The reason they don’t have a lot of carpet is due to one of your differences-they heat their floors not the air. Putting carpet over heated floors would make the heated floors less effective at heating the home.
I've been to the US and our cousin made got so angree if anyone made a stain on the carpet. Carpets are frequently ugly, dirty and bloody inconvenient. Who has time for that shit? In Norway we use loose rugs instead, hang it out in the summer or even winter to clean and just take it in when it's clean. No one has time to clean a carpet. It was fashion in Norway many years ago, faded from fashion very fast.
I live in the US and I can't stand carpet. It's not as fashionable as it used to be. Carpet is cheaper than wood floors and that's why I had carpet in a couple of rooms for a while and I finally was able to get it out!!
That is not the reason, carpet is disgusting, you walk outside and in the us most people keep their shoes on in the home, so you step in all kinds of gross stuff and then you walk inside and walk it all over the carpet, yuck!
No offense but your home sounds like a pig sty. You're complaining you don't have time to vacuum a rug at least once a week? Gimme a break. 😂😂 You're just lazy! Fwiw, WHY do you assume all rugs are dirty and stained? That's just bizarre. Ever think it's the company you keep? LoL. Seriously, you've got to get out more mate, that comment is worthy of a 15 year old. @@TullaRask
That seems to be the case with all the Nordic countries. They always land on the upper end of the world happiness scale. When I go there, they seem more content with life.
@@joe18750 They have everything they want and need, and they don't feel the need to show off their wealth. That's what she meant. It has nothing to do with being ambitious. You can be ambitious without being obnoxious (which is very popular in the US). There are some ambitious people living on the streets in the US...not everyone ''made it''. She probably wants to surround herself with sane, reasonable people who aren't constantly chasing something
My family has always removed shoes when entering the house. It probably comes from the type of work that was done outside the home. It's a habit I grew up practicing and I still practice it today. Most of the people I know consider it to be good manners to remove your shoes when entering someone's home.
Don't you DARE do that in my house I don't want your foot bacteria on my floors. And NOBODY I know removes their shoes and goes barefoot. You must be from the South.
@@huitrecouture I wear socks. I don't wear flip flops or sandals. I do not go barefoot and I bathe on a daily basis so my feet are clean so speak for yourself.
Im an Icelander in America, and I prefer the American walk-in closets, big fridge and big appliances. Also big beds and bedrooms. I’m keeping the separate duvets though and the hardwood floors 😁
Because of my indoor dogs, I finally got rid of the carpet and got stone look vinyl sheet flooring. Should've done this years ago. Accidents are a breeze to clean up 😊🎉
I have a ranch style house with big porches. In the late spring, summer and early fall we spend a lot of time outside hanging out or doing things in my stand alone 2 car garage with shop. Americans who don't live in the city want privacy and freedom. I am from Germany and there are all these considerations you have to make living with neighbors all around you. I can play music, watch movies at midnite with surround sound and do things without everyone knowing my business or being on the other side of a wall.
We have ten acres, 2 acres lawns and gardens, 8 acres natural woods. I would be miserable in an apartment. We grow so much of our vegetables, and I love gardening. You can’t see our home from the road which we like. Privacy is a blessing.
We started using separate comforters a long time ago due to medical needs. It was a game changer! It's one of the best things we did as a couple. No more fighting for blankets or one pushing the covers off while the other is pulling them up. I actually give that as my "marriage wisdom" comment for weddings. lol
Hi. I loved your comment. Do you still use a top sheet, or only bottom sheet and separate comforters? I might have to buy duvet covers to easily launder while keeping comforters clean. Thank you.
@@treasuringpricelesstime5962 I'm not Trish, but I'm in the US and my hubby and I finally switched to this a few years ago. And yes, it DID save our marriage, because hubby spins and cocoons while he sleeps, taking every bit of covers with him. Switching to this has let me sleep SO much better. It's hell when we go to a hotel and have to share covers now, lol. There's no "proper" way to do it; it's whatever works for YOU. We have the one bottom sheet covering the mattress, then ourselves, and then we each have our own preferred combo of sheets/blankets/comforters.
