Writing Prompt – What’s Your Dream Home?

I venture to say that I’m not the only woman whose little-girl dreams included getting married and moving into a castle.

(Though I was never into that pink, sugar-coated, cotton candy and ice cream Disneyfied version that always gets pimped to little girls.)

Show me dark stone masonry, moats and oubliettes, a crypt in the cellar (and a dungeon) and you’ve got my attention.

I still haven’t outgrown the idea.

I’ve whiled away endless hours on the internet looking at castles for sale (and castles for rent) searching for both inspiration, and, well, the perfect opportunity.

It’s amazing how many castles are actually affordable. What stops me is the whole ‘packing up and moving to another country’ thing. That’s too much hassle.

So, if I had my wish? Yeah, I’d move into a big scary castle on scads of acreage. I want cool stone floors, vaulted ceilings in the dining room, hidden staircases, secret passage ways, crypts to explore…I’d take a torch and my laptop and spend the afternoon writing. Now there’s some stimulating atmosphere!

My favorite room would be the huge, fully-equipped library: leather bound books ceiling to floor, large crackling fireplace, thick pile rugs covering the stone (and of course a tastefully designed technology center where I can surf the net and write…)

And at least one craggy turret of the castle must overlook the ocean, so that on breezy days I can throw open a lead-paned window to catch both the ocean breeze and the noise of the breakers hitting the shore. (This turret room will contain the second, fully-equipped library, etc. etc. because being surrounded by books while writing is simply euphoric.)

Here’s Your Prompt: What’s your dream home? Where’s it located? How would you trick it out? What’s your motivation for this location? This style? Would you decorate it yourself or call in a designer? Where would it be? Your home town? Where you currently reside? Or across the ocean on another continent?

If you’ve got the time, sketch your home and the surrounding property. Then, map the layout inside: add all the details that you can to illustrate your dreams.