Okay, here's the thing: I maybe shoulda been an architect. Unfortunately, I didna figure that out until about 5 years ago, and I'm burned out on school (for now.) Nonetheless, like many folks, I have a concept of what my dream home would be, if I could build it. How many of y'all have while away some time in like fashion?

Here's some features of my dream home:

Construction: Insulated concrete forms for exterior and bearing walls. Built into the side of a hill, 2 stories. Circular, with a compression ring roof system. Basement if needed, fully finished with 9' ceilings. 9' ceilings on ground floor, higher on 2nd floor.

NewTech: Utilizes a multiple source energy system, geothermal, solar and fuel cell, with grid backup. Full Cat5 and X-10 wiring throughout. Radiant floor heating throughout. "solar tubes" to bring outside light into ALL rooms.

Interior Appointments: Bamboo "wood" flooring, stone tile and some carpet, Greene & Greene meets Southwest inspired styling. Walk in shower in master bath. Full kitchen with granite counters, "country" apron sink with commercial style pull down faucet head (if you've ever worked as a dishwasher in a restaraunt, you know what I'm talking about), "super duper silent as a ninja" automatic dishwasher. Windsurfer based hanging pot-rack, double ovens. Commercial grade range top with a true Wok burner. Master suite, kitchen, "great room" all on one level, other rooms on other level. All-house sound system, 1 television only.

Multiple small wall niches. Library/Office/Den that's floor to ceiling built-ins. No formal dining room. Separate laundry/utility room with a standalone freezer. All lights on dimmers.
Total size of the home itself, definitely less than 2000 sf.

Adjacent to the home: A 30 x 50 2 story building housing a 3 car (actually 1 car and assorted 2 wheelers) and woodworking shop on the ground floor, EEEEVIL Conservative Villian's Lair (aka Trinity Systems Empire) on the top floor.

As for where, haven't quite figured that one out yet. Probably in the Southwest, someplace with lots of twisty roads, low taxes, and year long (or close to it) riding weather.

This place is pretty close to the dream, but eventually the steepness of the property will force us to flatter land.

Here's the old fogey dream:

Ranch property along the Arkansas River somewhere between Salida and Buena Vista.

Greenhouse for growing vegies and culinary herbs.

Shady spot by the river for sitting and pitching stuff at the rafters -- uh, I mean fishing.

Sound studio where I can crank a couple hundred watts so's I can tell what I'm playing.

Office with a view of something interesting -- mountains, river and/or trees.

Enough land to put in lots of solar power.

And have a sizeable outdoors garden, little tractor, straw hat, bibs. Probably will need irrigation of some sort, so better have groundwater rights. Pueblo has dibs on the Arkansas water.

Single-level rancher with guest house and big barn-like garage, should I get into restoring motorcycles or maybe building that hotrod with the '57 Hemi, fully blown.

Which of course will require an overhead hoist and a full set of Snap-on tools, arc welder, lift . . .

And more money than I currently got, so better get busy.

I'd like an English-style country home, situated on the shore of Lake Michigan. A stone exterior (like a castle) would be lovely, but with plenty of insulation to make it well-insulated. Solar panels on the roof in logical places to catch the sun. A wind turbine somewhere away from the house to gather more energy.

I'd like a round tower room with windows to be opened for star gazing. The wall would be lined with shelves and shelves of books. The domed ceiling would be painted with angels and stars reminiscent of a work of Michelangelo, and the stars would be small lights installed in the shape of constellations. There would be a winding staircase to get upstairs.

There would be stone fireplaces that burned wood. Otherwise, the house would be fitted with up-to-date ductwork for heating and air-conditioning. And the piece de resistance, an elevator! Let's hear it for efficient and lovely anachronism!

On the first floor would be a bay window in the front of the house to greet visitors. In the spring and summer there would be flowering plants growing there. In the wintertime, of course, it would be the spot to have a Christmas tree. I think the 9-foot ceilings are a great idea--why feel boxed-in?

The back of the house would be bordering on the shoreline. Naturally, there should be a bay window there as well. On the second floor would be a balcony overlooking the water. Between the beach and the house I would have a lovely garden with roses, lilacs, wisteria, etc. with a winding walkway on a terrace above the beach.

Long live dreams!

I need one thing.

TV room. No windows. 1 Door. NO WHERE NEAR THE KITCHEN!!!!! And a pneumatic beer delivery system.

A house big enough for two adults and fifteen cats. That means enough room for the cats to run around, and find their own spaces, but it eliminates the need for a huge living room (which we have now) and other wasted space.

All utilities provided by professionals; right now we have well water, which is a pain.

No other human beings anywhere where I can see them or hear them. (A little more isolated than we are now.)

The house surrounded by wilderness, preferably the kind into which we can walk and enjoy the natural wonders and wildlife. We pretty much have this, although the surrounding land is more of an "ordinary" patch of woods instead of a breathtaking natural area. A small creek nearby would be nice.

The house itself as high-tech and as "green" as possible. Right now it's just a pretty typical modern house.

The kitchen and bathroom devoted to sensual pleasure via technology; the rest of the rooms dedicated to quiet efficiency.

My dream home would be a converted Danish farm house, preferably the sort where four buildings form a central yard. It should be sited near the coast with a view from our bedroom of the sea and a veranda where we could sit and eat breakfast of a summers morning. It should be close enough to allow access to the city but far enough away from other people that it was quiet and calm. Surrounding it should be meadows and tree's. The old farm buildings would be converted to print making workshops, libraries and art studios and I'd like a graphics studio with room for multiple computers. Suffice to say it should be cheap to run and ecologically effecient.

cool topic..
An eco friendly house.. warm rose colored stone under my feet. The sun shining all the time... great neighbors and a garden that I feed my sweet children from. I'd have a job that I helped people in.
Big windows and my own personal tree fort in the most spiritual great tree with all my books and a comfortable place to sit. I'd be in love and no one would die until they were very very old. I can wait.

I've always wanted to live in a converted lighthouse somewhere with a view of the Pacific Ocean. No television hookups; only radio and a DVD machine available. No people living within a mile's radius. Spacious enough for two people and two dogs, and enough room for my grandchildren to come for visits. A town located within 20 miles. That's not a lot to ask is it?

paid for with stuff that never requires maintenance or mowing