# What feature do you wish your house / apartment had? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [July 7, 2012, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-feature-do-you-wish-your-house-apartment-had/627521 "2012-07-07T15:01:02Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![Silver\_Tyger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/fbc32d/32.png) [@Silver\_Tyger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Silver_Tyger)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2012, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-feature-do-you-wish-your-house-apartment-had/627521/81 "2012-07-10T15:11:26Z")
> [@Procrustus](#): > > God one.. Our 70s pink bathroom tile is going out this summer. NOOOOO!!! At least read [http://savethepinkbathrooms.com/](http://savethepinkbathrooms.com/) first. Please. ---
**Author:** ![Silver\_Tyger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/fbc32d/32.png) [@Silver\_Tyger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Silver_Tyger)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2012, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-feature-do-you-wish-your-house-apartment-had/627521/82 "2012-07-10T15:14:18Z")
> [@Becky2844](#): > > \*\*\*\ ***Silver Tyger** , to take the place of a kitchen island, how about a “TV tray”-sized thingy that could be folded up when not in use? Actually there’s no room for a island. I added two carts, one of which can fold but never does, for more storage and counter space. The microwave sits on one (because the other options were, have no microwave or put in on top of the fridge - neither of which are good options). The other one gets a lot of use, when I haven’t left a ton of stuff on it. I also have a board I can put on top of the stove for counter space (like during my housewarming party). ---
**Author:** ![Neidhart](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Neidhart](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Neidhart)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2012, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-feature-do-you-wish-your-house-apartment-had/627521/83 "2012-07-10T15:22:17Z")
An east-facing bedroom with a good view of the sunrise, a west-facing living room from which one can see the sunset, and a location within walking distance of the city center. ---
**Author:** ![Catfood\_Purrito](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Catfood\_Purrito](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Catfood_Purrito)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2012, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-feature-do-you-wish-your-house-apartment-had/627521/84 "2012-07-10T15:38:43Z")
A great big bathtub that I can lay down flat in. A basement. That was the oddest thing to me, when we started house hunting. We didn’t see a single house that had a basement. I grew up in Iowa, and everybody had basements, unless they lived in a trailer. Where do people in California store their extraneous or seasonal belongings? No usable attic either! I’d kinda like to be able to use the other half of the garage, thanks…and when we have a kid, I don’t think he’ll like having the Christmas decorations in his closet. More extensive irrigation…the front yard had a drip system installed when we moved in, but we haven’t done the back yard yet, and I spend far too much time watering plants. Wood floors…god I fucking loathe carpet. Whose bright idea was it to cover our floors permanently with absorbent material? Anyone who enters my office can see that I’m no clean freak, but carpet makes my teeth itch. Speaking of my office, I need a remodeled office. I’ve gotten as far as painting and sewing awesome window coverings, but it’s crowded and unorganized, with all my arts and craftsy shit strewn about and piled in corners. ---
**Author:** ![perfectparanoia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a5b964/32.png) [@perfectparanoia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/perfectparanoia)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2012, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-feature-do-you-wish-your-house-apartment-had/627521/85 "2012-07-10T20:53:23Z")
While there are several things I would like to change about my house, there is only one for which I have not come up with a reasonable workaround. We need a bigger garage. It currently fits one of our cars and the other can park in the driveway. This works great in the winter. In the summer, the kids can’t get to their bikes when there is a car in the garage. I just need two more feet on one side or another. Other than that, all the other things I might want would just mean the house was bigger which I don’t want. I like it cozy. ---
**Author:** ![YogSothoth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/8edcca/32.png) [@YogSothoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/YogSothoth)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2012, 9:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-feature-do-you-wish-your-house-apartment-had/627521/86 "2012-07-10T21:26:36Z")
I want: A cool, modern looking kitchen A cozy, weird, comfortable bathroom with a super shower that has jets of water from all angles A backyard pond/fountain with waterfall A planetarium Hedge maze Secret passages ---
