Houses in other countries (inspired by what baffles you about other countries)

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Inspired by the thread on things that baffle you in other countries, where quite a lot of the discussion related to homes in other countries, I thought it’d be interesting with a thread showing standard homes in different countries and some information about how choices have been made when it comes to their layout etc.

So here are two links to two different homes in Sweden. This one (you’ll get straight to a gallery with pictures and the layout is at the bottom) is a fairly typical house built in the 1970s:
www.hemnet.se/bostad/villa-6rum-rodeby-karlskrona-kommun-fasanvagen-6-17145055#gallery

There are several areas to sit outside, wooden decking areas. There is a large hallway, easy to store clothes and put away shoes. There are two lounges – very common, and normally desired, for families; one for the parents, one for children to have friends in etc. The kitchen was probably a room of its own in the 1970s, but it’s now more or less open to the lounge. There is a separate utility room, and a big storage room with a separate entrance (“förråd”). There is also an indoors storage room, “Klk”. There are bedrooms on the ground floor as well as on the first floor – this is very common, people like not having all bedrooms next to each other (so do I!). Sometimes when the children get older parents like to move downstairs and leave the upstairs to the children completely (including cleaning haha!). In this house, the downstairs bedrooms are kind of tucked away, but it is also common to have a bedroom literally inside the entrance door for example.

When this house was built and bought, the upstairs probably wasn’t ready – people would buy a house that was ‘half-done’ and then when they had saved more money they’d do the upstairs too. So there is no proper bathroom upstairs, just a loo; this is very unusual. (And usually, all bathrooms and loos are fully tiled – all new built houses always have fully tiled bathrooms and toilets, so this is a house that has not been renovated to what is now standard.)

It is also very typical that there are no doors to the lounge/hallway for example. I think that is one reason why Scandi people feel that English houses are so crowded/small/narrow, there’s no open space (even without expanding it would feel more airy if there weren’t doors to three rooms on the ground floor from a very narrow hallway, for example).

So people buying this house would probably fit a proper bathroom upstairs, for example. The downstairs looks quite ‘normal’ and ready to go.

This is quite a standard, recently built flat for families (in fact, it’s just being built, so there are options for the first buyer to choose between, different bathroom tiles for example).

www.hemnet.se/bostad/lagenhet-4rum-majorna-goteborgs-kommun-fixfabrikens-gata-4-17184735#gallery

Three bedrooms, two bathrooms, one of them also has a washing machine and a drier. Two balconies (this is unusual, one is standard), open plan living again. Quite a lot of cupboards/storage, including in the hallway and built in wardrobes in every room. Specific cleaning cupboard in the kitchen area. Big windows – really important, this is one thing I miss in England.

(Bedrooms are never presented as 'double' or 'single' - I don't know any 'child' living at home who had a double bed, and everything is measured in sq metres - it'd be pointless information for someone that a double bedroom, it doesn't say anything about the size, apart from the fact that it is at least 2x2 metres ;-) )

Would be really interesting to see a standard home in Italy/France/Spain/Ireland/the Netherlands for example and hear about the choices made there/what people like and want, I’ve never been in any :-)

I can post some homes in Denmark later on too if anyone's interested.

Great thread!! Place marking to come back later

Typical Nigerian homes: Big, normal size and one in the village or 'poorer' areas.

You'll find different types depending on the area you go. Interior decor also largely depends on personal preference but generally has a more traditional or modern-traditional or modern feel.

@Afromeg, is the yellow house at the bottom for one family, so to speak? It looks very different to me with three protruding parts, so almost like a row of terraced houses.

The brick one in the middle on your first post could have been a new build in Britain, it feels like, apart from the empty space in front perhaps.

Is the white house in the first post for 'super rich' people or just 'rich' people? To met it looks massive.

Yes the yellow one is a row of houses like an estate, sort of like this image.

Nigerian houses tend to look more like American houses in that they are generally spacious, except in lower income areas.

The massive one is actually just for the 'ordinary-rich', not the super rich or the elite. The super rich have ones that are much more flamboyant.

Sorry, the answer is no not for one family although one family could build something like this for different households or functions or something.

Interesting! Yes, it does like American. Are there massive American influences on culture in Nigera, like the UK (films/TV-series/music etc)?

