What does your ideal home look like?

Hmm. Hmmmmmmm. My ideal home eh? Well, firstly, location location location!

According to Forbes, the best city to live in is the Austrian city of Vienna, which has scooped this particular prize for two years in succession. Vienna scores highly for stability, infrastructure and culture, so parking my fluffy butt there seems like a good idea. However, seeing as I don’t speak the local lingo, we’ll consider a city in a country where English is the predominant language. Consequently, Melbourne, Australia comes out on top. With Melbourne now firmly placed as the example city, what would be my ideal home within this city?

Well, Australia typically sees hot summers, so if money is no object, I’d want a modern house, near transport links to the centre of town, but removed from the hustle and bustle of the city. Should territory allow, I’d build a house with large windows to overlook the beach, and the Brighton Beach region of Melbourne would be perfect for this. There’s a metro station in the area, so travelling for work/pleasure would be straight-forward, and returning home to my beach-house? Wow, just wow. I’d want a big, roomy living room, with a modern marble dining table, laminate flooring (with underfloor heating for the winter), and I’m leaning towards a large leather corner sofa, with a coffee table (also marble) in front of it. Naturally, the biggest possible TV!

Have I mentioned a walk-in wine room? That would be off the kitchen, as would a full-blown pantry, and the kitchen would incorporate a breakfast bar. A big, American-style fridge, a coffee-maker, a chest freezer… I would want all of that.

A swimming pool would be a must. Preferably, a hot tub to go with it. I might install a gym, but whether I’d use it… Well, I have no idea.

As a bathroom designer, I’d be seeking walk-in showers/wet rooms as ensuites off bedrooms, plus a master bathroom with a big, luxurious freestanding bath.

Would I incorporate smart technology? I don’t know. I’d be tempted. It might be handy for things like lighting, energy bills etc. I don’t know if I would use it a lot, or if it would be a gimmick that would be forgotten before long.

So there you have it. That’s this meerkat’s vision of a dream home.