Living in really big houses

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  1. UCLEmily's Avatar
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    Re: Living in really big houses
    (Original post by Rainingshame)
    I'm sorry but if you can sit in the middle and read without blocking it's no longer a corridor. I do feel quite jelous as i plan to have a library in my home when i'm older. Any possible children can share if we're poor.
    Well, I did say "wide", yes, it's quite a decent-sized space, it's about 4m wide and 25m long or something like that, it kind of runs down one side of the house upstairs and has a row of nice windows. It is a lovely thing to have, along with some other nice features to the house.

    I hope you make it to your dream house!
  2. MaxiFreca's Avatar
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    Re: Living in really big houses
    I got to laff that you guys are talkin about how big your libraries are and where to put your servants. :rolleyes:

    Its another world. Wish i had their money though.
  3. UsualStudent's Avatar
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    Re: Living in really big houses
    (Original post by MaxiFreca)
    I got to laff that you guys are talkin about how big your libraries are and where to put your servants. :rolleyes:

    Its another world. Wish i had their money though.
    Ive worked in some places like that cleaning and stuff, theyre just rich and posh, not that different to other people but theyre used to having loads of space and lovely things, big rooms.
  4. myuranking's Avatar
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    • Posts: 114
    It doesn't mean we are not down to earth.

    I notice a lot of middle and lower class people that look down on other as well. So looking down on people is not just a rich persons hobby lol

    This was posted from The Student Room's Android App on my LT26i
  5. zara55's Avatar
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    Re: Living in really big houses
    (Original post by UCLEmily)
    Well, I did say "wide", yes, it's quite a decent-sized space, it's about 4m wide and 25m long or something like that, it kind of runs down one side of the house upstairs and has a row of nice windows. It is a lovely thing to have, along with some other nice features to the house.
    Your family home sounds very nice, lucky you, is it in London? Big property if in town somewhere.
  6. rock.and.rose's Avatar
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    • Location: Surrey
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    Re: Living in really big houses
    (Original post by MaxiFreca)
    I got to laff that you guys are talkin about how big your libraries are and where to put your servants. :rolleyes:
    I don't think many people have "servants" these days, who were people at the beck and call of their "masters", I think Downton Abbey has clouded your views.

    Having staff is very different to having servants.
  7. UCLEmily's Avatar
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    Re: Living in really big houses
    (Original post by zara55)
    Your family home sounds very nice, lucky you, is it in London? Big property if in town somewhere.
    Yeah, we're very fortunate, I am really grateful for my parents and so on. We're in Richmond, overlooking the park, she said smugly.
  8. UCLEmily's Avatar
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    Re: Living in really big houses
    (Original post by rock.and.rose)
    I don't think many people have "servants" these days, who were people at the beck and call of their "masters", I think Downton Abbey has clouded your views.

    Having staff is very different to having servants.
    Some very, very rich families have butlers and cooks and so forth (I even knew one or two people at school from homes like that) but as stated, typically well-off upper-middle type families might have a nanny to help with young children and maybe a housekeeper, especially if both parents have very busy schedules. I found there was a big difference in that kind of thing at school if one parent wasn't working compared to if both were. I used to visit school friend's very large houses and the "staff" were generally seen as almost family, there was very little bossing around and lots of saying "please" and "thank you".
  9. Fires's Avatar
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    Re: Living in really big houses
    (Original post by UCLEmily)
    Yeah, we're very fortunate, I am really grateful for my parents and so on. We're in Richmond, overlooking the park, she said smugly.
    Ooo, a house of that size in Richmond facing the park, you should be smug! Are you ridiculously posh?
  10. zara55's Avatar
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    Re: Living in really big houses
    (Original post by UCLEmily)
    Yeah, we're very fortunate, I am really grateful for my parents and so on. We're in Richmond, overlooking the park, she said smugly.
    Really? That's a great place to live, very fashionable and peaceful. Do you watch the deer from your windows?

    My parent's house is in Cheshire (Alderley Edge) and I suspect about the same size as yours (ha - it's becoming a competition!), not sure which is posher, Richmond Park or the Edge - maybe it's a tie?
  11. rock.and.rose's Avatar
    • Benevolent Member
    • Location: Surrey
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    Re: Living in really big houses
    (Original post by UCLEmily)
    Some very, very rich families have butlers and cooks and so forth (I even knew one or two people at school from homes like that) but as stated, typically well-off upper-middle type families might have a nanny to help with young children and maybe a housekeeper, especially if both parents have very busy schedules. I found there was a big difference in that kind of thing at school if one parent wasn't working compared to if both were. I used to visit school friend's very large houses and the "staff" were generally seen as almost family, there was very little bossing around and lots of saying "please" and "thank you".
    I know households have staff, ours used to, I was objecting to the use of the term 'servants'.

    I don't think that is how they are seen now.
  12. Herr's Avatar
    • Overlord in Training
    • Location: Zürich
    Re: Living in really big houses
    (Original post by MaxiFreca)
    I live in a council flat and we dont have much room.

    On the bus going to school i pass these huge houses with like massive gardens round them and big windows and spread out with like probably 8 bedrooms and i dont know maybe 20 rooms or something.

