My greatest “I live in another house” dreams (real REM sleep!) always involve a second “secret” kitchen. I would love that! I guess I think that the original thread should read, What every family’s dream home should have”.

Holy Necro-moley!

I like a second kitchen too… but my in-law calls it the “dirty” kitchen. It’s usually in the backyard and consists of a sink, a stove and oven. So you can cook without odorizing… or dirtying… the house.

Edit: in = it (man I’m OCD about typos)

I would really LOVE one of those outdoor kitchens and an outdoor shower to boot! I’d have a wood fired stove so that we could make the absolute most perfect pizza. Of course the sauce would be made from home grown tomatos.

A friend of mine has an outdoor shower but that’s because he has a pool.

In Irvine, houses are so close to each other… I don’t think you want to take an outdoor shower in your birthday suit… it might end up on YouTube.

which is precisely why we don’t live in Irvine

IMO a “family home” should have:

*  Minimum 3 bedrooms, 4-5 preferred.  Smaller bedrooms OK.
*  If multi-level, at least 1 wheelchair accessible bedroom downstairs.
*  At least 1 wheelchair accessible full bath down stairs with walk-in shower.
*  All bathrooms should have a window that opens for ventilation.
*  Kitchen hood must have ventilation shaft that goes to outside.
*  A side yard or backyard.  Smaller yard OK as long as it can accommodate a dog.
*  At least Two-car garage with FULL drive-way to park another 2 cars.
*  Master bedroom should not share immediate walls with another bedroom (put close or bathroom in-between).

Nice to have:
*  Decent sized backyard
*  Off-grid utility (water well, solar/wind power)
*  Attic conversion (loft or storage)
*  Basement level (storage & emergency shelter)

Also, in terms of location, I don’t think I’d ever buy a home next to freeway + rail track + high power lines.  This means the tract next to rail at El Camino Real is out, and parts of Woodbridge along the 405 FWY.

centralcoastobserver - 07 September 2008 04:04 AM

I sold a home that had 85% of those family home requirements - no courtyard entry, and the laundry room was on the first floor.  It had a pool and spa, appropriately fenced with child proof fencing, and the remaining back yard was still quite large.  Despite still being a family, albeit not a traditional one, I really would not want that sort of home again. Too much maintenence (it was less than 5 years old, but still needed maintenence) and too much work to keep up. All that happens with that much space is you fill it up with stuff, and then you have to worry about the stuff, and you just get more stuff, and before you know it, you have enough stuff for a small army.  Smaller spaces make life simpler. (But a room for the cats would be fun! Maybe a screened in sun porch.)

Would this particular house be in the IE?

Time for necromancing…

So after living in this rental for a few weeks, I have some additions to my list for a big expensive family home:

11. Separate his/her master walk-in closets:
The sigoth loves the fact that our clothes aren’t mixed. They also make great dressing rooms. Walk-in closets are like little vacation getaways.

12. Fully enclosed master shower:
Such a spa-like experience taking a shower where the only glass is on the door. Nice and private.