change. I hope you find your dream.
The house I live in would be my dream house, it has everything I would want, I have lived here for 25 years. We bought in a city outside of the big city as I could not afford a house in the big city, but I love it here. It is city bound, but also nature bound as I have 2 ravines walking distance, with rivers, it is beautiful and peaceful.
Two non negotiables when buying a house were: it had to have a double garage, and it had to have a gas furnace. Both of which this house has.
Small house, perfect for us - this house is 1032 sq. ft. Meaning a main floor and a 2nd floor of 500 sq.ft. each. Plus a full basement which would also be about the same (not included in house square footage). 3 bedrooms. One full bathroom on the 2nd floor, and a powder room on the main floor. (If one toilet breaks, I still have another one).
West facing - especially good so that the sun can melt any snow on the driveway. Plus I am on a slight up-hill which is great for drainage of snow melt and water. Also being higher means that it is unlikely that my basement will ever flood.
Only carpet in my house is the stairs, and also the family room in the basement. Rest is hardwoods; and tile in the bathrooms and kitchen.
A large-ish laundry room; It has a drying rack in there; plus it has a lot of shelving. Plus the furnace.
Oh and an important feature that I did not ask for but that I got: We have no overhead wiring outside; everything is underground, as I am close to the hospital and am on the hospital grid. This means that when there is a power outage in my area, I am back up and running within a very short period of time, while everyone else can be out of power for hours longer.
I've lived in several different types of houses - from a duplex to an older home with lots of wood trim, to a Cape Cod, to a Florida-style home and now a home in the country. If I could put my old Cape Code, with it's screened in porch, in my WV location, I would love it. I live on top of a hill, but don't get to see sunsets as there is a bigger hill to the west of me.
I am right outside of town, so I have to drive everywhere, but it is nice and quiet. I have 2 neighbors that are really nice too. And I can't beat the price on taxes. We love it here.
However, if someone offered me an old farm house with a wrap around porch in the country, I would not complain. I would just sit back in my rocker on the porch and enjoy the quiet views.
Kristen, a home where you are at peace is the best home of all.
I have always given more thought to neighborhood and location than the actual house itself. When my children were young, I wanted a house that was in a safe neighborhood where they could play outside with friends. I wanted access to great schools and nice neighbors. I wanted to be able to safely bike or walk to the beach. I
I was fortunate that I found all those things and more.
Fast-forward 30 years, I am still in the same house. I still love my neighborhood and have great neighbors. None of us have ever moved. However, Florida's population has nearly doubled in the last three decades, and everyone wants to be near the coast. I can no longer safely bike or walk to the beach which is only a mile away. I have to drive there and look for parking. I now find myself dreaming of living just blocks from the beach. I want to hear the ocean again when I stand in my front yard. I want to walk down to beach in the evening with the dog. Perhaps, I'll be able to move, but homes close to the beach now sell for a premium. One can dream!
However, I can also be happy where I am. Home is where the heart is.
When I was younger, I thought I would live on the beach. Aging made me realize that in our area living on the beach is much more expensive, but also due to our climate it is very cold and windy. So, now my dream house is:
1. One that does not need to be mortgaged at all or for too long
2. Small so that I do not have a lot of maintenance/cleaning and can age in place
3. A good school district for my kids
4. A safe neighborhood where neighbors care about each other and have aligning social values
5. Close to parks and close to expressways. I value not having to travel far to get to the grocery store, parks, visit my family, etc. Time is my biggest commodity in life.
6. Central A/C- it gets very hot and humid where we live in the summer!
7. A neighborhood that has sidewalks, as we love to take walks and bike.
8. Space in the yard for vegetable gardens, a fire pit, and my kids to play.
I once asked someone this very question and I don't know what prompted me to ask it, but we both described our dream houses after some thought, so I have this idea down already.
A little house, since it would be just me; a cottage, built of stone, with hardwood floors except it would have tile in kitchen and bath; a small, but well-designed kitchen that includes a small pantry; separate small dining area or room; two small bedrooms, one having an ensuite 3/4 bathroom (shower, toilet, sink) and a small, full bath placed by the other room. I would love a finished attic and a small basement, which means I probably would not be in Florida, but that would suit me fine. A small laundry room, just big enough for a washing machine and some storage. Two porches and at least one would be screened. A separate carport with utility room attached for garden implements, etc. I would prefer to be in the countryside, where I have lived for the vast majority of my life. Modest, fenced yard with lots of native flowers and trees, and room and sunny space enough for a vegetable raised-bed garden. Tankless water-heater, water well with solar-powered pump plus a hand pump, and a clothesline.
After I saw how well professional kitchen designers completely redesigned my daughter's ugly, outdated, inefficient and inconvenient 1952 kitchen, without moving any walls or windows and only a couple of plumbing changes, I am seriously thinking about getting quotes for professional re-design on mine at some point. Her renovated kitchen is small but functions wonderfully for a busy family of six in which both parents cook together, and is pretty to boot.
