Must Have
Close transport links. A two minute walk to the Northern line is my top priority.
Four bedrooms, preferably all doubles. I can live in a single room, of course, but I'd rather there was space for all
A rent no larger than £400 a week. Because I'm stingy. That's £100 a week each, before you add TV, gas, electricity, water and the internet. I don't see any point in going more expensive - it is possible to find somewhere perfect for that much
Fully furnished. Makes sense. Otherwise I'll refuse to contribute to furniture beyond a huge telly (see: stingy), and the place will look like a squat.
A lounge. It's important to have space, or I'll go all One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest. Plus, I've this grand idea to live as a Victorian all next year. This will involve calling cards, a morning set aside as an at-home, dinner parties, and the foundation of an exclusive decadant club in our front room. This will require space.
Should Have
A piano. This is a tall order for everyone - my parents to help out on the transporting budget, my roomates when I declare Chopin can't be played any earlier than midnight. But I'm convinced that the alternative is worse - getting stuck with me, in an enclosed enviroment, sans piano can only be worse. By Holmes, I miss my piano when I go on holiday for longer than a few days. I was gonna use the house as an excuse to buy a new keyboard, but those damn things are even pricier than cheap pianos!
Positive Aura. I am a places person - even my favourite films and music stems from my atmospheric obsession. I don't strictly believe in ley lines, vibes, ghosts and the rest, but I know what I like, and a bad feeling will put me off a house quicker than anything else. Of course, estate agents are such a nuscense about such things. I've yet to see a house description thus:
A Catbus. Beat the traffic easy. My only worry is that it would require Mousebikes for dinner. A sketch of a Mousebike will doubtless follow soon.
Opium den. See: decadant den above. Though as we're students, we may have to substitute the opium with orange sherbert.
Kidnappy basement. We've already decided we need a Patrick Wolf and a Neil Gaiman all for ourselves. The lupine bard can borrow my piano, and his cellmate will be in charge of reading us bedtime stories.
A real absinthe fountain. Calypso has a desktop decanter, but I'm talking a marble-and-bronze structure rising out of the ground, an elegant cornucopia of tritons and dolphins. Think the Trevi fountain, with absinthe. Will also double as a milk fountain when I'm the only one in the house.
Good Names
Because home isn't a place - it's a state of mind.
Arkham
Like the Asylum. It conveys one of the possible atmospheres quite nicely.
The Garden of Earthly Delights
In case I get my decadant club after all. We will indulge in the most exquisite sins and follies, like dining on luxurious £2.50 Basics rhum and
Court of the Crimson King
Calypso and I thought this was a good idea at 2 in the morning, having listened to the album five or six times. We noted there were four "colour" characters in the lyrics. I was to be the purple piper; she claimed the black queen. Vapilla was an easy pick for the yellow jester, who does not play but gently pulls the strings (to summon back the Firewitch TO THE COURT OF THE CRIMSON KING), which left Spirita as the King himself. The
advantages of this choice would be huge. My post, when it came, would read "Unmutual - Court of the Crimson King - Whitechapel - London". Plus, I envisage this sort of exchange happening on a daily basis:
"What are you gonna do now?"
"Heading home by secret paths TO THE COURT OF THE CRIMSON KIIIIIIING" *synths*
Belvedere
It's a pretty word. It's also the name of an Escher print, depicting an impossible house. Which is what this search is proving to be.
Close transport links. A two minute walk to the Northern line is my top priority.
Four bedrooms, preferably all doubles. I can live in a single room, of course, but I'd rather there was space for all
A rent no larger than £400 a week. Because I'm stingy. That's £100 a week each, before you add TV, gas, electricity, water and the internet. I don't see any point in going more expensive - it is possible to find somewhere perfect for that much
Fully furnished. Makes sense. Otherwise I'll refuse to contribute to furniture beyond a huge telly (see: stingy), and the place will look like a squat.
A lounge. It's important to have space, or I'll go all One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest. Plus, I've this grand idea to live as a Victorian all next year. This will involve calling cards, a morning set aside as an at-home, dinner parties, and the foundation of an exclusive decadant club in our front room. This will require space.