This. I need a weighted blanket to sleep, even in the summer. My fiance needs usually just a sheet, and a light blanket in the winter. We're both more comfortable now than we were when we tried to have one nice bed set.
When I was in Iceland in 2021, I was so impressed by how safe it felt. Everyone walks everywhere in the city centers and I didn't feel sketchy about being out after dark.
@@man0sticksAnywhere encased in poverty as well as overcrowded increases danger. Freedom means you have nothing to lose. If you have no home why would you care about imprisonment, same for food, same for possessions. When you work 2 full time jobs and can't make ends meet you might become resentful of the wealthy working less and receiving more. It doesn't matter where you are originally from
As a NYC resident, I visited Iceland in 1981 in late November (cheap flight). My memories are my Alafoss wool jacket, freezing all night in Hofn, and stopping all traffic in front of the Parliament because I was standing on the corner and drivers did not know which street I would cross. I was just taking pictures until someone asked which way. 😂
@@estebancorral5151 The freezing was because it was a hotel between a glacier and the ocean in November! The drivers were very courteous to stop all traffic whereas I would likely need to run across the street even with the "walk" in NYC. I enjoyed my trip and hope visit again but better prepared for environment.
I know the feeling. I wasn’t taking pictures but stoped at roundabout on motorway in England. I did not know how to leave it and make turn on the other side of the road. I dropped the rental next day and did not drive to the end of vacation. We used a public transportation and bought a day tours.
In Japan, everyone takes off their shoes when entering a home or school. It is being respectful. On my side here in the US, just super practical to cut down on all the grossness of the outdoors coming in and reduces my cleaning house work load!
I grew up in a house outside Boston, built in 1740'. Solid maple timber framed. Stone foundation. All original hardwood floors. It will easily be around 100 years from now.
Hope you still have your family’s home in your family. A friend of mine from England 🏴 showed me his family’s home build of stone in 1100’s. Very cool.
I live in a house outside of Boston that looks like what you describe, but it was built in 1994…because we’re still doing it just that way. Heh. And yes - easily another 100 years!
When stationed in RI, 68-70 Army not Navy, we lived in a home built in the 1830’s on a stone foundation, no mortar. With high winds it would sway. I looked up the address about a year ago it’s still standing and occupied.
I think most homes in Iceland are made from concrete and steel because they have no timber resources. Japan has a lot of earthquakes. They also get typhoons. They also have a lot of timber. Their wooden temples and homes have withstood earthquakes and hurricane winds for centuries. Wood is supposedly superior to reinforced concrete for earthquakes as it bends and sways with the shocks.
Yes; several of the differences are because It's. A. Volcanic. Island! Geothermal heat? check. No wood houses? Ummm what trees? Landscaping? Lava rock everywhere.
In Japan, many of the wooden temples you see today have been rebuilt over the centuries, sometimes more than once. There are still some older machiya style wooden houses in rural areas (or Kyoto is a good example) but they are a pain (and expensive) to renovate. New buildings in Japan are nearly always concrete and follow strict earthquake proof guidelines, I suspect in Iceland they have similar rules.
@@michellerutten4412 In Japan, strangely enough, tradition sometimes requires that they rebuild the temples after so many years. I'm not sure they even know why this is. Yeah, I subscribe to one of those living in Japan RUclipsrs and he did a couple of episodes on the disappearing machiya .
What a lot of ppl dont realize is that America is the size of all of western europe so we have many diverse terrains and climates and therefore building styles. Just in California alone we have deserts, 12000+ ft high mountain ranges, agriculturally lush valleys, the ocean, and rivers and lakes. We dont use brick in California due to earthquakes while it's regularly used in the south where hurricanes are common.
Everything described here is similar to the area around Stuttgart, Germany, where I lived in ‘92 and ‘93. I have to confess, I never got used to the aesthetic of Northern Europe. Except for the restored historic town centers, everything looked to me like a warehouse district or housing project. Combined with the perpetually overcast skies, I found it to be terribly depressing. I was so happy and relieved to get back to the ‘big skies,’ the lush greenery and wide open spaces of southwest Idaho.
I got to live outside the US for 4 years, what an eye opening experience. I was in the desert so not so civil as Iceland but the experience was life changing. I encourage everyone travel, it will make you life better.
