Fairies, it seems to me, like enchantresses, would have small houses with secret alcoves and nooks, and definitely a fireplace (with a cauldron) in the kitchen next to the AGA stove and a circa 1930′s refrigerator.

My impressions of all kindly magical creatures are that they require some sort of home–but perhaps fairies are more insubstantial than enchantresses–and prefer wafting about in the outdoors with occasional shelter taken in the houses and gardens of sympathizers.

I’m thinking that my notion of fairies/enchantresses is that they would cotton to a mixture of design styles including French country, cottage, and some retro. Even though these creatures have been around forever, they, like us, find change difficult.

Why a 1930′s kitchen? Well, back in the days of the Sleeping Beauty et. al. cooking was done in a large, walk-in fireplace. Refrigeration was essentially non-existent (except perhaps by submersion in a nearby cold stream). Bathrooms in the house were also non-existent–there was the privy outside and even for those who lived in castles, the outhouses were inside, but probably smelled just as bad–but then since common practice was a bath every year or so, everything smelled really bad, so who would notice a bathroom smell? So I’ve ruled out that degree of realism–and my house was built in 1930.

I like the idea of “Enchantress Lite” decor–no creepy pentagrams, witchy stuff, satanic stuff, or black . A flying broom would be acceptable. For that matter, a magic carpet would also please.

Although my fairies may like living in a medieval, picturesque French cottage with a thatched roof, with no bathrooms or kitchens to speak up, I don’t want to. For a true picture of conditions of medieval living, read: “A World Lit Only By Fire,” by William Manchester. In that world, it would have been helpful to have a bit of fairy dust or a magic wand lying around.

I never thought of this before, but it is highly likely that fairies and enchantresses–especially good ones–would have no need to eat or to use a bathroom. So certain design problems wouldn’t arise, and some rooms in a human house wouldn’t even exist. Hmmm. Anyone know anything about the bathroom, uh, habits of fairies?

By the way, does anyone know of a source for updated refrigerator/iceboxes dating from 1925 to around 1935? No monitor iceboxes–I don’t like the way they look. There may be someone around who makes new refrigerators in these styles, but I haven’t found them–I have found a few “updaters”. Any sources for the “retro” new ones or an old one worthy of updating would be greatly appreciated.

BTW–I do like this design–it’s just not my notion of “fairy.” (I associate fairies with the Blue Fairy of Pinocchio–not Disney’s version–though Tinker Bell is quite nice.)