On Friday I made clear my dislike for the architecture of small Chicago ranch homes but I don’t want to leave the impression that my comments apply to all ranch houses. I spent the better part of Saturday in a larger ranch home in the southern suburbs of Chicago after attending the funeral of the man who owned it, a dear friend of my husband’s family.
After living in nice but temporary digs for several years, I was reminded of the difference between a house and a home, because this place was most certainly the latter. It’s a house that really grew with this man and his widow and their two sons, who are now grown.
The house is split-level with a finished basement and three or four steps that lead to bedrooms on the second floor. On Saturday, 11 adults, two kids, a cocker spaniel and a Havanese puppy sat around in the first-floor living room, the crowd sometimes spilling over into the kitchen, which wasn’t far away, so you could easily move between the two.
We ranged from a stylish 95-year-old woman who gamely wears stilettos that many a younger woman would balk at, to a boy who just turned four. Nobody freaked out when the cocker spaniel let one go on the carpet. Someone quietly scooped it up and everyone kept talking. This house reminded me of what a home is, in the very best sense.
Even if that little ranch house that I talked about last week isn’t for me, I can see the appeal of the ranch style, especially when it is as well laid out as our friend’s. Perhaps the place I ripped on last week holds fond memories for a family and a new owner will soon be proud to call it home.
Anyone out there want to share their thoughts on what makes a great home? I’m all ears. As my husband and I continue our search for a house, architecture, curb appeal and other factors will still be important but I’ll be mindful of the fact that I won’t find the most important feature of a home on any MLS listing.