Decorating with European Flair

"The ornament of a house is the friends who frequent it." Ralph Waldo Emerson

I've been searching for inspiration ideas that I can use to make my home have more of a European flair.  I understand that architecture styles and features are vastly different, and I do like modern and minimalist as much as I like the charm of the old world.  Is there a way to possibly mix them both? I think so!  And since I have not found much after hours on Pinterest, I've decided to write a list of the things I loved while living in Europe so I can refresh my memory and help myself focus at my task... this exercise may help you too, so read on!

Things I Love About European Decor:

1. Not everything matches!  In America we tend to want a furniture set, a bedroom set, everything has to match perfectly.  I have news for you, in Europe they tend to mix new pieces they love with pieces they have.  My friend Joana, who is a master at mixing and matching, applied the idea to her dinning china, every plate she owns is different, every tea cup is unique, and it works!!  She can pull it off, I hope you can do too.

2. Pieces with History:  Some pieces can be passed down from one generation to the next, and even though you may have a different taste than your grandmother, one separate piece can find a spot in your decor and you will even have a cool story to tell about it. 

3. Texture:  Because most places are old in Europe, you have many textured walls done with plaster, and the effect of a nice bright painting over an old wall is magnificent.  Old and new, keeping your history and looking into the future.  Isn't that what life is all about?  To try to recreate the effect,  check out the Ralph Lauren Polished Patina finish and you'll know exactly what I am talking about.

4. Small is O.K.: Most people wish for a bigger place.  Small can be wonderful too.  And bigger some times is just bigger (not better).  It's all about picking you pieces well and utilizing your space to the max.  Have you ever seen the terraces of European apartments?  The bottom one in the photo is at Piazza Navona, Rome.  Tiny but full of life!

5. The Magic is on the Details: Crown molding, a special fabric on a pillow, tussles, you can find beauty on the details for sure.  If you cannot afford a new sofa, maybe you can afford a new throw to embellish the piece.

I believe you should get a sense of peace and harmony when you step into your home....at least for one second before the kids start with "mom, I'm hungry!".

And that is all for today.  Arrivederci for now,

Small Little Victories

“A small daily task, if it be really daily, will beat the labours of a spasmodic Hercules.”  Anthony Trollope

The life of an Expat family is full of surprises.  Sometimes they are nice surprises, sometimes they are not.  At the end of the day one thing is a constant: change!  This summer it was my time for change.  Picking up all your belongings and moving them across oceans is no easy task but for us expats, it's just part of life.  I often get blank stares when I talk to non-travelers and I even get remarks like: "are you crazy!?" "how can you do this to your kids", "it must be so difficult!".  Truth be told, I've always enjoyed my moves, and thinking back on all the adventures I've experienced with my traveling family, I wouldn't change our lifestyle for any other. 

The post of today is all about settling in a new place.  The laws of settling-in apply exactly the same no matter where you go.  Since I just went through the process, or better yet, since I'm in the middle of it, I thought I would share one very important tip about moving to a new house.  Here it is:

"Small little victories"

Remember that phrase!  When you move, there's a million things you have to think about: school for the kids, vaccinations, registrations, shipments, boxes.  There is no planner big enough for the flood of tasks we have to face when moving to a new destination.  On top of it all, you don't have your "stuff", until you finally get it and with it comes the chaos of reorganizing a home for your family.  So, take it easy.  Choose one important task a day and tackle it.  If everything else falls apart in the mean time, fudgetaboutit! 

A couple of weeks ago, when I was overwhelmed with boxes from past lives and some from my latest life in Italy, I decided, eating was really important for my family so I forgot about everything else and concentrated on cleaning one side of the kitchen so I could have counter space on which to prep meals.  Maybe for you the "task of the day" is to have the desk space clean to be able to telecommute.  Maybe it's to schedule your internet connection so precisely that you will not be one second without an on-line presence.  Whatever it is, concentrate on one task at a time.  It will help you keep your sanity.  

Some days, just organizing one single drawer will feel like a victory, a small little victory.  And step by step, little by little, you will continue putting everything in its new place.  And like my friend Monica says, some days you just have to close the door and go for fresh air.

If you moved or are moving this year, I feel your pain.  If you have another tip that will help the expat community, please share it with us.  We'll certainly appreciate it!!

Arrivederci for now,

10 Things You Should Do BEFORE Moving to Italy

“Open my heart and you will see graved inside of it, "Italy".”  Robert Browning

Do you want to sell it all and move to Italy?   I've had the joy of living in Rome for the last few years and I am thankful for that amazing experience.  I still didn't realize the kind of pull Italy has on so many of us until last summer.  During a stay in Washington DC I took my sons to the Koshland Science Museum.  One of the interactive exhibits asked people to write down their biggest dream; as I browsed through the answers I was shocked to find so many entries about visiting, touring, and even moving to Italy.  I realized at that moment I was one of the lucky ones who was actually living the dream.  I also consider myself a realist and I know that even if you think you are living the dream, there are some days when you can have a nightmare or two...

