Deni's Dream House

I was going to do the meme that Steph did yesterday, but in thinking about it, I found that the "Furniture Shop" part ended up very long and more than what is appropriate for the meme. So I thought I'd just post it on its own.


If I had unlimited funds and good health, I would love to have a house built to my specifications. I would start with one of the George Barber houses, which were made in the late 19th century as mail-order kits. People would buy the lumber and other materials pre-cut and it was sent to them on a railroad car to be built on-site. There are quite a few variations of style and I'd have to look closely at them all to make my decision as to which one to start with.

But it would be more than just an historic exterior and floorplan. I would work with a designer who has expertise in historical interior decoration, to start with an accurate design for the time that the house was first built. This design would be completely on paper.

Once the first design was finished, I would work with the designer and an architect to show how the house evolved over the years. What things would change in the decoration? What gifts would be given to the family and what mementos would be added? What modern conveniences would be added? Every five to ten years of the history, there would be another decorating makeover, with treasured pieces being kept, without worrying about any anachronisms. I figure we'd work it through the mid-30s, with the most recent redecoration being in art deco style.

Once the 1930s structure and design was set, we'd work on adding as many 21st century conveniences as possible, while trying to maintain as much of the integrity of the design as possible. (There's no way I'm living without a microwave!)

It's not going to happen, but just thinking about it is fun.