melanie's+english

 **__ENGLISH- My Ideal Home __** My ideal home would be a house resting on a cliff overlooking the ocean on one side, and a forest on the other. My backyard would be facing the ocean, so that I would be able to sit on the patio with a cup of hot coco and watch the sun melt into the horizon. I would watch the sparkle and glimmer of the sun’s reflection on the water, like it was teasing me and inviting me to join them. I would taste the salt in the air and feel the wind in my face. My drives home would be the most exiting part of the day because of all the green foliage flashing by. I would wake to the sounds of birds singing a good morning song to each other, the rustle of leaves against leaves, the scurry of a marsupial getting ready for sleep; I would fall asleep to the soothing sounds of the waves lapping at the rocks.

The ideal size for my home would be a spacious but cosy place. It would be bigger than a couped up couples’ apartment, but smaller than a family house with five children. There would be electricity and all the technology needed to stay in contact with the outside world, but things would be kept simple and old fashioned. There would be a fireplace for heating on those cold nights, and a beach with pearl-white sand and crystalline water for me to cool off on hot days.

Although I live in peaceful surrounds, my home is not far from the hustle and bustle of a well populated city. Here, I can access all the essential things I need and more. I would have neighbours, but they wouldn’t be the sort of neighbours who could peek over the fence and stick their noses in my business. There would be a good amount of space between our houses, but it would still be close enough to notice if they were waving at you.

The colour of my house is mirrored by everything that surrounds it. It would range from pearly-whites, creams and blues for the seaside effect, to the warm colours of green, purple and red to echo the sounds of the forest. The inside of my house would always be as scenic as the outside. Wherever you went, the colours, textures and setting would remind you of the towering trees and velvety green foliage; the immeasurable ocean that seemed like it had lots of moods because it would change from a bright cheery blue to an opaque and dreary dark green.

The most important place in my house would be the living/dining area. It would be an area where everyone would come together over a hot meal and talk about pointless things.

The living/dining area would be one big room where everyone would come together. It would also be a place where you could seek refuge, because of the calming coloured walls. You could look out of the one-wall window and see the glittering ocean, or watch the setting sun’s reflection send colours of fierce red to pale yellow onto the water’s gently swaying surface.

As everyone finishes their meal ad gets up from the wooden mahogany chairs to make their way to the living/dining area, there’s a calm and tranquil feeling amongst everyone. As they walk, they feel the soft plush carpet massaging the soles of their feet and tickling them between their toes. They sink into the couch warmed by the already crackling fireplace, and sigh in contentment. And before they start a complicated conversation, they can look out into the ocean or glance down the hall and see the safety of the branches of trees. My house is a sanctuary. It is like my strongbox, where I can go and feel as if nothing can ever harm me. It is the place where I’ll capture my happiest memories, which will stay with me forever. It is my heaven, when there is no heaven on this earth. It is a place where I can call my home.