*This post was sponsored by HGTV’s House Hunters. A show I die watching because it makes me want to move everywhere, all the time, always. See also: anything shown on HGTV is a mortal enemy of my productivity in any capacity.*
If you had the resources to buy a home anywhere in the world, your absolute end-all fantasy dream home, where would you go? What would you want it to look like?
Honestly.
If you could look at a globe and point to a country, what would it be? In your heart of hearts, your secret childhood fantasy, where would you move?
I have so many tucked away dream home fantasies I almost don’t know where I’d start. Maybe if I could have 5 or 6 dream homes dotted across the globe I’d feel satisfied. But no, then I’d realize what’s out there and I’d want endless amounts of homes in every country in the world, just in case I might want to travel there someday.
There being everywhere.
But I’m betting there’s a place in the corner of your mind you’ve stashed your fantasy home, the place you’ve always wanted to live if you could afford it. As in, the lottery was in your favor and you won millions and could quit your unsatisfying job right this minute and live happily ever after, you’d sell your place in _______ and buy a plane ticket to ________ post haste.
Anything come to mind right away?
I’ve got to say the top 3 countries that come to mind for me are outside the United States, where I currently live with my family. I’ve always wanted to live in Europe somewhere, and even though Poland was absolutely lovely, I don’t want to live there quite yet. I’ve always dreamed about someplace in England or Italy. I’m counting that as one of my Top 3; shush I’m making the rules here. After that I want to say I’d like to have a home somewhere in Africa along the Ivory Coast or in South Africa right on the Indian Ocean. My 3rd spot would be either somewhere in South America {Costa Rica anyone?} along the Caribbean or across the ocean in Cuba. They’re practically the same place, come on.
Do you see a theme here? Aside from my landlocked places in Europe, everywhere I want to live includes a warm climate and a highly accessible warm, sandy beach.
What would you look for in your actual you know, house, once you were boots on the ground?
Without trying to sound cliché, as long as I have my people with me home could be anywhere on earth. With my husband and two kids by my side, I’m pretty sure we could happily domesticate a jungle hut as long as we were together.
As it is, we’re happily inhabiting our dream home in the high mountain desert of Utah.
When we were looking for a home nearly a decade ago we had a handful of requirements, all of which were met, {with so many aesthetic compromises}. We wanted: a coat closet, a garage, a big yard, a work space for me, a shed, and a jetted tub. I know they aren’t the fanciest amenities but we were thrilled to find one house containing all the things we wanted in the world. Plus once we did some office remodeling, the green carpet sort of faded into the distant past. Mostly.
Granted we still have forest green carpet in a lot of the house, we had to de-antler and de-elk the place once we moved in, and there were ivy wall decals on every vertical surface, but it was a small price to pay and we haven’t regretted the decision. Yet.
Where would you go live your new life if you could move anywhere in the world? I’m dying to know what’s on your list.
*Here’s a little something extra to think about: you should come back to Petit Elefant next Thursday, February 16th for super secret special agent details on how to win a new iPad. For reals! Go ahead and “like” the House Hunters Facebook page to stay in the loop and please join me while I live tweet the season premiere of House Hunters International. Thursday. next week, two days after Valentine’s. You got that? Good, see you then.
Allison
Hello there! I'm Allison Czarnecki, founder + editor of Petit Elefant, a blog all about style on a budget for every part of your life: style / home / travel / family. I do a lot of how-to beauty + style tutorials, travel posts, easy recipes, home remodel projects, and cool DIY crafts you totally want to try. I'm super happily married (to a hot Polish immigrant) and am the mother of two kids, a daughter and son, all of whom are featured here on the regular. We live in the country but we're a little bit rock + roll. Welcome!
Listen forest green carpet is going to come back ANY DAY. Don’t you fret.
Oh I’m sure. I mean, antlers are all the rage so why wouldn’t elk wallpaper and wood paneling make a return?
Hey–you should have given them to me! We have more forest green carpet than anyone I know. (Not by choice, mind you.)
Oh wait was I spsd to answer the ? of where we would live? Well we are moving to Costa Rica in October. Woot woot! Now you can just come stay at my house :)
Vanessa, are you really? I might take you up on that offer! That’s so exciting!
