One of my most powerful dreams is being able to fully redecorate and re-design my own home with an unlimited budget. What I would give to be able to knock down walls, choose new bathroom fixtures, and buy all the vintage furniture I wanted.
But what they don't tell you when you're a kid building your Barbie Dream House is that all of that stuff is shockingly expensive. I wouldn't have been able to fathom how much a Danish teak media console cost until I stumbled across a pretty one on Etsy. Who are these furniture-buying people? Billionaires? Sure, there are DIY hacks and Facebook Marketplace hunts, but it rarely compares to what you have in your head. That's why many of us settle for playing the Sims and designing our dream homes there. At least our virtual selves can enjoy it. And we can look at the design fails of others to make us feel better about everything.