I am lucky enough to have what I consider to be a ‘proper’ porch, i.e. one that is big enough to keep a parcel box in one side, so that the dogs and I don’t fall over it every time we go out! It’s also big enough for us to shelter in when it is raining (one prefers to stay dry, thank-you very much!). I also have a boot room, a downstairs loo by the back door (hopefully, I might squeeze a shower in there one day), a TV-less sitting room, a utility room (I just need a laundry chute!) and what was probably a pantry at one point but is now used as storage space for vast quantities of dog food and kitchen gadgets. The boiler cupboard could probably be used as a linen cupboard, but it’s currently home to my toiletries and a beehive that is waiting to be built.
Antiques and dark furniture (but not too much!) make the place feel homely. I particularly like the demi-lune table that occupies my large 1930’s hallway, and the giant old-fashioned typewriter that lives on top of it! I like panelling, cornicing, ceiling roses, shutters and a vast quantity of bookcases. I love looking through other people’s books! Also, art and musical instruments make it feel homely (especially a piano or something like a cello!). Soft lighting is better than the Blackpool Illuminations-style Big Lights.
I like a garden with a lot of pollinator flowers, so it is busy with bees and butterflies in the spring and summer. Ducks or chickens pottering about would be a bonus! A well-tended greenhouse and a kitchen garden would be nice. I’d love a bigger kitchen- big enough for a dining table and chairs- and a range cooker.
In theory, I like open fires and woodburners, but I’m not keen on having to keep topping them up and cleaning them out. Oh, and I love a bit of colour- not just 50 shades of grey!