Yes a lot but it's centered around the 'township'/urban areas and largely among the youth. People in the rural areas and/or the older generation (whether in the rural or urban areas) are still very much doing their own thing and there is a rich Nigerian cultural influence existing side by side.

Although, because most people 'go home' to their home towns and villages (where they're from, which is actually where their parents and grandparents were born) to build second family homes, these modern type feel can be seen in some rural areas too. The lifestyle and attitude is still largely different.

I love the Scandi decor - very airy, simple and always look uncluttered (even if it is filled with stuff).

I lived in San Fran for a short time, despite living in a very small flat it still had a utility room, the utility room was actually bigger than the kitchen. The closet/walk in wardrobe was also bigger than the bathroom. The bathroom had a bath but it was only really the size of a shower cubicle, so you could only use it for a small child.

@file in the first house, what’s the little white ? House in the garden? Is it a play house?

While not strictly about the house, I was that letters were put into a little post box at the front boundary of the property, not posted through letter box in the door. Anyone could have put their hand in to nick the post. It bothered me for ages, but I've got over it, especially as stealing post doesn't appear to be widespread.

I was also nervous about ground floor bedrooms, but have got over it.

Jesus. In Australia.

@Afromeg, I can imagine it being different in the countryside and bigger cities. I hope Nigerian culture won't be completely overtaken, sometimes it feels like Scandinavia is too overwhelmed...

@Coldhands... Yes, it's a playhouse! I hadn't noticed it myself.

@echt, That's so funny - the English variety with a 'hole in the door' is considered very unsafe by many Scandinavians. 'You put in a strong, safe door, and then you make a hole in it, to make it easier for thieves to get in and for people to start a fire..?' It's not great for energy either of course.

In Scandinavia it has become more common to have letterboxes with locks, so that there is just a small opening, and to retrieve the post you need a key to open it.

Are there other cultures that influence people in Scandinavia? Also, is there one 'original' culture or are there more?

There are many different cultures in Nigeria based on the different ethnic groups we have (and some are still fighting among themselves) so I doubt the country as a whole will ever get completely overtaken by western influence, although the influence can be pretty strong due to history and now with the rise of social media, technology, etc.

the English variety with a 'hole in the door' is considered very unsafe by many Scandinavians. 'You put in a strong, safe door, and then you make a hole in it, to make it easier for thieves to get in and for people to start a fire..?' It's not great for energy either of course.

I agree with this. LOL. A good way for your 'enemies' to leave "gifts" for you inside your home without ever needing access.

French homes amazed me. My mate’s Rural house had wooden shutters. My boss’s suburban house had metal shutters that came down like a shop. Bizarre. Huge basement, wine cellar etc.

Its a legal requirement in Denmark to have a postbox on the boundary of your land so the postman doesnt have to go trudging up all the driveways.

I love american houses that have a porch and a swing. Or sometimes a rocking chair.

Danes dont understand why Brits are always lining their curtains. I tell them its because we like to have sex with the lights on

Our house (close to the Alps) has metal shutters on the windows. Shutters are really useful in hot weather. In the morning you open everything up, let cool air in. Then as it gets hot you close the windows and the shutters on the sunny side. It makes a big difference in keeping the inside cool when it goes over 30 degrees. It is hot here usually for 6-8 weeks in summer. One year it was over 40 every day for 3 weeks. Not fun when you have to do the shopping, cook tea, hoover etc. No one has aircon in the house.

I’m from a different part of Sweden where most houses were built in wood and about 100+ years ago. They look like smaller versions of this house, most of them in red. www.hemnet.se/bostad/villa-rorsundaon-nacka-kommun-stenhuset-vikingshill-17114303

I love Scandinavian houses! I have a few Norwegian friends and have spent many a happy hour on their version of Rightmove I love the way that they make space for storage and somewhere to put your shoes, coats etc. Tiny hallways with no space for storage really piss me off. Also love the basements

I grew up in a house like this. I miss screamed in front porches and the sound of rain on a tin roof.
I’m not so keen on the McMansions that have replaced these old homes.

Screamed? Screened of course!

@Empressofthemundane

Screamed? Screened of course!

Are you in Australia?