A Place For Your Stuff

Well, you all know that houses are upmost in my mind these days. What am I looking for and dreaming of in a house? In no particular order...

• A fireplace. It doesn't even have to work. It does have to have a mantle. I would be delighted to light candles in it, or in front of it. I want to make seasonal changes to the mantle decor - flowers, shells, candles, pinecones. A fire would be a bonus.
• A room for crafts and project. A room with a door that closes. I want to work on projects, pull out ever rubber stamp and ink pad in the place, strew paper, leave the ironing board out, and close the door to hide the chaos when company comes over.
• A dining room. A decent sized one. I want to have dinner parties and host holidays at my house. I want to display my grandmother's dropleaf table, and not hide it in a corner.
• Susie Happy Windows. (This is a technical term.) These come in many varieties. I want bay windows, and non-rectangular windows with interesting shapes and panes. I've been thinking a lot about half shutters on street-side windows of late...
• More than one drawer in the kitchen. And drawers wide enough to hold a standard silverware tray. This is not too much to hope for.
• A washer and dryer that don't require quarters. Imagine being able to do laundry whenever you want to, regardless of the change you have in your wallet. Heaven.
• A yard big enough for lilac bushes and cocktail parties. Two essentials.
• Built in bookshelves and cabinets. I want them everywhere. I live with books. They are everywhere in my apartment, currently on mismatched pieces (future craft room storage...) I love dinnerware and teapots and, well, stuff! I don't want to hide it in my closet and in corners. I want to see it and use it! I want it all to be beautifully displayed.
• A bathroom with a bathtub. I need no clawfoot anything, but I've lived with a shower stall for more than 8 years. I'm ready for a tub. And besides, I have two beautiful shower curtains ready to go!
• Window seats. They make the perfect spots for tea given a few cushions. And think of the storage possibilities! Other cozy nooks for tea would also be good.
• A guest room or rooms. I want my family to have a place to stay when they come. I want to host friends and out-of-town dancers.
• Closets. Wide enough and abundant enough so that I can hang clothes in them that don't wrinkle instantly from getting shoved in.
• A gas stove. I've never cooked on an electric. I don't really want to start now.
• A dry basement.
• A porch. Front, back, or both, where I can nip outside to see the full moon, hang things out to dry, sit on a summer evening with a glass of wine.
• More built-in bookshelves.
• Sun!