I'm always getting turned around about what direction our home faces. My house is situated on a windy road and it doesn't face in a cardinal direction. Rather it faces something like east northeast. Which makes quickly determining directions a bit of a challenge (for me, at least!). Which led me to wonder:
Why not install a compass? It could work beautifully both as decor and as a reference point. I know I'd use it. Need to tell a delivery man how to get here? March right on over to the compass! Looking for a star in the western sky? Orient yourself on my handy compass! The idea could work indoors (as shown up top) or could be really cool outdoors, too. Putting one in the entryway would serve as a constant reminder as you step out the door as to exactly what direction you're headed.
Do you have a compass incorporated into your home's decor? Do you actually use it to tell directions? (Nothing would be worse than a purely decorative compass that wasn't aligned to the true directions!). Please tell us of your compass (or compass ideas) in the comments below!
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A relative had one beautifully painted on his floor with the name of the town where he had a vacation home painted on one of the points. He no longer has that home and now covers the compass with a rug.
I like the idea of painting one on a floor cloth or doormat (a bit safer in case you get tired of looking at it).
I think it's beautiful.
did they have one in the house from the movie Up ?
This is a great idea because I have a large entry and I don't like rugs in it. So, after reading this, I googled and came up with this place where they have lots of different kinds of compasses to embed in wood floors.
http://www.thehardwoodfloormedallionstore.com/servlet/StoreFront
I like the idea of having the compass points labelled with personal places, but will probably skip that part (or get some floor stickers made).
Why would you continously get confused? Does your house move? Seems like once you figured out your house was facing North you'd remember that...or remember which side of the house the sun rises on. Unless you live in a mobile RV it seems silly from a functional perspective.....now decor...thats different.
@Leitho, exactly! lol
Seems like an excuse to get something you want, a BAD excuse.
I love the idea of having a compass on the floor...a permanent reminder of directions. A conversation starter and a great teaching tool for kids. I'll bet most people aren't aware of NSEW directions, it's useful to know. For instance, I worked as a landscape garden designer for 13 years installing large showy perennial gardens. The first think I'd do in a new client's yard was determine the sun's path. All I needed was a sunrise location and the rest was easy to estimate. The cooler side of the house will always be opposite where the sun is, helps with installing drapes, etc. Sorry I can't add a design but I sure love this one!
...the first 'thing'...
@Leitho, as I said, my house doesn't face in a cardinal direction, making it a bit slower to figure out exactly where south is (the four faces of the house are not good as references because its placement is so tweaked). This would help orient you to the cardinal directions immediately instead of thinking, "Okay, north is 20 degrees off from the front of the house". Maybe it wouldn't be confusing for others, but it's confusing for me..
Leitho, I always get confused over directions, I actually use the compass in my cell phone to find directions, and I guess there are other people like me as well.
Regina, I feel you might have germinated a trend here. *Goes off in search of a compass*
We have one inlaid in tile in our house. It's correct but isn't in line with the lines of the house which makes me crazy sometimes, but we love it! I highly recommend it.
Leitho,
Just because it's not confusing for you doesn't mean other people don't struggle with it.
Studies actually show that men and women process directions differently, men seem to have an internal compass and women tend to utilize a reference point (ex. the mountains are West is a constant Denver reference for newbies)
Not ALL men, not ALL women.
When my grandmother was moved from the family farm, into an apartment building that sat katiwumpus to NSEW both my mother and one of my aunts was constantly confused as to which side of the building they parked on. It took them out of their reference point.
It's sort of the same as how, some folks do math well, but spell horribly on commboxes. And sometimes the really good spellers are lousy at public math!
Living your life thinking everyone whose brain operates differently from you is dumb, is to me, the epitome of closed-minded.
"Why not install a compass?"
Because my apartment isn't fancy enough and/or I'm not pretentious enough?
I think its lovely! Nice touch to an entry way that I haven't seen before. (or noticed)
I think it's beautiful.
Something I've never seen before. Beautiful. It would look neat in tile in the bathroom or kitchen too.
@Djluckyonline: indeed. When I read posts like this (made-up "problem" -> cute trumped-up "solution"), I think 1) "B.S.," 2) "so this is how an artsy type's brain works. :)
this is a lovely idea !
an as for the comments, chickchick put it well above:
"Living your life thinking everyone whose brain operates differently from you is dumb, is to me, the epitome of closed-minded."