Top 3 Challenges of Decorating a Home in Croatia

A first world problem indeed, but a problem nonetheless if you are into design and American aesthetics like me. Design fans, this post is for you!

Hey, I managed to get the same roof at least.

Selection

First let’s start with the selection. There are indeed lots of wonderful places to buy tiles and fixtures (not furniture). But they all cater to the very contemporary Italian aesthetic - think large format neutral tiles and clean lines. Both for bathrooms and kitchens. But my backsplash? I did manage to find smaller tiles for our backsplash and my tiler (love him truly for his perfectionism) commented “could you find smaller tiles?” I told him these were medium-sized by American standards. Like he cared.

These are not small tiles. Full stop.

So yeah, I know I am not in America so why should I find American style tiles and fixtures here? Duh! I know that, but it doesn’t mean I have mentally accepted it.

I did manage to find the best tile distributor in town through a friend (it’s always this way in Croatia). She works out of her house vs. a showroom (less overhead which means better prices). That’s one of the things I love about this house building journey. Finding unexpected gems like her.

Fixtures…same prob. Good luck finding attractive bathroom fixtures that have the hot and cold levers. So go with the single handled more modern ones in the end. But then there’s the price tag.

Prices

Nothing is cheap here. Sorry to break the news. I still look at sites like Wayfair and long for a local European branch. The UK one does not ship to the EU. Oh, speaking of the UK, never did I care so much that Brexit happened until trying to decorate my house. There are so many wonderful online home decor and furniture companies there, that I just wish I could turn the clock back a few years to make this happen. Yes, some do ship - woo hoo! - but many require you to book the shipping yourself so cha-ching! Not worth it I think.

Apparently I can order F&B via a Hungarian distributor, but not gonna happen.

So yes, access to the best of Italian, Spanish and Danish design, but for the most part this stuff is expensive. Europe just is. That’s the reality. Yes, there is IKEA and though I wanted to avoid, the new house will indeed have IKEA in it in the end. I just can’t justify some of the prices for closets for example, otherwise. Just going to get the nice custom doors I think. Oh, the horrors…yes, I hear myself.

Details

While building our house, my husband commented that every time I come by the site, I find something wrong. And yes ladies and gentlemen, after countless visits it still happens! Though now I try to hold it in and save for a more opportune moment.

Two things that leave me sleepless is the placement of electric boxes all throughout the house. First of all, there are soooo many and the way to hide them is not to put them high on the ceiling, but lower so you can put a picture over them - right?! When I asked for this, I just got deer in the headlights stares and ok we can, but are you sure? I will spend a small fortune devising ways to hide these metal aesthetic-ruining finger in my eye boxes. Yes, I want electricity, so there is that, but there must be a better way.

And then there are the hinges on doors. I will leave it at that, since my people will know exactly what I am talking about.

So, yeah, all in all a challenge, but of course one that I am happy to have despite this rant. Come to me with your own design dilemmas. I am all ears and of course eyes!