I want gentle, low, rolling hills for my dream house area, because driving up and down an icy, steep, country road has never been one of my favorite sports, and I used to have to do it in my childhood/young adult area. And I need a river somewhere near (not within flooding range, though). I am a river rat by both birth and inclination.
Be thankful for what you have
for your life
Is someone else's fairytale!
You are on your way!
My house is pretty close to your dream house, and pretty close to my dream house also. It’s a ranch with many large windows, three bedrooms, two baths (one en suite) in the main part of the house, and a mother-in-law suite that was added on the year after the house was built that you can get to without going through the main part of our house. This last is what sold the house to us, and it’s where I teach private music lessons. A bonus feature is the number of built-in shelves in the living room and two of the bedrooms.
This was our first house and it’s going to be our last house. Our children will have to carry us out of here either kicking and screaming, or feet first.
The one thing I would change if I could is that it would not be in Texas. The climate is just one of many reasons why I would rather not live here, but we are stuck. On the positive side, we attend a great progressive church and have many close friends here.
I hope for you so much that you are able to get your permanent dream house someday!
Our house (old - built 1890!) had a front porch at one time. Neighbors found old pictures that include the porch, and the foundations are still there. Someday, we'll rebuild the front porch.
My dream house found me when I wasn't even looking. Farmer hubby did a land swap for the all important water rights. It came with a 4,000 sq foot craftsman. The choice was to burn it or fix it. In California, empty houses in farmland become drug houses that are protected by squatter's rights. I had been content with my track home in a neighboring city. When I walked into the house, I knew I needed to preserve its beauty. It called to me. It has been a huge financial responsibility and it has taken 2 years. The subcontractors, however, have been fantastic restoring everything to its former glory. All the bathrooms were stripped clean but I have used honeycomb black and white tile, chrome fixtures and details so everyone who tours it thinks everything is original. It is gorgeous and a tribute to turn of the century farming in California. But yeah - we are empty nesters going in the opposite direction.
I love this post! My dream house is less about the house features and more about the location. A cabin in the mountains that I can go on a hike out my front door. Bonus if it's by a small lake that I can take my kayak on. A few miles from a small town that has everything I need. The yard would be native plants and wildflowers so there's no upkeep involved. The cabin itself is small, with maybe 3 bedrooms, a large porch or deck, and a woodburning stove or fireplace. Wood floors throughout, except maybe in the mudroom which would be tile. I just realized I would need a mudroom because I'm going to be spending a LOT of time outside!
We built an in-law on the house that we have lived in for 36 yrs, and have lived in the in-law for the last 13. Looking for a new living situation is not something I expected to be doing at my age but things have changed. So, for the past 7+ months I have been looking for a new place and finally settled on a 55+ neighborhood of conventional built homes, not modulars. Finding small is difficult because the builders only build big. I have looked at some needing to be redesigned from the walls in and I have seen some nice places. I was sticking to a certain budget.
This is a smallish,comfortable home. It has a full basement, 1 bed. The 2nd "bedroom" does not have a closet, so it can't be called a bedroom. I am going to fix that. And is has 1 1/2 baths--I am going to fix the 1/2 bath. But those items will be slow because I need to replace the windows. It also has a 3-season room, which I want to "warm" up to a 3+ season room--new windows and insulation. I am gradually moving our stuff over--filling my car and taking one trip a day.
With the upcoming weather and that it is just me doing all the moving, it will take time.
As much as I would like the view of a hill, in our area winter would be a deterrent for me living on a hill. I like the view and sound of water, but water too has it's issues. A meadow view may be a safe alternative.
Oh, I’ve thought about houses basically nonstop forever.
You’ve said in the (recent) past that you might move north but not south. Is your current location pretty OK or would you like rural-er? Thinking of your enjoyment of family in the northern Great Plains, ski trips to mountains, etc.
When you are ready, you might consider approaching your landlords about renting to own the house you are in!
We were fortunate enough to build our dream home a couple of years before my husband retired. The only brand-new home we've ever had. One story, 3 bedrooms, 2 bath, big garage, a big front porch and a big back deck. We love it. (The original plans called for a 1/2 bath, but I didn't want another toilet to clean. We took out the bath and ended up with a big walk-in closet. A good trade-off, I think.)