@@nadogrl I lived in Sweden for 9 years. I loved a lot of the culture, but not all of it. I would say it opened my eyes to the moral dangers of socialism and its life-sapping effect on the people... At the same time, I developed a love of nature and camping and gardening. Also got to see snow in July and reindeer sleeping in the middle of the road :)
@@karensullivan7060 - Are you American? Sounds like a very worthwhile experience. As a lifelong Conservative, I didn’t really need any personal experience with socialism, and the dangers of multiculturalism. I live my life with common sense and logic, not emotion, unlike the Left. I have always wanted to see more of the world, with just a few experiences over my 70+ years. My 3 months in Western Europe, 10 years ago, were wonderful. Not sure I’d want to go back now, sadly…London was already getting scary, as were Paris, Marseille, and other areas of France, with armed guards at the train stations, etc. I had several dicey scenarios, but also met wonderful people from many, many places.❤️
@@karensullivan7060moral dangers of socialism and its life-sapping effect on people? lololol americans are ever so ‘self-aware’. visit the ghettos of Hollywood my friend
I live on a farm. I have tons of room outdoors, and I LOVE my flowers. My husband and I both enjoy planting and seeing the beauty around. Also we grow our own food.
I'd definitely like a smaller home. The problem with more space is you tend to acquire more stuff to fill it. You can't do that with smaller rooms. You optimize the storage spaces and have to prioritize functional items over space filling kitsch.
I have a 600 square foot home for me and my daughter and I absolutely love it. No carpet, only so much room to store stuff, and it doesn’t feel small to me. It’s perfect for us.
and more cleaning to do. I don't understand why Americans have so many bathrooms in their houses. it would annoy me having to clean 3 or 4 bathrooms. Generally here in Australia, you have a family/master bathroom and an ensuite
If the condos are made of concrete, you have good noise reduction from neighbors. That's one thing I don't like about apartment or cheap condo living here in California, are the thin walls, and/or wood between floors. I really don't like sharing walls with other people.
Thin walls, ugh--I agree. Years ago I moved into a newly built Apt. complex. It was very nice--and our next door neighbor was a middle-aged, quiet guy--never heard anything. After about a year, he moved out--and a couple moved in. EVERYTHING changed. This couple had frequent LOUD fights--lots of screaming and yelling, right on the other side of the wall--especially late at night when we were trying to sleep. We didn't live there much longer. That finished apartment living for me. We bought our own place, on a couple of acres out in the countryside. Now all I hear is bird song. ♥
Apartment (and "condo") living are manifestations of hell, because you can't avoid seeing, encountering, HEARING, or in any manner at all being affected by the assholes, and most people definitely are assholes, especially Americans.
@@windsongshfIf you had two previous years of tax returns you could have applied for an FHA loan with only 3% down. Unless you had too many gaps in your earnings history, a house could have been within your reach.
Wood is not necesarily too fragile for earthquakes and storms. There are very old wood buildings in Japan, a country on the "Ring of Fire" and in the path of typhoons. It's the design, not the material. It actually very interesting how they adapted their building to the hazards of the environment. Architects have studied the earthquake adaptations of Japan's old buidings to improve the earthquake proof designs.
In NZ we have wooden buildings that stand to earthquakes. I think Iceland does not build with wood as they can't grow the forests necessary to supply the wood.. Japan uses base issolators developed in NZ to stop buildings shake them seves to pieces in an earthquake
Actually concrete is more susceptible to earthquakes than are wood timber homes. Wood can flex with the earthquake concrete can’t. To use concrete in earthquake prone areas much more reenforcing steel is required.
As a general contractor, in Oklahoma, I can share that carpeting is much less common than hard surface. Oklahoma was an area that carpeting was common, but that has greatly shifted over the years. When we are asked for carpet its typically in a bedroom, but still less common
@@Bvct95 No most homes do not have hardwood floors. YOU get your facts straight. Hardwood floors are VERY EXPENSIVE not to mention, easily scratched. Only 'high-end' houses have hardwood floors using quality wood. Searching for houses at least here in Florida, I found tile to be one of the most common floor materials now. Carpet is going away due to the fact that it collects dust and causes allergies if not frequently steam cleaned.