Should Have
A piano. This is a tall order for everyone - my parents to help out on the transporting budget, my roomates when I declare Chopin can't be played any earlier than midnight. But I'm convinced that the alternative is worse - getting stuck with me, in an enclosed enviroment, sans piano can only be worse. By Holmes, I miss my piano when I go on holiday for longer than a few days. I was gonna use the house as an excuse to buy a new keyboard, but those damn things are even pricier than cheap pianos!
Positive Aura. I am a places person - even my favourite films and music stems from my atmospheric obsession. I don't strictly believe in ley lines, vibes, ghosts and the rest, but I know what I like, and a bad feeling will put me off a house quicker than anything else. Of course, estate agents are such a nuscense about such things. I've yet to see a house description thus:
- 4 spacious rooms
- garage, with easy transport links
- good vibrations
A Catbus. Beat the traffic easy. My only worry is that it would require Mousebikes for dinner. A sketch of a Mousebike will doubtless follow soon.
Opium den. See: decadant den above. Though as we're students, we may have to substitute the opium with orange sherbert.
Kidnappy basement. We've already decided we need a Patrick Wolf and a Neil Gaiman all for ourselves. The lupine bard can borrow my piano, and his cellmate will be in charge of reading us bedtime stories.
A real absinthe fountain. Calypso has a desktop decanter, but I'm talking a marble-and-bronze structure rising out of the ground, an elegant cornucopia of tritons and dolphins. Think the Trevi fountain, with absinthe. Will also double as a milk fountain when I'm the only one in the house.
Good Names
Because home isn't a place - it's a state of mind.
Arkham
Like the Asylum. It conveys one of the possible atmospheres quite nicely.
The Garden of Earthly Delights
In case I get my decadant club after all. We will indulge in the most exquisite sins and follies, like dining on luxurious £2.50 Basics rhum and
Court of the Crimson King
Calypso and I thought this was a good idea at 2 in the morning, having listened to the album five or six times. We noted there were four "colour" characters in the lyrics. I was to be the purple piper; she claimed the black queen. Vapilla was an easy pick for the yellow jester, who does not play but gently pulls the strings (to summon back the Firewitch TO THE COURT OF THE CRIMSON KING), which left Spirita as the King himself. The
advantages of this choice would be huge. My post, when it came, would read "Unmutual - Court of the Crimson King - Whitechapel - London". Plus, I envisage this sort of exchange happening on a daily basis:"What are you gonna do now?"
"Heading home by secret paths TO THE COURT OF THE CRIMSON KIIIIIIING" *synths*
Belvedere
It's a pretty word. It's also the name of an Escher print, depicting an impossible house. Which is what this search is proving to be.
Comments (2)
You may not get much option but have a quick look at the neighbours. IE If they have a van containing a large number of milk crates you know you will be awoken by the clinking of 400 bottles at 4am each morning. It may be useful to be over an all-night shop, but remember it operates ALL NIGHT. Pelican crossings are a cool way to avoid being knocked down but the darned things do bleep every time someone uses them. A chip shop is convenient, but your house will smell of chips most of the time....insert suitable comments for crack dens, brothels etc
"What are you gonna do now?"
"Heading home by secret paths TO THE COURT OF THE CRIMSON KIIIIIIING" *synths*
YES, YES, YES, A THOUSAND TIMES YES. I genuinely shrieked with laughter. This NEEDS to happen! Do you know where we can acquire four portable mellotrons...?
Also, hmmm, on reconsidering, perhaps Spirita is the Firewitch? (I am associating 'spirit' with 'fire', possibly by way of Fëanor) - and the Crimson King himself is the resident spirit of our new home, the one with which our Penates must make their peace, as they, like in the Everworld books, are brought across the void into a completely new mythos... Or perhaps it's a sort of Captain Planet thing - with all our powers combined, we are the Crimson King? Though perhaps the Firewitch makes more sense to be our Captain Planet combo identity, as it's the only one that lacks a colour... Oh god I am imagining Sailor Senshi / Power Ranger high-kicks and transformation sequences now...
On a more sane note, I agree with everything you have to say. Have received your email and your house picks are similar to mine - shall get emailing about viewings soon. :)
(Holize, v. to make a hole in something)