What a wonderful invitation to dream. My dream house depends on whether it is in the tropics, where I grew up, or in a temperate climate where I live now (Ohio). My dream cold house has a great mudroom for coats, hats, boots, umbrellas, snow shovels, etc., with a covered entrance. I hate standing in the rain with my arms full trying to use a key. It has a big light farm kitchen and pantry, and a comfy seating area with a table. It is easy to bring lots of groceries in. There is a comfy living room with a fireplace and stereo and fine piano. There is a den with seating for six, a TV, and a Murphy bed for guests. There is a half bath, plus two full baths, one en suite with the main bedroom and one adjacent to two other rooms. The en suite bath has a Japanese soaking tub. My husband has an office and I have one that works with my sewing machine, cutting table, knitting machine, and ironing board. There is a small library room with easy chairs and a small Irish fireplace. There is a low maintenance garden with a potting bench and maybe a small greenhouse, and a clothes line. Outside, we have a built in barbecue and a covered table and chairs in the garden, which also has a koi pond. No stairs anywhere! Altogether it is not a great big house, but carefully designed, small with built ins, easy to maintain. It is in a "natural" neighborhood where houses are of different ages and types, safe for pedestrians and cyclists, with mature trees. It is in easy distance of food markets but not on a major highway.
My tropical house has a lovely traditional veranda, covered, with heavy tile floors and rattan furniture. There are ceiling fans throughout the house except for the main bedroom, which is air conditioned with an en suite bath. The kitchen has a big American refrigerator and screened windows. Inside the floors are polished rosewood, like my family's home in Thailand, and there are mango trees, banana plants, poinsettia plants, and papaya trees along with palm trees in the garden. The house dimensions are all generous, high ceilings and wide doorways. Each of three bedrooms has an adjacent shower, a tiled area with no curtains or doors, open to the air. Depending on electricity supply (it was iffy in my childhood), there is a clothes line or industrial size washer and dryer. There is a lotus pond with lotus plants and fishes and frogs. It is quiet except for the calls of birds and occasional car on the street. There is a piano with a topicalized soundboard.
Thank you for this dreaming moment, Kristen! I love my current home but it could use some improvements...
We live on a hill and the fact that that is on your dream home is helping me reframe that aspect of our house because we honestly DO NOT LIKE IT AT ALL! But we have a corner lot on a hill in Minnesota. So it's pretty rough in the winter to clear the sidewalks, even with a snow blower! But we do have a nice view out our back windows of the sun rising!
As far as a dream house, but I like to keep 90% of our current house and add a handful of things. If I could wave a wand, I'd add a foyer/entrance to our house (our front door opens into our living room which is not idea), a playroom/den of sorts to the back of the house, I'd get rid of the hill (sorry, it's a rough feature to deal with!), and attach our garage. What I like best about our house is the look/feel, the neighborhood we live in, our ability to walk to restaurants, the library, coffee shops, our proximity to walking/biking trails along creeks and lakes, our ensuite bathrooms, and our guest bedroom w/ an ensuite bathroom in the basement.
Four years ago our daughter-in-law passed away leaving my son a widower with a four month old baby boy. We were living in SC at the time in what was my dream home - a white farmhouse with a front porch (with a ceiling fan), huge kitchen, primary bedroom on the first floor with an ensuite, large yard and on a lake - even though it was the tippiest of tips of the lake - with a screen porch with a view of said lake. We sold that house quickly and moved cross country to Colorado to help take care of our grandson and lived in an apartment in downtown Denver (which was not my dream home.)
We have since moved to a much smaller home in a neighborhood where my son and grandson also live. This house has big windows with lots of natural light, a teeny tiny backyard, a great room downstairs with 3 beds up and 2 baths, and a garage - the first time in 22 years that we have a garage! There is no lake view or sweeping porches but I say everyday how perfect this house is for us. It's not too big nor too small, the neighbors are great, it's close to amenities and of course, my son and grandson. You never know what twists and turns life will throw at you but I have learned to bend with them and bloom where we have been planted.
@Jill,
God bless you instantly coming to the need of your family.
@Mary Ann, Thank you. I think any parent would do the same. When your kids and grandkids need help, that's what you do.
I've been lucky in my life to have a few dream homes. My first home was a 1903 Victorian style, renovated it, got THAT out of my system (ha!), a 1950's mid mod with floor to ceiling windows, a huge lanai, walk in pantry and a dressing room in the primary. I've built my dream home twice and now am living in my childhood home, renovating it quietly as it will be my forever home. It has a huge eat in kitchen, pantry and mudroom. A formal dining room that my dad turned into an office with wall to wall cabinets. The unused '70's desk in the kitchen is going away and my antique Amish kitchen hutch will go there.
I believe like many of you, paid for is the dream! We will celebrate another mortgage burning celebration in the family next weekend.
This is lovely! My dream home has a porch, too, since I've never had one. Never thought about the ceiling fan to keep the bugs away. Thank you for that idea!