A lot of what you described is similar in Japan. The washer and dryer are usually the same thing. Most people in Japan hang their laundry outside to take advantage of Mother Nature. In the winter, we use the heater, so we use the heat to dry the laundry indoors. There are other things you described that are similar in Japan. I'm an American, who has been living in Japan for almost 20 years. Thanks for your video.
From what I understand, the main reason to air dry is if you've got one of those washer/dryer combos, the loads are small, and the dryer is horribly inefficient, runs forever, and doesn't completely dry. You can continue on and wash more clothes if you line dry.
I am jealous of you in the best possible way living in Japan especially for that long! Greetings from a Japan lover in the Western North Carolina Mountains.
I lived in iceland for 1.5 years and in Germany for 2.5 years and I loved the roll down shutters over windows and sometimes the doors. They increased security, shaded the window, allowed for the window to be opened for ventilation yet maintain safety and privacy. Also, most American doors can be opened with a kick or sledgehammer. In Europe the doors, frames and locks are way more substantial.
In Florida, the majority of homes are built with cinder blocks to protect them from hurricanes. Although, I’ve experienced heated floors and what a difference between that and forced heat. However, having a small garden/backyard and my own garage is something I wouldn’t want to give up.
I’m in the Tampa Bay Area of Florida, and each area can be different. I’d say the majority of homes here are timber frame. In my block of six homes, not one is concrete block. In fact in my entire neighborhood I’d say maybe 10% are cinderblock. My house was built in the 50’s. The 2 new houses behind me, that sold for million each, are timber frame, as are all the new houses in my area. I’m guessing the big reason for timber frame homes is that the cost is much less. The biggest factor for homes Re.hurricanes is windows & roof & wall tie-downs, which the government now controls closely. Statistically The highest risk is in the panhandle, the next is Miami, like the Homestead hit, Tampa Bay has a 17% risk factor. Obviously the Fort Myers area is high risk, since it’s has had 2 hits in the last 15 years or so.
In the United States, houses are made of many materials. I own a property that is concrete block on the outside and wood frame on the inside tside. It is dead silent on the inside when the doors and windows are closed even though it is on a heavy traffic road. In this part of the country many houses are made of adobe block.
As a forever plumber with good bit of hydronic/radiant heating experience, I can tell you unequivocally, that is the way to go! The in floor stuff is especially great. Incredibly even, comfortable heat and silent if the boiler room is insulated. No dust getting kicked up, no stuffy noses etc etc. Go hydronic and you'll never go back 👍 okie dokie, that's the end of my sales pitch, have a better day Great little clip BTW, TY!
I would be very happy with a smaller but well planned functional home. One thing I loathe about my open concept home is that so much of it is unusable space. Love cozy rooms! ❤
Build in some walls. Or half walls, that go up 3 to 4 feet and leave the rest open. Then you have a place to put a sofa on one side and on the other one a drawer. You could even make the space up to the wall closed with a cute window. And of course you can just place half a wall in a space (or however wide or not wide you want it), or such parts on both sides. Just get inspired on the internet :) It's not so expensive, but it sure makes a lot of difference in feeling cozy. Of course you can also buy room divider furniture, like the Ikea Kallax system, or even a stylish paravent.
Separate duvets on the bed makes perfect sense. We've done that for years due to different body temperatures and not wanting to disturb the other when sleeping.
I produce heat "like a human furnace". My wife lives under multiple layers of blankets and is cold below 80F. She has Diabetes, and needs my body heat to be comfortable. Sometimes I wonder if she keeps me around as a free heat source, like a human geothermal source!
It’s a lot easier to heat a whole country with renewals when you have such a small country and small population.when you have a mega huge country like America, with so many different climates, you cannot compare it to iceland. I am British living in NZ but have been to America. It is a very beautiful country with wonderful people, great parks and wonderful homes. Of course there are always down things in every country but America houses, gardens, innovations for homes are to be admired.
We live in New Mexico where water is more precious, and I’m so happy to see more “lawns” shifting to xeriscaping. Watering lawns is such a waste of good clean water. Even when we lived to California (San Diego) people were starting to grow more gardens for food than for grass and flowers. The motto that many used was “water for food, not ornamentation”. Although, many just grow flowers among their veggies, some to help dispel certain pests.
