Thursday 9 April 2009

HNT: What Lies Beneath





So, here's the thing.

I'm looking at apartments.

It's been many years since I last lived in one. I'm used to being detached. Separated from my neighbours and their noises and smells. Secure in the knowledge that if I want to have a particularly loud interaction with my vibrator in my empty house, there will be no audience.

During my hunt for the perfect new home for an independent woman, I have noticed that there is a tendency for architects to join living rooms and master bedrooms with their counterparts in the place next door, which just seems barking in terms of privacy. It means you have people in the next room and the one underneath and possibly the one above. I can't see me having the balls to indulge in a particularly rumbustious orgasm with that sort of proximity when I have to face the neighbours the following morning.

I'm looking for your guidance and advice. Is it better to be the flat above or the flat below in terms of noise transference? Both heard and transmitted...





HNTbutton

22 comments:

Anonymous said...

Nice "beneath!"

I would say above, if living below someone you will hear every single noise they make.

Happy HNT!

Cate said...

I agree with Laurie! I remember being beneath a couple and hearing the bed rocking above us... as well as anything that got dropped (dishes, books, etc.) and the occasional foot-stomping or clickity-click of high heels. Go for the top floor if you can get it.

Cate xxx

P.S. very pretty bra!

BenefitScroungingScum said...

I'm on the ground floor of an old victorian terrace. Upstairs is a maisonette. Their kitchen is over my bedroom which can be v annoying but much better than the lounge being above my bed.
There is a 17 yr old boy living alone up there (don't ask!) but to his credit he's been good as gold. Lots of running up and down stairs noise from heavy footed teen boys but no problems with music.
I'd say if you can live above. Downstairs gets most of the noise.
Music will cover almost all vibrators (although my tulip is so freakishly noisy since I changed the batteries I can't bear to use it even in a sound proofed room!)

Weirdly in my previous home which was a 2up2down style terrace with paper thin walls you could hear things like the neighbours turning the light switches off but sex noises didn't carry as well, thankfully! IT was only in summer when everyone has windows open that you got an insight into neighbours love lives!
Hope the flat hunt is going well? BG x

Mike said...

Me likes what lies beneath very much!!

A very HHNT

Ally said...

This underneath :) Pink is my fav. In terms of apartments, I've never had too much of a noise problem so I wouldn't stress over it. You'll probably hear less in terms of people moving around if you're above but I've found that voices- ie screaming matches- tend to travel upward.

Hubman said...

What lies beneath is quite nice!

Happy HNT!

B said...

I concur with the others, the top flat is the best, apart from of course when you move in and have to get the bed and the fridge and god-knows-what up a few flights of stairs. You don't want anyone living above you if you can help it.
Blame your noises on the TV - I did, which worked up until the point when I invited the neighbours in and they noticed I didn't own one.

Good luck with all of this. I feel for you. Keep sane. Remember to EAT and don't worry about what the neighbours think.

xxx

Krazy said...

Very cute bra!

I would stay on top if possible, and having carpets would help a lot with the noises. I used to have a lady above me who walked in heels all day. I ofter heard a noise that seemed like beads falling off of a broken necklace. I later found out it was a little dog, and that was the sound it made when it walked over the tile.
;-)

Good luck on your new life!

Ms. Inconspicuous said...

Hmm...I'd go with the flat above.

Beautiful bra, by the way. :)

h said...

Above is better. It is DUMB that they usually line up apartments in that manner.

Vixen said...

Great click. :)

Sorry, no advice.

Hu said...

Living at the top will also be cheaper to heat in the winter :)

justme said...

Top is ALWAYS better. I once lived underneath a someone who used to drag furniture across the floor at 3.00am every night. I nearly went mad. I think he WAS mad!

Walker said...

On top is best ;)
I have lived in a few flats and being on the top floor is better if there are wood floors because you will hear the footsteps below and living room to living room with the neigboiur. I always look for a corner unit because you usually get more windows but that was a long time ago and have only lived in houses for the last 30 years.
Good luck on the hunt.

Angela-la-la said...

Laminate and wooden flooring is the bane of the downstairs dweller.

Living upstairs also means you can leave your blinds/curtains open :)

Kevin Musgrove said...

It depends: ideally top floor so long as the roof is sound and it's not part of a terrace with connecting loft spaces.

Anonymous said...

Beneath, above, below, beside...you are beautiful inside and out wherever you choose to live. xoxo

Mr. Nighttime said...

Prior to moving to Rochester, we lived in a 4-flight walk-up apartment just outside NYC. We lived on the top floor, and found that as far as noise transference, it's definitely better being above. Also, you'll need to take winters into consideration. Heat rises, so you'll probably find it better in the winter to be on top instead of below.

Yes, there was a double entendre in that statement. ;-)

Jackie Adshead said...

I'd agree with the rest - above, if possible. Good luck with it!

Dark Side said...

I have lived in the middle of a three and the bottom of a two and in hindsight I would prefer to live on the top.

Good luck flat hunting and remember to take care of you..xx

Anonymous said...

turn the tv up louder!

awesome boobage!

Brian said...

Noise rumbles down. Heat travels up. Go for the top. Also tend to be more secure and private.