I spent the first 23 years of my life in the same house. A wood ranch, 3/2 and I never liked it growing up. My best friend had a 4/3 Brick ranch with a double carport, so I was jealous. Once I married, 33 years ago yesterday, we moved and have lived in 15 houses in 12 towns (only counting moves of at least 3 months). No, not military, but textiles. Some of the houses were dumps and some were budget stretchers. My favorite was the house in Carolina Forest, SC, less than 10 miles to Myrtle Beach. We were there a year and went to beach only twice. The house was brick a 3/2 with a bonus room on a cul-de-sac with the sweetest neighbors. Being so flat, there were retention ponds everywhere and that was what tipped the scales. The amount of wildlife that pond attracted brought me such joy. Deer, turtles, squirrels, possums, coons, etc...
We are in our last home (unless we win the lottery, which we do not play) so I don't really have a dream home.
Our last home had a porch which I miss sooooo much. There was so much room for hanging lights, for every season.
The trees would definitely be a must. The leaves are perfect for keeping perennials safe during the winter.
We lived at the top of a hill so if you live in a snowy area like we do, it is NOT fun sliding down the hill.
The idea of more than one bathroom is key.
I am a child of the 80s and 90s so my dream house was always something like the house on Home Alone or Father of the Bride or Martha Stewart's house in Connecticut. Now I have a very modern house which I do love, but I wish it had a big flat backyard with room for a swingset or something fun. As a kid i also dreamed of a pool, something that I would hate to have to maintain now as an adult...
Growing up, I loved my grandmother's 2BR 1BA house, circa 1919, with its big kitchen and red kitchen floor. It also had a small screened in back porch and huge pecan trees in the back yard. Large rooms and a fireplace. I thought her home was a bit small, but my dream house was predicated on what her house looked like indoors. Only I wanted a huge multi-storied Victorian with a wrap around screened in porch, huge kitchen with a red floor, fire places, etc. etc.
Then I grew up and started looking at real estate. And finding out what maintenance problems such vintage homes had.
When my parents died and I was unemployed, I prayed for somewhere to go to. I moved out of state and a year later, decided to buy a house. I found the perfect home for a single woman: everything you could want, in a nice quiet neighborhood in a small town. Imagine my shock when I went to sign the closing papers. The original owner signed papers to have the house built on the Monday after my dad's death (he died on a Sunday). Which was the very day that I started praying for a home to live in! God provides! God answers prayers!
That home was a small stucco-over-concrete block cottage with a small LR-DR area, a large den, an isolated master suite (en suite bath), fenced backyard, and perfect sized kitchen with a separate laundry room. It had a hallway with 2 BRs and a bath. Later on, my roommate lived on that side of the house. Our bedroom areas were separated by the den and kitchen so it made it nice and private for both of us. Perfect!
Long story short, our situation changed and I needed to move. I decided to return to my hometown. I rented for a while, and then got a good job. So I wanted to buy a house again.
This one is almost my dream house. Instead of Victorian or vintage, it is a sprawling mid-century ranch style home with well over 2000 sf. It has HUGE oak trees in the front yard, and a fenced-in back yard. A good portion of the backyard was made into a concrete parking area (ergo less mowing). It has a large attached garage, a large separate laundry room with its own sink and a 1/4 bathroom (potty only, but you come out and wash your hands at the sink), and a huge walk in closet. It has a nice covered front porch large enough to put lawn chairs out there, a foyer that's as big as some bedrooms, a LR-DR that's just huge and has a picture window, and then the kitchen and eat-in area that is right off the large nicely-paneled den. I added a natural gas fireplace to the den; should we have another wintertime power outage, I'll still have heat. The den has a sliding glass door opening out to a covered patio. Which is a nice-sized outdoor room when the weather is right. The foyer, kitchen and den have terrazzo tile --very expensive luxury flooring back in the day. I've installed luxury vinyl plank in the areas where carpet used to be. It's a light-colored wood look, although you can definitely tell it's not the real thing. (Kristin, I'm green with envy every time you post a photo of your real wood floors!) But my LVT works, and is what I can afford. Oh, I also painted the hallway using recycled paint from Habitat ReStore; I'm very proud of that. Environmentally sustainable and all that jazz. Plus, it looks really nice!
The bedroom hall has a walk-in closet and a bifold door closet for guests' coats. Three BRs, one of which is my office. My master bedroom is huge, with an ensuite bathroom and a dressing area which has 3 closets and room enough for a large chest-of-drawers. It used to have 4 closets, but we closed one off to make room for a free-standing bathtub in the master bath; originally, the master bathroom only had a shower stall. The bathroom remodeler also installed Mexican tiling on the floor and beadboard for the walls. (It had originally resembled a gas station restroom with small, ugly 1960s tiles on floor and ceiling. )
The main thing I dislike about my house is the small kitchen. It is a galley kitchen, with a built-in oven that quit working. When this house was built, the standard size for such ovens was 21 inches, I think. Much narrower than today's standard ovens. It'd cost around $2,000+ to get another oven. So it's my storage area for pots and pans. I'm using a table-top oven instead. I like the floor-to-ceiling pantry cabinets, but I need oodles more counter space. And new counters: I painted over the original white with gold glitter Formica, but the Graniti faux granite paint didn't stand up to the constant scrubbing one must do in the kitchen. (Santa, can you bring me a new kitchen, please?)