Totally! I recently visited family in AZ and the aesthetic style of xeriscaping is very in line with the modern, simple, clean aesthetic of Iceland - although I don't think cacti would live here for very long! I also appreciate the sentiment about water for food, not ornamentation but I'll say that Iceland has an abundance of good clean water so it's usage doesn't need to be focused on conservation. Thanks for watching and sharing your thoughts!
Well, that’s nice but I live in Florida. It isn’t a semi dessert area. A lot of Florida is mid tropical to tropical so it isn’t difficult or costly to have a green lawn.
I think it would be great if they just stopped geoengineering the drought in SoCal. Then we wouldn’t have to worry about rationing water. But alas, disaster capitalism is the theme of the day.
I am from and I live in Uruguay, South America, but I traveled to Scandinavia twice, and there I learned about the advantages of removing your shoes at the entrance. When I married we adopted such a habit and we are more than happy with this.
There is also one very major difference between making noise and talking loud. I am Finnish in Texas. In Scandinavia, people respect neighbors and in apartment buildings and do not make noise as they do in the USA. Also, the smaller size of homes forces people to think about what they use and need. Here we just collect crap that is not even used. And the homes are kept much cleaner, one being a smaller home cleaning is faster than upkeep 3 story home. One of the reasons people in Nordic countries like apartment living is there is no need to wake up an hour earlier in the morning to shovel snow. No need to do yard upkeeping, or buy private playground equipment since there are common playgrounds.
One big issue that we have in the US that I think you probably don't have in the Nordic countries is that we have a "melting pot" of cultures here plus major urban centers with huge populations. The two combined makes for a LOT of noise. Also there are certain cultures where people tend to have a LOT of outdoor parties, loud music, getting drunk and shouting, etc. You don't see this in small towns in the US but go to a large city and you'll find it in abundance. When Europeans compare themselves to Americans, don't forget the cultural mixes we have and the issues those bring. Given that you're a Finn living in Texas, you've obviously experienced this issue although the reasons might not be as clear.
@minerran You are correct about large city noice, I lived in Houston. When I retired, I wanted a quieter environment. I moved to the boonies. Before closing for the house, I drove by multiple times and it seemed quiet. Was I surprised that the area that is mostly newly built started having huge parties. Parties with 20-30 cars parked criscros around, some kind of band playing music, on loud speakers, till 2 am. I do not speak Spanish but could clearly resite the words I heard, from 3 blocks away! I am lucky not to have to wake up any more early morning for work. I realized that the majority in this area are from South America. Hence, they are, as you stated, from a different culture. I asked once during these loud events from my neighbor if it was all the time this noisy, how can he sleep at all. He said he is used to it. 😀 Lately, it is most of the time very quiet, I believe HOA and the management company have changed. They are monitoring the lawn care, etc, monthly. Perhaps the loud parties 2 years ago were someone's attempt to make money during fading covid by selling alcohol and providing parties since there are far fewer parties anymore. I believe in motto "live and let live," but there is some common decency we all should practice. Sometimes, people just do not understand their behavior is disrupting for others since the majority accepts the behavior and do not raise an issue with it. One of the positives is the melting pot, the mix of cultures, music, food... I have also lived in Athens, Greece, some years and saw a very different culture already in there. Mostly, the mixture of cultures makes the environment more interesting, I do not expect people from different cultures to conform to my personal standards. But I wish people would remember that they have neighbors who have babies that need to get their sleep. Living in Texas gun culture, one must be careful. Just a couple of months ago, in some smaller community out of Houston, a man was drunk, shooting his gun around midnight. The neighbor had a small baby, and they had asked the man to quiet down since the baby could not sleep. The man had gone to the neighbor's house and killed 5 people with his gun, mainly women and children. They had already called the sheriff department much earlier, but nobody came, that itself is appalling. Even if Texas is a gun country, it is illegal to fire a weapon on the property to hunt, etc if the property is not at least 10 acres. Hence, we have to be careful who we are even asking to please quiet down.