**Author:** ![Mama\_Zappa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/71e660/32.png) [@Mama\_Zappa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mama_Zappa)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2012, 10:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-feature-do-you-wish-your-house-apartment-had/627521/87 "2012-07-10T22:21:55Z")
Gas stove Full bath on the main level (there’s just a powder room; 2 full baths upstairs and one full one in the basement). Slightly larger garage. When our house was built (mid 90s), 20x20 feet square was the standard - which barely fits 2 cars with enough room to open the doors. ---
**Author:** ![aruvqan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aruvqan/32/2891_2.png) [@aruvqan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aruvqan)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2012, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-feature-do-you-wish-your-house-apartment-had/627521/88 "2012-07-10T23:41:34Z")
I was rummaging around on boat trader and found a houseboat with a little secret computer room under a bed 😃 It is the same footprint as the bed, and about 5 feet or so deep, you have to lift the bed to access it. ---
**Author:** ![squeegee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/squeegee/32/14537_2.png) [@squeegee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/squeegee)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2012, 5:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-feature-do-you-wish-your-house-apartment-had/627521/89 "2012-07-12T05:23:41Z")
> [@aruvqan](#): > > I was rummaging around on boat trader and found a houseboat with a little secret computer room under a bed 😃 It is the same footprint as the bed, and about 5 feet or so deep, you have to lift the bed to access it. Wasn’t there a scene in Meet the Fockers where psycho-FIL had a [secret data center](http://pics.imcdb.org/0is462/meetfockersrvmcc3ff5.4182.jpg) under a bunk in the RV? So like that, but on a _boat_? ---
**Author:** ![JLRogers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ce73a5/32.png) [@JLRogers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JLRogers)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2012, 8:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-feature-do-you-wish-your-house-apartment-had/627521/90 "2012-07-12T08:08:09Z")
I wish my house/property had an absence of paper wasps and yellowjackets. Luckily, deltamethrin is cheap. ---
**Author:** ![aruvqan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aruvqan/32/2891_2.png) [@aruvqan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aruvqan)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2012, 10:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-feature-do-you-wish-your-house-apartment-had/627521/91 "2012-07-12T10:20:50Z")
> [@squeegee](#): > > Wasn’t there a scene in Meet the Fockers where psycho-FIL had a [secret data center](http://pics.imcdb.org/0is462/meetfockersrvmcc3ff5.4182.jpg) under a bunk in the RV? So like that, but on a _boat_? Not certain, I don’t like the actor in the franchise so I haven’t seen the movie. And yes. The way that class of houseboats is built is they have a flat shallow rectangle of a barge base that is something like 5 or 8 feet deep, then the deck is laid on top of that. The barge body is where the tanks, motor chamber and random storage is, then the house is plopped on top of the deck. Here is the type of [houseboat](http://www.boattrader.com/listing/1986-Sumerset-14x70-1986---2009-11-Updates-98781418) I am talking about, think of them as the classic trailer plopped onto a barge. We jokingly refer to them as redneck yachts =) Though in their defense they are actually the waterborn version of the classic family RV - instead of driving them to Yellowstone, you putz around on a local body of water, like a summer cottage without the land under it. ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2012, 10:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-feature-do-you-wish-your-house-apartment-had/627521/92 "2012-07-12T10:38:49Z")
A lift, as it’s the third floor. There were talks of putting one in, but it will require: 1. assembling a temporary staircase outside the building, 2. demolising the current staircase, 3. putting the lift in, 4. building the new staircase, 5. taking off the temporary staircase. If and when it happens, I sure hope it catches me in a project: I usually work on location, so I wouldn’t be at home while the construction goes on. ---
**Author:** ![Maastricht](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a88e57/32.png) [@Maastricht](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maastricht)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2012, 11:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-feature-do-you-wish-your-house-apartment-had/627521/93 "2012-07-12T11:51:59Z")
> [@Silver\_Tyger](#): > > NOOOOO!!! At least read [http://savethepinkbathrooms.com/](http://savethepinkbathrooms.com/) first. Please. Thanks for that link, that was hilarious. Yes, I can imagine pink bathrooms coming back into fashion real soon. There must be a backlash from all that grey slate tile and the gleaming white and chrome. Any day now. Right? Please? ---