I suppose this house is as close as one can reasonably get to a dream home. It's paid for, has central heat and AC, and I have a big, friendly dog to share it with. Hopefully, we'll be here for many years to come.
I have one design idea that I would love to try just once. I know it would be impractical, but in my mind it would be lovely - a large, centrally located utility/clothing room. This would have the washer and dryer, a sink, an ironing spot, a folding table, hanging racks, baskets for socks and underwear, shelves for folded items, shoe racks, etc. Each family member would have their own section for their clothes, and you would just put them away as they come out the dryer (or are ironed) rather than toting to a couch or bed to pile up for folding "later."
Of course, this would be hard if you have a very extensive wardrobe, but it could be organized to keep everything. And large closets would not be necessary in bedrooms. Family members would just go by the clothing room to get what they want. And of course, everyone could keep in their room what they want to, but the utility/clothing room would be where everything got sorted.
I would also love a large canning kitchen and pantry, and, while I'm dreaming, a pool in a convertible (indoor/outdoor depending on season) space off the master bath so I could just go for a swim, then come back inside and get ready for the day.
Overall, I mostly just want to live in a comfortable spot in the woods like I do now.
My dream house really is the house I have right now (yes, of course I am slowly upgrading it so I can age in place). I own it (and even with the yearly property taxes and monthly space rent, that's nothing to sneeze at it this town--every now and then for you know whats and giggles I check out home prices and rents in this town--fixers for 600K, rents at 1200-1300 per month). I have two full bedrooms and 2 bathrooms (the guest bathroom is more of 1/2 bath, but it does have a tub, sink, and toilet). My favorite thing about this house is that I have storage up the the gum stump--4 closets, multiple cupboards and drawers, a kitchen island with storage, shelves that run from one end of the office to the end of the kitchen (open floor plan). My second favorite thing is so much natural light--huge windows in both bedrooms, ditto for the living room and dining room, skylights in the kitchen and the master bathroom
What a fun question! I feel very lucky to live in my current house, a 19th c townhouse in a walkable neighborhood, with porches and tree views from my bedroom windows and enough space for two kid bedrooms and a laundry room/guest room/office and a TV room/home gym. Can I keep it and add a half bath on the first floor and make the kitchen a little bigger and get rid of the horrible tree of heaven in my next door neighbor’s yard?
After reading some of the comments, it seems we share a lot of the same things house-wise!
My dream home would be:
A Craftsman style home - not a faux-Craftsman (which is our current house, a newish build that sort of "mimics" that style), but the real thing that has been impeccably maintained. Lol. Wood floors throughout, lovely wood interior trim, and built in bookcases. Lots of light, and a window in the kitchen. Three bedrooms and 2 bathrooms would be ideal. Enough room for a garden, but not a lot of yard to maintain. Laundry on the main level (I have that now, and I love it!). A basement would be nice. Walkable distance to a charming downtown, yet also within a short driving distance to a beach (ocean beach, not a lake beach, though if this dream house was situated near Lake Erie, such as on Catawba Island, I wouldn't complain.) 🙂 I, too, love neighborhoods with big trees and a variety of house styles - there's such a neighborhood in my small town, with a Victorian next to a Craftsman next to a Colonial, etc. (These houses are GORGEOUS and also very $$$, so I drive by and dream a bit.)
I don’t want a huge home but I do want space for my parents to live with us when they’re ready. I also want some space reserved for my kids (and their families) to come back if they ever need it. So, I guess a tiny home wouldn’t exactly fit.
I love a window above the kitchen sink, so that would be on my list. And of we’re talking dream status, I’d love to have space for both a flower garden and a vegetable garden (that, based on historic performance, would likely die). A girl can dream!
Also have always loved having laundry upstairs. Something with the view of mountains has always been good for my heart. Good storage and a three car garage would be awesome too. I love parking my car in the garage.
The "House" where we live now is nearly perfect. It's a one bedroom apartment in a senior living facility with multiple elevators. We have huge living room windows that overlook a nature preserve with walking paths. We only have one bathroom but there are bathrooms scattered throughout the facility. We have a washer and dryer in our apartment. There's a nook in the kitchen where we eat so I have my desk where most people would put a dining room table. The guest room is across the hall and we have to pay for it when we need it but it is like a luxury hotel room complete with a small fridge and microwave. We have pretty much everything one could possible need under one roof. There's a restaurant, cafe, pub and bistro. There's a fitness center with pools. There's craft rooms, game rooms, and other gathering spaces including a private dining room for family gatherings. There's a hair and nail salon. There's a library with a business center. There's free transportation to many local places and events. There's even a care center at the far end of the complex where I recently spent a week and a half recovering from surgery. My only wish is that we had wood floors instead of carpet. Can't get much better than this. But, I still like looking at floor plans for various other housing styles and imagine living in them.