The United States is huge, and a lot of the world does not realize that. What is common in the Midwest is not at all common on the east or west coast or even the deep south. You live in Texas, which is almost its own “country” and culture. I live in the San Francisco Bay area where small, older homes are the norm and people do not typically speak loudly.
A LOT of these comparisons are specific to US suburbs only. If you live in a city or more populated area it is very common for a family to live in a multi unit condo style home!
Exactly what I thought! Alsoooo, she seems to be kind of wealthy type of girl because lots of people can't even afford to live in a type of house she described.
I came here to say this too. I've seen a bunch of people contrasting "the US" to some other place as if the US is a monolith. Wealthy suburbs are not representative of the US as a whole.
It's also common in the suburbs of the US to have hardwood or laminate flooring amongst other flooring types. The only houses in the US with carpet floors anymore are families that can't afford to update their flooring. Carpet has been uncommon for decades.
I visited Iceland once ten years ago by flying Iceland Air to Europe from the US. You get the nice layover coming and going, that lets you see so much. Had a great little hotel, rented a car, dipped in The Blue Lagoon, went to so many waterfalls, explored Reykjavik with its many beautiful and unique buildings and churches. Highly recommend. There is no place on the planet quite like amazing Iceland.
We have wall to wall carpeting in our period home. Its cozy and beautiful. We wear slippers or socks inside , street shoes outside. Vacuum several times a week , professionally cleaned once a year.
I bought an Electrolux canister style vacuum cleaner in 1978 and it’s still working well. My mom had one and that influenced my decision and in her 90’s still uses hers. I also inherited my grandmother’s vintage Electrolux vacuum from the 1940’s and it also works well. It has a cloth bag so isn’t as convenient as that disposable ones so I use it to vacuum the vehicles. I broke a wheel and had it replaced and also replaced the hose , but the motor still works well. They tested the suction and it was still at the correct amount as when purchased. It was well worth the money. I did buy an upright from a well known brand that people told me would be easier on the stairs but the belt broke frequently and it didn’t operate in the fully upright position so shut itself off. It was so annoying that I gave it away.
As a Portuguese I can say that this type of construction is common in Europe. Here houses are rarely built with wood. In Portugal in the cities the buildings are very similar to those of Iceland, but in rural areas and smaller towns there are many villas with beautiful gardens. The landscape of Iceland is wonderful, but I find the cities a bit arid and sad without trees and gardens.
When the Vikings first settled in Iceland in 900 BC, most of the island was covered in birch forests. They were cut down to make room for sheep pastures. Since there is enough rainfall, Icelanders could easily reforest their land to make it look less barren. I wonder why they don't.
I live in the USA, we have a mix of tile or hardwood floors with large throw rugs in the common area. We always take our shoes off as well. I don't recall the last time I went to someone else's home and didn't take off my shoes. We bought a towel warmer for our bathroom and even have bidets in all our restrooms. I guess we're part European =-)
Very interesting. I was in Iceland in 1975 and my most enjoyable experience was the huge heated outdoor pool. It was foggy and cold, that December day and it was a hugely satisfying experience. I thought Iceland was special and a great place to live or visit.
The heated floors are probably one of the main reasons why the hardly have carpets. What you consider small (compared to US) is simply considered practical and reasonable in many parts of Europe. Many things in the US seem oversized (everything from fridge to cars) for many Europeans
I actually prefer my oversized home. We do have hardwood and quartz floors. I live in the south so heated floors would be a nightmare. Our house was built for efficiency. Our utilities bills are less than our previous house but we have double the square footage. My house is very energy efficient and each floor has its own temperature control. Just because it’s smaller and “efficient “ doesn’t mean it’s better. I would love to visit so many countries but it’s just not safe right now.
The refrigerators in the US are bigger because most of us cannot walk to an outdoor vegetable/meat market everyday. We have to stock up. Neighborhoods to city central are long distances.
It's the same in many other European countries that don't have floor heating. Wall to walk carpets is seen as unhygienic and the smaller kind often make a place look cluttered.
