A past client reached out to me for an “upgrade.” In this later stage of life, with the parents having established successful careers, the family was eager for more space. With a great listing in mind that had been tastefully renovated we made an appointment for a showing. One of the highlights of the home which I loved was a “masterful” bedroom suite with a cathedral ceiling and tall transom windows with sunlight pouring in. Lying on the king sized mattress facing west it felt as if you were floating amid the clouds and trees.

I made a small drum roll sound to myself when we finally approached this room I was sure they would love. Upon our entry the wife immediately started shaking her head. I looked towards the husband and he explained, “My wife often works the night shift at the hospital and these large windows will make it impossible to fall asleep when she finally gets home in the morning.”

At first I thought, “You can’t make this stuff up!” When I tried discussing black out curtains I saw they had already made up their minds. As we were leaving, the wife asked me half jokingly to find her a house where the master bedroom was in the basement … or a house that had “trisim” (Israeli mandated hard plastic black out roll down shades) built into the walls.

After all these years of selling homes thinking the more sunlight in a bedroom the better, I was being forced into a different frame of mind. A bedroom is for sleeping in after all, isn’t it?

It always struck me as ironic that someone could spend the money required to put in transom windows in a bedroom only to cover the whole thing later with drapes and curtains that would never be opened.

A few months later I was involved in the planning of a new home construction which incorporated multiple ensuite bedrooms plus a gym in the basement. By the time the house was finished the new owners had two of their six children in medical school and, wouldn’t you know it, there was a fight over who slept in the gym when they returned from their late night shifts.

On a happy note, this coming weekend there will be many who are lucky enough to participate in the all night Shavuot learning programs. All across the neighborhood there will be people getting into bed in the early morning hours, putting their respective heads on their pillows. A few moments later, with squinting eyes, they will either reach for their El Al mask (if one can tolerate it) or turn to the linen closet and begin figuring out ways to hang sheets/towels over the windows to make the room just a little darker. Many will give up after some time and, much like my old buyer, find their way down to the basement where nighttime reigns.

Nechama Polak is the broker of record and owner of V and N Group LLC located at 1401 Palisade Ave in Teaneck. [email protected] 201 826 8809.