Your dream house is very similar to mine. 1 story. My knees will not budge on this. 3 bedrooms, 2-1/2 baths (one en suite), open floor plan, large island in the kitchen area (no stove, sink, etc. in my island), large windows, hardwood floors, attached garage, walk-in pantry, gas fireplace (in my dream house I do NOT chop wood!), electric/solar power, near the beach, large-ish laundry room, no trees/shrubs near my dream house. And since we're dreaming...no bugs/critters either!
Spiders can’t come in the dream house. These are the rules. 😉
@Kristen, Please add a large porch with a porch swing to my dream house. And may I steal from you the idea of ceiling fans on the porch to keep the bugs away? I love that!
My dream house would be a small cottage with a wrap around porch on 5 acres of land where I could garden to my hearts content (kitchen garden, orchard, chickens, cut flower garden for my daughter…the list goes on)
It would have wood floors, a wood burner stove in the lounge and a bay window in my bedroom where I could sit and read on rainy days. There would be an open plan kitchen and a claw foot tub in the bathroom with large windows that look out over the land.
WHat a great post! You are IN a dream world now, compared to the past troubles you have endured, AND you have a future that is bright, if yet undetermined! THAT is exciting!
I know as the next couple of years unfold, serendipity,Faith, and hard work will all bring JUST the right home and situation to you,and I will love if you are still blogging and I get to see it!!
For me: A ONE FLOOR HOME is essential.I like sprawling vs. up and down, no stairs ,thank you.I grew up in a 1960’s rancher and I like that,still.In Arizona, there are many One story homes.
A good kitchen and good light are my big essentials.I have been in my current home (we downsized from my true “dream home..” many great features, but this current home is my “retirement dream” so I am still good!! Very good!
This is my dream dwelling as ~60 yo couple: 500-750 SF (1000 max) 1-2 bedrooms, 1 bath, one level, storage and able to be paid off in ~10 yrs on one salary. It could be manufactured, large tiny house, condo, RV/park model or an older site built. It would have stained wood and NOT be gray and white with granite counter tops; not need major work and have "good bones." Looking for enough yard to have containers but not need a riding mower and close enough to "town" to have transportation access when I can no longer drive.
I'd hardly call that a foyer - looks like an accident waiting to happen! If you're thinking porch a la your picture, that is one thing. We had a small porch *but* you could not see who was at the door. So now it is an enclosed foyer, re-used the front door and added windows (one was five year old window we removed after another remodel). Suffice it tot say the house we live in no longer resembles what it did at the time of purchase.
I will not live anywhere without a garage. We added a detached garage (with a cool loft, think hay mow doors at the top). Is my house my *exact" dream house - close but not quite. But to build is expensive, especially when one wants five acres that are mostly wooded.
I don’t know about a dream house, but I definitely believe your rental house is your sanctuary.
I’ve realized I’m not too fond of the open kitchen/family room design. I feel like I’ll make too much noise and disturb anyone watching TV or doing whatever in the family room portion. I would love at least a 3-season porch/deck where I could sit outside.
a brand-new toll brothers house with at least 3 full bathrooms. don't have any idea what area the house would be in. brand new fire engine red washer and dryer full size. a wraparound porch big enough for a rocking chair. master bedroom suite with a full bathroom and a jet tub. also, a deck in the backyard. and no houses up close and personal to mine. a huge basement that my son could use as his train room with a huge table for him to build a whole train layout. walking distance to trader joe's and target. huge eat in kitchen not open and no island. this was so fun. thanks as always for this.
My dream house would be not necessarily on the hill but through the hill. I'd like to have a house that has the Earth mounted over it with giant doors at either end to let the light in and on the back side of it I want a giant screened porch where the cats can run around and not have to worry about outside creatures and bugs but, it's big enough to entertain in or just sit out and watch the sunset. I currently have a townhome that I bought when I was 28 years younger, when taking the stairs didn't make me feel like the Tin Man before he got his oil from Dorothy. So, definitely want a one floor home and yes, I too would like a garage for the simple reason that I don't want to get in and out of the rain or whatever inclement weather I might have, I want to be able to walk directly into and out of my house to get in or out of the car. Plus, I believe there's a good safety reason there. 2 bedrooms would be fine, maybe 3, and a large laundry room so I have somewhere to put the litter box. A master bathroom is an absolute must, with a walk in shower. And considering my age, I think the second bathroom should have a shower as well, just because I want it to. I want plenty of counter space in the kitchen because, even as I'm get older I still love to cook for myself, as well as bake bread. My current tiny townhouse has very little counter space and I find I have to move one appliance to put another one out. Solar panels are a non-negotiable. Those will have to be installed either on the top of the mound above the house or out in the yard next to it. No carpet whatsoever, simply tile or wood. And while I'm dreaming, perhaps I can win the lottery in order to pay for this house.