    Whats it like living in a house like that, do you get lost in all the rooms? Do people in the family see each other much? Are all the people who live in houses like that who are teenagers really spoilt? If you live in that kind of house, whats it like and what do you think of people who live in little box council flats like us?
    I'm quite familiar with big houses. Growing up during my years in Hong Kong I lived in my grandparents' house which was a 7000sf villa, had 8 bedrooms. You could park 5 cars in there and had some areas. That house isn't big by UK standards but by Hong Kong standards it was huge as the average home is less than than 600sf there and vast majority of people live in council type flats. There were 3 servants who did everything from prepare food, keep the house clean and made sure me and my cousins were behaving, 1 of them was an English lady who was handpicked specifically to be a governess, while the other 2 were from Hong Kong and all 3 lived in the house. Sadly that house no longer exist as they sold it upon passing of the grandparents and after that the house was demolished to make way for a high rise building.

    My parents had a penthouse that they called home when they were in Hong Kong, I went back there during the weekends only in my younger days. It was big by Hong Kong standards as it was 2500sf and had 4 bedrooms. This place had a maid from Philippines, she worked for them for 18 years. I think my parents would have given me a good thrashing if I treated her like a maid.

    After I graduated, started working and lived on my own I've lived in several homes in UK, from small tiny London flats to big estates in the country. The biggest of them was this 200 acre estate which had a 9 bedroom house. I didn't like it all that much as it was a pain to get to as I worked in the City and that house was nearly 60 miles away. I found the commute to be the hardest part as after work I just want to get home and not be stuck on the M25. When I had that house, I did have a cleaner from Czech who brought with her an army of hands to keep that house clean. The gardens was maintained professionally until I decided to have most of it converted to woodlands but I then moved to a smaller semi-d closer to the City as I got tired of staying so far away, house was a fairly large 5 bedroom. The same Czech woman maintained the house and I had one OAP manage the gardens in exchange for his tab at the local pub.

    Now I live in a very normal 4 bedroom townhouse that is 20 minutes drive to work, it is a very normal middle-class type neighbourhood. It is above average in size by Swiss standards but it isn't huge just around 1600sf. Not into the big house thing any longer as in Switzerland owning such homes attract higher wealth/asset taxes and they are also incredibly expensive. Staff? When I first moved here I had a cleaner from Poland who came twice a week. Then my OH moved in, she doesn't like other people in the house especially the bedroom as she considers it to be her private domain, we don't have any cleaners now but she does 98% of all household chores I did try to help her but each time I do it she starts nagging me that it is still dirty and she had to do it again, plus she wanted everything to be spotless everytime I told her either she did it or I'm getting a maid.... she now does it. Garden, I do live in the end unit with a bigger side garden, I made a deal with one of my neighbours, an elderly couple that if they maintain my garden then I will pay for the cleaning of their solar panels, windows and their share of the maintenance charges, was a win-win situation
  13. Herr's Avatar
    • Overlord in Training
    • Location: Zürich
    Re: Living in really big houses
    (Original post by UCLEmily)
    Yeah, we're very fortunate, I am really grateful for my parents and so on. We're in Richmond, overlooking the park, she said smugly.
    Nice to see someone else from my former neck of the woods

    Do you get a view of the golf club?
  14. zara55's Avatar
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    Re: Living in really big houses
    (Original post by rock.and.rose)
    I know households have staff, ours used to, I was objecting to the use of the term 'servants'.

    I don't think that is how they are seen now.
    That's quite true, most people I know who have people working for them wouldn't even use the word "staff" I don't think, it would be first-name terms and so on. Quite a lot of people around Cheshire have people working in their homes, there are a lot of housekeepers and people doing jobs like that. It's just a job like any other.
  15. UCLEmily's Avatar
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    Re: Living in really big houses
    (Original post by Fires)
    Ooo, a house of that size in Richmond facing the park, you should be smug! Are you ridiculously posh?
    Thank goodness for the pseudo-anonymity of TSR. One or two friends call me "laughably posh" as opposed to ridiculously. I am told I sound quite like Zara Phillips, which is a little bit pleasurable as I quite admire her, well, I admire her as an Olympian.
  16. UCLEmily's Avatar
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    Re: Living in really big houses
    (Original post by Herr)
    Nice to see someone else from my former neck of the woods

    Do you get a view of the golf club?
    Well, without getting too incredibly specific in a public forum, think near there, wooded and with some gardens nearby. Not directly overlooking the RGC. PM me if you want to chat about it.
  17. UsualStudent's Avatar
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    Re: Living in really big houses
    (Original post by UCLEmily)
    Well, I did say "wide", yes, it's quite a decent-sized space, it's about 4m wide and 25m long or something like that, it kind of runs down one side of the house upstairs and has a row of nice windows. It is a lovely thing to have, along with some other nice features to the house.