**Author:** ![chela](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chela/32/21582_2.png) [@chela](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chela)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2012, 12:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-feature-do-you-wish-your-house-apartment-had/627521/94 "2012-07-12T12:02:32Z")
Thought I was the only one who favored vintage bathrooms and their original pink, turquoise, blue, yello or green tiles! So I don’t have one, but have used vintage fixtures in our remodel of an ugly 80’s bath (tan sink, fibergalss tub and brownish swirl vinyl floor fugly!). Once used to live in a bungalow that still had its original yellow and black subway tiles in the bathroom. It was cool so cool… ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2012, 12:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-feature-do-you-wish-your-house-apartment-had/627521/95 "2012-07-12T12:23:45Z")
> [@Maastricht](#): > > Thanks for that link, that was hilarious. Yes, I can imagine pink bathrooms coming back into fashion real soon. There must be a backlash from all that grey slate tile and the gleaming white and chrome. Any day now. Right? Please? If it’s any help, I’ve been thinking of upgrading my 1958 green bathroom to rainbow-colored… My mother’s upgrade of her big bathroom was from “how dark can a room be with the lights on” dark blue floors and grey everything else to “gosh it is LIT here!” in sort of light orangeish. ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2012, 12:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-feature-do-you-wish-your-house-apartment-had/627521/96 "2012-07-12T12:46:46Z")
A wine cellar. [One of these wine cellars](http://www.thekitchn.com/trapdoor-in-the-kitchen-floor-74465) will do. I should have no problem stocking it given the price of good wines hereabouts. ---
**Author:** ![Silver\_Tyger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/fbc32d/32.png) [@Silver\_Tyger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Silver_Tyger)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2012, 3:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-feature-do-you-wish-your-house-apartment-had/627521/97 "2012-07-12T15:52:01Z")
> [@chela](#): > > Thought I was the only one who favored vintage bathrooms and their original pink, turquoise, blue, yello or green tiles! So I don’t have one, but have used vintage fixtures in our remodel of an ugly 80’s bath (tan sink, fibergalss tub and brownish swirl vinyl floor fugly!). Once used to live in a bungalow that still had its original yellow and black subway tiles in the bathroom. It was cool so cool… There are several blogs I follow that are dedicated to vintage homes. The lady who runs Save the Pink Bathrooms also runs [RetroRenovation.com](http://RetroRenovation.com) which has lots more pictures. Then there’s [NoPatternRequired.com](http://NoPatternRequired.com) which is more generally mid-century stuff (and has a bunch of links to other blogs). If I had the money, I’d buy a mid-century home, if I could find one that hadn’t been renovated to remove all charm. I personally don’t like granite, marble, and endless stainless steel (I do like stainless, but in moderation). ---
**Author:** ![peedin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peedin/32/14095_2.png) [@peedin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/peedin)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2012, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-feature-do-you-wish-your-house-apartment-had/627521/98 "2012-07-12T19:02:40Z")
I’m probably the only person who WANTS a pink bathroom (pink and grey, just like the house where I grew up). I’d also like a garbage disposal and a basement. And a bigger dining room. However, I live in a good neighborhood, have nice neighbors and am only 5 miles from my horse so it’s o.k. about the lack of a disposal. ---
**Author:** ![Silver\_Tyger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/fbc32d/32.png) [@Silver\_Tyger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Silver_Tyger)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2012, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-feature-do-you-wish-your-house-apartment-had/627521/99 "2012-07-12T19:42:58Z")
> [@peedin](#): > > I’m probably the only person who WANTS a pink bathroom (pink and grey, just like the house where I grew up). I’m planning on painting my bathroom pink and blue (and painting it back when I move out, _sigh_). And my kitchen is seafoam, emerald, and yellow. ---
**Author:** ![Mopal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/aeb1de/32.png) [@Mopal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mopal)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2012, 2:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-feature-do-you-wish-your-house-apartment-had/627521/100 "2012-07-15T14:35:01Z")
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