Thank you, Kristen, for bringing this subject up. You do not know how much better I feel for having got all that off my chest. Dreams should be shared and thank you for giving us a platform to do so.
Blessings to all.
Better half also turned a 4 bedroom into a 3 bedroom with a larger bathroom (with linen closet) and a walk-in closet. Also enlarged the upstairs bathroom - a 3 ft triangle shower would be claustrophobic even for vertically challenged me. We have the luxury of a full, 3/4 and 1/2 bath. House had no dining room and hardly any space for a kitchen table. Better half first remodeled into a dining nook when he turned the 3+ season room into a main floor laundry and office. Added a dining room later, with a full basement underneath - the basement was a death trap - no egress windows. Suffice it to say I have a small step ladder which I could use to open the window well cover. Better half built me a garden shed, have a nice size garden area. Also built an octagon gazebo. Suffice it to say if better half did not have the skills and trade connections, I'd not be living in the home we have.
While the three neighbors that abut our property hunt, they all know no hunting on our property. For the last five years, we've had one set of twin fawns. This year we have two sets. Hawks, variety of birds, wood ducks, wild turkeys, fox, eagle (one time successfully hunting on our property), possums - I could do without raccoons and skunks but I don't get to pick and choose.
We don't know what will happen to our homestead and other property when we're gone. Truth be told, the house is large enough for us to have live-in help as we age as well as both kiddos and partners living together. It could very well come to that. But for now, I'm close enough to my surviving parent (in-laws and one parent have passed away). I work remote and will until the day I semi-retire/retire. Able to share garden goods/native plants with another neighbor as well as pet sit for each other. Life is good and snow shoveling/weeding (with breaks/hydrating) is a work out you just cannot get at the fitness center.
Having bought a new home just a few years ago, I’m very familiar with my list.
The things that I have, which is most of my list:
- great kitchen triangle (mine is good but not great) with lots of storage
- walkable neighborhood including public transit/subway, supermarket, library, hardware store, drug store, other cool stores and restaurants; bonus points for bookstore (especially indie) and yarn store
- good natural light
- powder room for guests rather than having guests use a family bathroom
- good task lighting, most notably by the bed
- separate office with lots of storage
- smallish yard
- screened in porch
- deep tub
- competent local government
- multiple electric circuits in rooms, especially kitchen and office
- space to put all the craft & maker gear out rather than stuffed into boxes in the garage
These are things I don’t have:
- right sized kitchen; definitely possible for a kitchen to be too big as well as too small
- wood burning fireplace
- wooded paths within walking distance
- dog park within walking distance
- sidewalks and street lighting throughout the neighborhood; it’s hit or miss in my ‘hood, I have a reflective belt for night time walking
- welcoming neighbors; people are friendly on the street but no one’s made a specific effort
All in all, I’m 100% not complaining!
I'm about to type something that will sound pessimistic, but it's not. It might sound sad, but I'm not sad about it. I'm not even "resigned." I am content.
I don't really see us ever owning a house, let alone a dream house. My dream house would be one that I own.
That being said, I love the house we live in. We've lived in it for 21 years. It's where our children have grown up/are growing up. I love the location of our house most of all. If you came for a visit, you would have to agree. The house has grown with us. The kitchen is currently completely torn up (as of this afternoon); it's getting new cabinets and counters and floor.
But if I'm dreaming of a rich uncle showing up on the scene and leaving me money, my dream house would be out in the country and have a lovely screen-in porch. It would have enough room and lots of light. I would have space for the things that are important to me.
Honestly I think I’m in my dream house! We recently renovated and added on and I’m so happy with what we have. I have a guest room/craft room for me, an office for my WFH husband 2 bathrooms (one is our private bathroom!) and a walk in closet. And it’s not too big, but the space is utilized well. It’s very open concept which I love. But most importantly, to me, it’s all one floor. While we were in the middle of the renovation (which took ages) I lost 2 grandparents, and they were able to stay in their home until the end. That became my goal. And while I don’t know what the future holds, and though I’m only in my 40s, I’m at least grateful that if necessary we can stay in this house forever, mobility-wise.
I think I live in my dream home! A 1,200 sqft, 3 bedroom, 1 bathroom ranch with a finished basement (unheated) with a 1/4 acre lot on the best street in town! That basement got me through the Xbox phase of my two boys who are now in their twenties. Because it's a constant 60-65 degrees, and they never even realize it's not heated! The prior owners finished the basement but did not add heat- a blessing in disguise. I guess they just threw on a hoodie every now and then, but mostly, to be honest, they were down there in their t-shirts - Boys! The best part is that now that they are out of the house, it costs me no extra money because it's unheated, and I have hopes for using it as space for future grandchildren.