Have you read the news about Italy lately?  You'll see words like "crisis, strikes, decline.."  What is that all about?  Italy is as wonderful as it is complicated, you can choose which side to dwell on, but you still have to live with both.

If you are visiting Italy (read this first!) you can concentrate on the beauty, the art, the wonderful cuisine and the wine.  But if you are moving there you do have to open your eyes completely and see the reality of the daily life.  Here are some pointers that will make your move a little less complicated:

1. Learn the language, learn the language, learn the language!  Your experience will be completely different if you can communicate and eventually meet local friends.  The Italian language is beautiful but its grammar is very complex.   Any time you put into it will pay off at the end.
2. Change your mind set.   Easier said than done.  Take the time to observe, and absorb the culture.   Read about it (I personally recommend "As Romans Do"by Alan Epstein), watch Italian films, get to know the local idiosyncrasies...  Do as the locals do (if you insist on finding eggs for breakfast you'll be disappointed, if you change to coffee and cornetto, you'll find yourself in the right place all the time!)
3. Be patient!  Everything happens at a different pace over there.  Slow down and enjoy the vino!
4. Make connections.  In Italy you're a stranger or you're family.  When you first get there you'll be a stranger, it takes time to make connections, start with your local market vendors, practice the Italian you've learned, be patient.  Try to go the same stores so the clerks recognize you and  you'll eventually become family.
5. Enjoy your surroundings, if you are having a bad day, go for a walk around town and it will remind you of the reason you moved there in the first place.
6. Look for a support group.  Find other expats in your city, they know what you're going trough and can help you when you hit a road block.
7. Take it easy!  Rome wasn't built in one day.  And your life in Italy won't be either.  Italian bureaucracy is known for being complicated beyond belief and just the fact of  moving can be very stressful, so take it easy!
8. Travel! Even after you settle in one city, there are 20 very different regions in Italy.   Venture out to the not-so-touristy ones.  See as much as you can, they are all wonderful!
9. Stop comparing!  There is nothing helpful about comparing your new life to your old one.  If you moved there with children, read this! One Easy Think you Can Do to Help your Kids Adjust to a New Culture.
10. Be patient!  The first year it's all about settling in, if you survive it you passed the test, you've made it! Every time after that will be a bonus.  

I hope these tips can help all the serious Italophiles have a better reality when they get to live the dream.

Arrivederci for now,

Making the Effort of Staying Connected

“We cannot live only for ourselves. A thousand fibers connect us with our fellow men; and among those fibers, as sympathetic threads, our actions run as causes, and they come back to us as effects.” Herman Melville

After having picked up my life and re-established myself in a different country enough times than I care to count, it almost feels I have lived several lives.  Every posting has had its good and not so good experiences, but they all have enriched my life.  The most rewarding experiences, however, have been the opportunities I've had to make friends along the way.

Which brings us to the topic of today's post: It's All About Connections.  I'm not talking about professional networking, which is extremely important in any field, but I'm more interested in the personal connections we've made with those whom we've crossed paths along this #expat #life.

Last week I read an interesting article on the cause of addiction, which suggested that the cure to substance abuse is far more attainable when working with addicts to help them find bonds with people instead of with drugs.  An interesting approach.  But if "bonding" with one another can affect us in such a way as to make us determine if our life is worth living -sober, what does this nomad life do to us?  Can leaving our friends every few years break the bonds we've created along the way?

All those who have relocated know the pain caused by leaving friends behind, but I want to believe that having lived my adult life moving around has forced me to make more connections throughout my life.  Some can argue these may be weaker connections than those made by a lifetime of being in one place, but I can honestly say I have friends spread out around the world.  No matter where life takes me next I can count on the fact that friends will put me in contact with their connections if it's not that I personally know someone already there. And if making bonds with people is so important, the more bonds you create the better off you'll be, right?

Staying connected today is a breeze compared to what it was in the pre-internet days.  But still, maintaining friendships with those who've entered your life takes time and effort.  We also have to take into consideration that it is our responsibility to help our children keep their connections, think about it as a duty you acquired when you signed them up for this lifestyle.  So make a point of visiting old friends when you go back home or when you travel. And what can be better than seeing someone again after a long hiatus and catching up?

Today I had lunch with an old friend, and let me tell you it has refreshed my spirits.  To all those who move around for a living, my humble advise is: make the effort, keep your connections.

Arrivederci for now,