FUN HOUSE

AN ORLANDO-AREA HOME IS THE HAPPIEST PLACE ON EARTH - AND THERE'S NO ADMISSION FEE

- KRISSA ROSSBUND

In the world of design, many folks subscribe to the idea that Mother Nature delivers the greatest form of decoration. But Marsha Hill will argue that it's the ear-to-ear smiles on her grandchildren's faces that give her home the greatest boost of aesthetic charm.

And why wouldn't they be smiling? The home that Marsha shares with her husband, Gregg, is situated in Winter Park, Florida, just outside Orlando, and a short car ride from the world's most famous and beloved amusement park.

But roller coasters, spinning teacups, and Mickey Mouse ears aside, there's plenty of fun to experience at Grandma and Grandpa's house. After all, with diner-style booths for eating, playful bunk rooms that delight after dark, and a pool that splashes laughter into the family's history, this house was created with the grandchildren (now 15 of them) at the forefront.

"I always wanted our house to be a bit like Disney World," Marsha says. "It was about the grandkids from the moment that we started the house's design. Family memories are important to me, and I wanted those to be about the fun that we share here, not about decorative fads."