Without a second’s hesitation – it would be an apartment in Paris. You see, I currently live in my dream home – our little Blackberry Farm on the hill just outside of Seattle. But oh, I my heart beats a little faster the moment I know there is a trip planned to France. While I couldn’t live there forever, I could definitely use a place to stay whenever we visit. Le sigh…
xx
Kimberly, I’ve never been to Paris outside the airport {which is almost a destination in and of itself!} but I can’t wait to go one day. An apartment in the city sounds magical.
I’d like to travel everywhere and maybe live for a while in Europe–I would love to get ot speak French on a daily basis–but when it was time to settle down, I think I’d have to go to San Diego.
San Diego is amazing! So warm and beautiful and so much fun stuff to do. Good choice.
Paris- You would love it. I have a feeling! It’s only 4 hours from where we live and I was just there this weekend. Never, ever tire of it.
Hanoi, Vietnam or Taipei, Taiwan- the birth countries of our boys and oh-so-beautiful
Sanibel Island, Florida- SUN
Oh Kerry, I want so much to go to Paris. It’s going to happen soon, but man, it sounds amazing!
Vietnam looks beautiful, and my sister-in-law is from Taiwan. Awesome.
Let me know when you do :)
I already live in sunny South Africa…not many places to beat this lovely country but I would LOVE to stay in New York and experience the Big City…
Oh Yvonne, I’m so jealous. New York is amazing though too. Maybe we can swap trips?
It’s tough, I’d like to live somewhere with OLD buildings like centuries like maybe Scotland or Ireland. But New Zealand would be great to. But I’d still have to return to my house now, fourth generation to live in my house beats closets (we have 3 and none of them have a coat in them), garbage disposals (which we don’t have and won’t for the forseeable future), and rooms with weird dimensions (which we have an abundance of).
Ah! I forgot New Zealand and Australia on my list. Those are so at the top for me! But old houses have such charm though don’t they? It’s not reproducible either.
House Hunters Int’l. is only good for giving me a good case of wanderlust. Number 1 on my list is Norway. I’d be OK with just about anywhere in Europe, though. I could easily be talked into living in India, Japan, Australia, South Africa, or New Zealand, too. Eclectic, no?
Me too Leigh, me too. Oh Norway! My ancestors all lived thereabouts and I’d love to get there someday.
Listen, there are no limits to this exercise. I could probably be talked into living anywhere, and I love your list.
I love love House Hunters International. Number 1 for me is a small little condo on Seven Mile Beach in Grand Cayman. On top of that, I would like a farmhouse in Italy. Around Brescia or Bergamo would be fine…but I am not picky. :)
Lastly, I’ll keep my current house. Because the more I travel, the more I realize I live in a nice town in North Carolina on the beautiful coast, with mild temperatures and salty sea air. I can’t complain.
Alecia
Alecia, I’ve never been to Grand Cayman, but I’m taking your word for it.
You sound like you’ve got a pretty good gig going on where you are now, you’re smart to realize that now.
So fun to play pretend. :)
Norway in the summer. In a small cottage on the Island of Karmoy with jaunts to Oslo and Bergen.
Hawaii in the colder months. Or maybe Brazil–the northeastern coast. Lots of beaches.
Oh Lindsey now I want to go to the Island of Karmoy too!
Texas. I miss my homeland. ha.
But, I’d take a castle in France as my second choice. I never thought I’d pick Texas over a castle in France.
Did you really just admit that out loud? On screen, you typed it? You must be really homesick.
I’ve already lived a lot of places, but I’d go back to Galicia, Spain in a heartbeat. Buy a house off the beach and eat dinner with my family every night.
Can we make it happen now? PLEASE?
Don’t rub it in, you’ve lived my dream life already so I don’t feel super sad for you now. But I do imagine you digging clams for dinner and frying them up 30 minutes later, so I do wish for you to go back to Spain.
Without a doubt, Italy! A small little villa on a Tuscan hillside. Though I only went 2 years ago it seems like a lifetime! (What a fun question to think about!!)
I always dreamed of living on Prince Edward Island like Anne Shirley, reading the series again has sparked the old flame.though I wouldn’t mind testing out a bunch of different places for a year or two at a time, to see where I settle best. I’d start with Norway or Iceland, migrating south (maybe southern France) and being sure to stop in India and Asia before going the rest of the way way around the world.
I’d live in England, Southern Spain and Bali. I’ve never been to Bali, but an open air house full of teak furniture sounds divine.
I would go move to Alaska and live in my mom’s neighborhood until I was done having babies and my kids were a little bigger and I got over my jealousy of all my friends who can leave their children with their mothers and go do stuff. Truly.