Winter is coming: the pros and cons of winter spent at home

Before we roll out that extra fluffy blanket, it's important to remember the pros and cons of winter and they go something like this …

PRO V CON #1

PRO: The thought of bed during any mundane day is tempting enough, let alone the thought of bed when it’s freezing outside. Sleeping suddenly upgrades from being this thing you try and get at least eight hours of every night, to a full-blown nightly snuggle party. 

CON: Get ready to use and abuse that snooze button like never before. That’s great that you enjoyed your snuggle party last night, but good luck getting out of bed this morning, and getting to work on time.

PRO V CON #2

PRO: Good news… you get to turn your clock back and treat yourself to what feels like an extra hour of sleep.

CON: But here’s the bad news … whatever plans you had after work or study you need to go ahead and cancel it. It’s far too dark by 5pm, so just go on home, there’s nothing out there for you. 

PRO V CON #3

PRO: An array of activities become that little bit more enjoyable during winter. Sipping on your morning coffee becomes more of a delight, inviting friends over for a dinner party feels much more intimate, and the world can suddenly feel like a better place just by slipping on some fluffy socks before bed. 

CON: Winter makes the easiest tasks seem that much harder – like, you know, walking outside.

PRO V CON #4

PRO: If you’re more of a stay-in person, rather than a go-out type – there’s less guilt and FOMO involved during winter.

CON: You stay home so much you begin to forget what your friends, or other humans in general, look like.

PRO V CON #5

PRO: There’s no better feeling than cranking up the heating and getting cosy for a night in catching up on all those TV shows you’ve been meaning to watch.

CON: Opening up your next heating bill.

PRO V CON #6

PRO: Summer feels like a lifetime away, this means you have more time to work on that beach body.

CON: But then you think to yourself – how could I possibly workout? It’s too cold in the morning, it’s too dark at night. I think I’m catching a cold from these freezing, inhumane temperatures. I can’t find matching socks … now onto a more important topic – what’s for dinner?

Article Source:www.domain.com.au 

Pauline MorrisseyEditorial Producer

Clock Tower Home

The clock tower home with panoramic views

At first glance, this San Francisco clock tower looks like any other clock tower. But if you take a look inside, it contains a bell-ringer’s dream home.

It’s the last place you would expect to find a penthouse . Picture: Realtor

Located between the South Park and South Beach neighbourhoods, the 278 sqm two-bedroom penthouse has been built in and around the mechanisms.

The idea was conceived more than two decades ago by architect David Baker and the McKenzie, Rose & Halliday development firm.

After extensive renovations in 1993, the tower was remodelled into a fully habitable home.

It was then purchased by Tom and Carol Burkhart in 2013, who lived across the road from the property at the time.

The idea of living inside a clock made the sale attractive to the couple.

Play a game of pool with a view. Picture: Realtor

“We’d just sit there in our living room, salivating thinking it would be amazing to live in that tower,” Tom Burkhart tells the SF Gate.

“And then it went on the market and we went to the open house.”

The fully-equipped kitchen. Picture: Realtor

After the couple revamped the property even further, they decided to relist it earlier this month.

The building, which offers exclusive 360 degree views, contains three levels including the fully-refurbished clock tower room.

The clock’s mechanisms are now a centrepiece. Picture: Realtor

The interior offers an open-space living arrangement. Exposed steel structural beams, original brick and concrete walls and cathedral ceilings give the home a modern-industrial appeal.

Exposed steel beams and original brick walls give it an industrial feel. Picture: Realtor

High ceilings, skylights and the huge arched-windows take advantage of sheer height the sunlit building, giving the home access to plenty of natural sunlight.

The homes various skylights and windows take advantage of the sunlight. Picture: Realtor

The wrap-around deck – which gives panoramic views – contains an outdoor patio, providing the ultimate party spot in the region.

The outdoor patio area might make the perfect scene for a soiree. Picture:Realtor

Listed as a “once in a lifetime opportunity” by Sothesby’s International Realty, Sky News Real Estate’s Prue Miller reports the property is listed for $US 8.5 million.

Article Source: www.realestate.com.au

                                                                                               by Phirin Ha