    I hope you make it to your dream house!
    Wow that sounds really lovely are you really happy to be in your house, like what do you do, do you have to do chores? Do you get loads of luxury things?? Have you got lovely bedroom of your own and whats it like?
  18. UCLEmily's Avatar
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    Re: Living in really big houses
    (Original post by UsualStudent)
    Wow that sounds really lovely are you really happy to be in your house, like what do you do, do you have to do chores? Do you get loads of luxury things?? Have you got lovely bedroom of your own and whats it like?
    You're 16, have you not got friends who live in larger houses? We're not a different species, you would probably find us doing the same kinds of things as you, watching TV, playing games, Facebooking, etc.

    I don't particularly have "chores" to do as such when I'm at home, I have my own place now anyway, so when I am at home I'm a sometimes-staying over visitor, but when I was your age and lived at home, I did some chores - generally things like bits of work for my parents, helping them with some work. I didn't really do cleaning or anything like that, I never washed up or did laundry or those things, as we had a housekeeper and cleaners. I did (still do if I need it) have a lovely bedroom, yes, with a King-sized bed and a very nice bathroom of my own, I was very well looked after for comforts. I had a lovely room next to my bedroom which was a sort of work area, with lots of books and computer and loads of comfort.

    I did get some lovely luxuries like trips to spas and some lovely gifts when I was your age, which I was very appreciative of and felt very looked after.



    This was posted from The Student Room's iPad App
  19. MaxiFreca's Avatar
    • New Member
    • Posts: 7
    Re: Living in really big houses
    (Original post by Herr)
    I'm quite familiar with big houses. Growing up during my years in Hong Kong I lived in my grandparents' house which was a 7000sf villa, had 8 bedrooms. You could park 5 cars in there and had some areas. That house isn't big by UK standards but by Hong Kong standards it was huge as the average home is less than than 600sf there and vast majority of people live in council type flats. There were 3 servants who did everything from prepare food, keep the house clean and made sure me and my cousins were behaving, 1 of them was an English lady who was handpicked specifically to be a governess, while the other 2 were from Hong Kong and all 3 lived in the house. Sadly that house no longer exist as they sold it upon passing of the grandparents and after that the house was demolished to make way for a high rise building.

    My parents had a penthouse that they called home when they were in Hong Kong, I went back there during the weekends only in my younger days. It was big by Hong Kong standards as it was 2500sf and had 4 bedrooms. This place had a maid from Philippines, she worked for them for 18 years. I think my parents would have given me a good thrashing if I treated her like a maid.

    After I graduated, started working and lived on my own I've lived in several homes in UK, from small tiny London flats to big estates in the country. The biggest of them was this 200 acre estate which had a 9 bedroom house. I didn't like it all that much as it was a pain to get to as I worked in the City and that house was nearly 60 miles away. I found the commute to be the hardest part as after work I just want to get home and not be stuck on the M25. When I had that house, I did have a cleaner from Czech who brought with her an army of hands to keep that house clean. The gardens was maintained professionally until I decided to have most of it converted to woodlands but I then moved to a smaller semi-d closer to the City as I got tired of staying so far away, house was a fairly large 5 bedroom. The same Czech woman maintained the house and I had one OAP manage the gardens in exchange for his tab at the local pub.

    Now I live in a very normal 4 bedroom townhouse that is 20 minutes drive to work, it is a very normal middle-class type neighbourhood. It is above average in size by Swiss standards but it isn't huge just around 1600sf. Not into the big house thing any longer as in Switzerland owning such homes attract higher wealth/asset taxes and they are also incredibly expensive. Staff? When I first moved here I had a cleaner from Poland who came twice a week. Then my OH moved in, she doesn't like other people in the house especially the bedroom as she considers it to be her private domain, we don't have any cleaners now but she does 98% of all household chores I did try to help her but each time I do it she starts nagging me that it is still dirty and she had to do it again, plus she wanted everything to be spotless everytime I told her either she did it or I'm getting a maid.... she now does it. Garden, I do live in the end unit with a bigger side garden, I made a deal with one of my neighbours, an elderly couple that if they maintain my garden then I will pay for the cleaning of their solar panels, windows and their share of the maintenance charges, was a win-win situation
    You sound about 40 lulz are you some rich chinese drug deler? :rolleyes:
  20. MaxiFreca's Avatar
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    Re: Living in really big houses
    (Original post by UCLEmily)
    You're 16, have you not got friends who live in larger houses? We're not a different species, you would probably find us doing the same kinds of things as you, watching TV, playing games, Facebooking, etc.

    I don't particularly have "chores" to do as such when I'm at home, I have my own place now anyway, so when I am at home I'm a sometimes-staying over visitor, but when I was your age and lived at home, I did some chores - generally things like bits of work for my parents, helping them with some work. I didn't really do cleaning or anything like that, I never washed up or did laundry or those things, as we had a housekeeper and cleaners. I did (still do if I need it) have a lovely bedroom, yes, with a King-sized bed and a very nice bathroom of my own, I was very well looked after for comforts. I had a lovely room next to my bedroom which was a sort of work area, with lots of books and computer and loads of comfort.

    I did get some lovely luxuries like trips to spas and some lovely gifts when I was your age, which I was very appreciative of and felt very looked after.



    This was posted from The Student Room's iPad App
    Bloody hell you are so lucked out that sounds max cool. Whats your own place like, have you got your own house or something?? Still a student?
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