Just for the fun of it...!!

Fun meets function, luxury, and beauty. The perfect combination!!

photo: Coastal Living

There are features in our homes that we need, want, and simply are lucky to have. It might be as simple as having a large master bedroom that will fit a bed big enough for the entire family to sunggle in on a Sunday morning. Perhaps the home has a great basement or garage for storage needs, or it might be that there is the perfect spot for a hammock in the back yard to relax and read a great summer novel. Some value ample closets, the perfect pantry, or big windows to let the sun stream in. Yes, it can be any number of things... but the perfect feature can defy all reasonable requirements for comfortable living. It, or they, can be so much more than that. They can be silly, supremely functional, or downright decadent.

The above potting area is both serviceable and luxurious. Most of us, at one time or another, have schlepped big bags of potting soil and peat moss to empty pots awaiting their flowery charges. Lacking the perfect tools (or too lazy to head back into the garage or shed to get them), we rip the bags open with our hands, plunge our gloveless hands into the steamy mix, and dump as much soil into the pots as we can. Lo and behold, we can't quite find the watering can, so we fill up cooking pots during countless trips to the faucet or outside tap. Now, maybe you have never sunk this low when preparing your flower pots, but as you likely have guessed...I certainly have. Soooo, this lovely potting bench with its accessible gardening tools seems like heaven to me: functional.

photo: John O'Hagan

This home gym falls into the category of indulgent and holds the title of being the "grand pooh-bah" of convenience. Honestly, who really has the space for such a beautiful room devoted entirely to one's health and well-being? I mean, I could brag and tell you about the 15 year-old weight bench we have in our gloomy back basement - rusty free weights lying around to stub your toe at every turn. Or boast about the chin-up bar that my husband fashioned to hang from the floor joists...that you first have to navigate past all the boxes of my Christmas decorations and the kitty litter box. Oh yeah, it's really inspiring! No, this is one luxury I will pass up for now. Because really...what excuse could we make for not working out daily if we had this in our homes? Entirely too much pressure!!!!!!!!!

photo: Thomas J. Story

Now, I know this is not very nice, but I resent the man at this outdoor kitchen. I know he is likely a perfectly nice man, but come on... who actually needs this amount of luxury in their yard?? I am willing to bet my firstborn (just kidding) that his kitchen is within spitting distance of that ridiculously beautiful "pampered prince" of a set-up!! Sure it would be nice to have outdoor warming drawers and a dishwasher at your ready! But do we need it?? That outdoor kitchen is nicer than some people's entire homes (and likely cost as much). That, in my books, is called having too much money and perhaps it's time to share some! As you can see, my frugal/sensible side takes over when I see stuff like this! The outdoor kitchen definitely qualifies as decadent.

photo: Deborah Whitlaw Llewellyn

Now, you know I love these!! I have entertained the notion of an outdoor shower for some time, now. However... it, too, falls into the category of unnecessarily beautiful meets functionality and, ultimately, is a luxury I cannot justify. You see, when we built this house, we had the presence of mind to install indoor plumbing and even have a perfectly useful indoor shower in which to "wash the sand off!"So, although I clap my hands excitedly when I see pictures like these or the concept actually carried out in others' homes, I likely won't be taking the plunge and making one myself. But, let me know if anyone out there has one. I'd love to see a picture!!

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photo: Martha Stewart.com

"If I knew you were coming I'd have baked a (cup) cake!!"

Happy July Fourth!!! I wish all my American readers and friends a very happy holiday!! Let it be a great kick-off to a wonderful summer and a day to reflect upon your country and all that you love about it!