FYI, I come from a real estate family and know that the name for your old home was "raised ranch." I agree that this type of home is not ideal. However, a split level is very different! When you come into a split level, you are all on one floor for kitchen, living, and dining. Then inside of the house, there are stairs, generally from the entry hall or living space that go up to the bedrooms, and right next to them stairs that go down to another living area. The most important difference is that you are not met immediately with stairs in a split level, like you are in a raised ranch, instead you walk into an entry/living area, like in most other homes, but you do get extra living or bedroom area on a level below the main part of the house. Here is a great explanation on Apartment Therapy website.
https://www.apartmenttherapy.com/what-is-a-raised-ranch-36823360
I've always wanted a wrap around porch and I'm obsessed with porch swings (I now have one, but it's on it's own frame, and 10 year old Ginger imagined ones hanging from the ceiling!) I would love a portion of the porch to be screened in and a portion to be open air.
As I am no longer a child and instead have children, I will add I'd love to have several outdoor areas for the kids to enjoy- a playset, sandbox (with lid!) maybe even a ninja course.
as for the interior I'd love to have the space to have a play room- so I can keep the kids' toys out of their rooms (less distraction for sleep time!) It's not that I mind having them in the living room, but having a designated toy storage location would be great.
I'd want... 4 bedrooms. one for me and the spouse, one for each kid and a guest bedroom that can double as a library/ office.
and at least two full bathrooms. maybe two full (for us and the kids) then a half for guests?
and to top it off I want a cleaner and a lawn maintenance person lol
My daughter lived in a 2-story townhouse alone during her medical residency, and there was a half-bath downstairs. It became a real PITA because she never used it, so the water sat in the pot and it was damp in there so it didn't smell great (no window or ventilation). I think I was the only one who used it when I visited because she lived at high altitude and it was difficult for me to go up and down stairs just to use the toilet when I wasn't tolerating the altitude well (heart and lung issues). So no half bath for me. One more bathroom to clean--no thanks.
I always wanted to live in a colonial style two story house, too. Instead we have a kind of ugly ranch house with popcorn ceilings, a dumb step down into the awkward living room, no dining room, etc. The price was right and it was a great location. We still love our neighborhood and the schools were great for our kids--it's close to my work and our religious congregation. We have 4 bedrooms, but now there's so much to clean, and, while we're not quite empty nesters yet we hope to be some day. We love having our youngest, but we won't be around forever and she needs to fly.
So my dream home is a cozy small house, too! Not so little that it's on wheels and we have to sleep in a loft bedroom too short to stand up in, but a 2 bedroom house with an office nook, and a cozy kitchen and living room, and a dog-friendly fenced yard, and easy maintenance. Maybe a condo. There are nice condos nearby and my eldest daughter lives close now, so we wouldn't have to go far.
No popcorn ceilings, plenty of natural light but it MUST have air conditioning (we don't have that now!)--maybe with solar panels to save electricity costs--no interior steps, and easy access in the bathrooms (we are getting older), washer and dryer IN the house.
@Jan, yes one of my "jobs" is to use the upstairs bathroom. Despite not being in the basement, water evaporates. Plus two flushes from the upstairs is good pipe "action" as it goes to the septic. And yes, popcorn ceilings stink - there was one at this house which is no more.
Mine is almost identical to yours, but with enough bedrooms/convertible spaces for my kids and their families to visit. When my parents moved into their empty nest, there was barely room for one family to visit, as the guest room was super tiny and could fit only two adults, and suitcases only fit if slid under the bed. Kids slept on the living room floor--there wasn't even room for a sofa, unless you got rid of mom's piano. With three adult children, plus our spouses, and eventually twelve grandchildren, family gatherings were impossible in their house. My dream house doesn't have to be huge, but the ability to get creative with space would be excellent. A garage attic room or a glassed-in sun porch for grandkid hangouts would be awesome.
I'm glad that your current rental makes you so happy and it saddens me to think about how miserable things must have been for such a long time.
I know that you have very little time these days but if, when you have some time, you're interested in building a window sill cover so that Chiquita can sit comfortably on that uneven ledge, I can send you a YT video of a man who made some for his cats.
Your dream house sounds perfect for you. I love it.
Is it ok to say that I am living in my dream house? I loved my old house. I lived in it from 1989 to 2024 & thought we would never leave it. My husband & I moved into a granny house on the property where our old house sits. Now our son & grandson live in the old house.
We built the granny house to retire in & it's almost perfect. We did have a budget! But we love it so much. It has 2 bd, 2bath, a screened porch, lake views on two sides, a garage & a wonderful large room that I use for exercise/craft/storage. You can see my dream house on my Instagram feed if you want @jennylovescharlie You have to go back a bit to see house pics.