do you believe in Feng Shui?
Some apartments have got what it takes and others definately do not. After reading up on Feng Shui I don’t think what I’m about to write can technically be categorized as such, but there’s definately a difference. Maybe it’s all just due to good/bad architects & contractors.
When we moved to our new apartment in January 2004 we knew there were some minor problems with it, but there are minor problems with everywhere so we were perfectly happy to deal with the ones we initially noticed. The most major feature was that the apartment was crooked. This resulted in crooked doorframes (hence most of the doors didn’t close well) and the counter & cupboards in the kitchen were bent too. Most of the cupboards didn’t close. There were metal closures for them which would have helped, but both sides were coated in so many layers of paint they wouldn’t fit together. But ok that’s not so bad. Well on the subject of the kitchen, let’s not forget to mention the kitchen sink, which was really low (perhaps due to the crooked problem) and wide. It was hard to reach the taps at the back and after doing the dishes my back always hurt. The wall behind the sink must have had some serious water damage as the drywall was patchy at best. So we put a Van Gogh poster over it. The cupboards themselves were interesting, since all the bottom ones were connected. So the area directly under the sink with the pipes (and the only spot for the garbage can) was right next to the only place I could find to put the pots. Great.
Well that’s ok, lots of kitchens are far from ideal, what can you expect from a rental apartment anyway? Well moving on to the living room, the biggest problem there was that it was one massive room with no way to easily divide it into smaller sections. So we had Dan’s music stuff right next to our couch the whole time since we had no other way to arrange it. We all remember the problem with the dining area light fixture which was undoubtedly caused by the rumbly/bumpy/super-noisy trucks outside the building. Oh and the windows faced west, which is not the best choice for Montreal summertime.
The bathroom - ah the bathroom. All that glorious pink tile which was impossible to decorate. The bathroom sink seemed to be designed to reflect water back at the unfortunate soul who was so brash as to wash their hands. The neat-o window beside the shower was a good idea to let in natural light, but the drywall wasn’t. It bubbled, bulged, and exploded in powdery residues all over the tub in regular intervals. Despite the fact that it was quite a large bathroom there was nowhere to put a storage compartment or shelf. And one of the things that annoyed me the most was that sink, which was the free-standing kind lacking a countertop. It was impossible to do the simplest things at that sink with a flat surface area of a quarter of a foot on each side.
The bedroom was actually one of the best features since it was quite large and easy to arrange. The little closet was rather strange but workable. Again, the windows faced west which made it quite toasty in July. This wouldn’t have been so bad if there was a breeze coming in through the window, but not once in 2 1/2 years did a breeze come through any of the windows. This is rather ironic since in the winter the wind whipped along parallel to the building at incredible speeds. It was so windy that it actually made the ice a flat smooth sheet which was impossible to drive and walk on, especially if you happen to be walking against or perpendicular to said wind. Inexplicably, other places nearby and other areas of town were not as bad as our street. We got a ride home once and our friend couldn’t stop the car because of the large ice patch in front of our building.
The rest of the building itself wasn’t so bad except for two things. Firstly, there was only one washer & dryer and for 2 years they were the worst washing appliances I had ever used. I tried every alternative - hand washing, laundromats, using our friend’s washer & dryer. It made what should be a modern convenience ridiculously difficult. These did get upgraded to a rather good new set just before I left. There was definately something wrong with the water, though, and we noticed our cutlery would stain unless dried instantly, our clothing felt stiff, and our skin felt awful. The other thing was the garbage. Somebody had decided the best place for the tenants to put their garbage was … are you ready? … in a little closet in the hall on each floor. No, not a garbage chute which I think it illegal in Montreal, but in a plastic bucket. So the entire time we were there, it smelled far from pleasant, and the smell came in under the front door of the apartment. Of all the things, I think this surprised me the most.
So. Let’s take a quick look at the new place, shall we? Crooked? Nope. Doors close? Check. Cupboards close? Yes! Kitchen sink ergonimic? Check. Water good? Check. Drywall damaged? Nope. Separated cupboards? Mostly. Living room easy to arrange? Yes. Windows facing south? Check. Building shakes because of traffic? Nope. Bathroom pink? Thankfully no. Bathroom sink attacks user? Nope. Countertop around sink? Check! Breeze comes in through window? Yes - and bonus, it smells like flowers! Laundry facilities? Excellent! Garbage storage? Outside where it should be. Additional bonuses: small table & chairs fit in the kitchen, high ceilings, option to install own curtains, free white paint as a move-in present from landlord, window ledges ready for potted plants, normal closets, concrete building (super-soundproof and doesn’t trap summer heat), window in kitchen and bathroom, and best of all, a really nice view.
Strange how all these little differences can add up to a very large change in end-user satisfaction! I feel like I upgraded from a K-car to an Aston Martin!