How did you imagine things in the books?

[Silmiel of Imladris]

Before seeing the PJ verison of Middle-Earth the things I came up with in my head were quite different. For example...<P>Rivendel: It is called the last homely house in the books and I know that it meant it was like a home away from home but I could help thinking of an ugly house. I pictured in my crazy imagination a old farm house with peeling paint that was inhabitated by hicks. When they talked about sitting on the porch of the House of Elrond I could help think of them all sitting in rocking chair and porch swings. Ok don't throw things at me because this is only how I imagined it in the Hobbit for when I read the Fellowship it was closer to PJ version even when I didn't see the movie yet.<P>Gollum: Before I figured out the stuff about the ring I thought Gollum called himself 'my precious'.<P>So how did you imagine things while reading the books?