A couple of observations: When I was in Korea we had heated floors. They were fantastic and I have missed them ever since. A word of caution; they used charcoal briskets to heat the floors. These produce a lot of carbon monoxide. Make sure the heating system doesn't have any leaks. - I was in Germany for three years and lived on the economy. I really liked how their structures were built. Like you said; almost always concrete. Much better than how we build for a few different reasons. The disadvantage is cost of materials. - - I am also a fan of not wearing your 'outside" shoes in the home. Ideally I would like to have a "mud room". You step inside to a room where you take off your shoes and clean as needed. Dirty clothing is also removed. If you are dirty as well, there is a shower to wash all that garbage away and not bring it into the house/living area with you. Thanks for the view of what it is like to live in Iceland.
I'm married to a Japanese woman and she is the same. You take off your shoes before you come into the main house. She doesn't understand the mentality that Americans have sometimes about wearing the shoes you just got done walking thru mud, water, or snow, etc, and tracking it thru the rest of the house.
Re: your "mud room". In the UK that's called a "boot room". They were more common in larger, wealthier, houses. Some modern homes have these now, mainly in the suburbs or rural areas, and even have a proper changing area and a shower. I have built a small extension here at my casita in Spain. It has built in storage for your outside jackets, boots etc. but is minus a shower.
Ya, Korea, and maybe some other asian countries, are the only places that still use charcoal to directly heat their homes. In the US floors like that are heated with pipes running the home’s hot water through them all the time on a continuous hot water setup. Probably the same in iceland, heating the water with geothermal energy.
I know you're getting a lot of comments on the carpet issue. It really depends where in the U.S. you are. Unlike Iceland, the U.S. is a big country with a lot of variation in terrain and climate. Up in the Pacific Northwest where it's often cold and drizzly, carpet is extremely common as it's warm and people often take their wet/muddy shoes off when they enter their house. I learned this when living in Portland and Seattle. On the other hand, in the southwest carpet is much less popular. Many houses are made of adobe and even the ones made of wood tend to have saltillo floors, which are burnished adobe tiles. They keep a home cooler in hot temperatures, are low-maintenance, and last for a long time. They're super common in New Mexico, Arizona and southern California. In southeastern states, carpet can be found in bedrooms and hallways in some houses and is sometimes seen as a luxury or status symbol. I saw this a lot in Atlanta and Greensboro when I was there. Houses with central A/C and luxurious carpeting were popular among people with money. It really depends on where in the U.S. you go.
When living in a certain tropical Southeast Asian country the main concern was to keep the rain out and allow lots of air flow, never saw heated or carpeted floors.
I agree with this. I live in southwest Missouri, and here "nicer" homes have a combination of hardwood and carpeting, lushly carpeted bedrooms are the norm. No one I know takes off their shoes when visiting friends or family. I do not know ANYONE in my area who does not have central A/C. It would be considered strange or even inappropriate not to have central A/C here. It does vary so much.
@@seltzermint5 In the Houston area today 96F with humidity it feels like 112F. A/C is very common even if portable or window units. Only ones I am familiar with who remove their shoes are Asians including those on the Indian sub-continent, oh and my late friend Stan Rodman.
Thank you for noting this. I’ve lived in the US South, Southwest, and Northwest and I just returned from living in Asia for a decade. It always struck me how people outside the USA think the entire country is the same as the small bit they are familiar with. Not so! Very different housing styles in different parts of the country.
She’s described a very specific home in like the mid west or north east America. Almost all of the homes in Florida are made from concrete and none of them are carpeted.
Lived in Florida all my life. Homes are made from cinderblock and a lot of them are at least partially carpeted. There is a lot of ceramic tile and still some terrazzo but it is common to carpet bedrooms at the very least. It's a design choice really
Wait... are you actually high right now? I almost spat out my coffee. I live in Florida and 80-90% of homes are STILL carpeted. Because that is standard builder-grade materials. Real hardwood floors are still far too expensive for most homeowners in FL, so most non-carpeting options are either tile, laminate, or LVP. And most apartments are still wall-to-wall carpeting, except for kitchen and bathrooms. But yes, there is a modern trend where builders of newer apartment complexes have started install hard surface flooring. Mostly because over time, it saves them money after multiple renters damage the carpets, and the laws requiring them to be replaced every 5 years or so. So its just an economics thing, not necessarily for comfort or style.
Oh, and you have things backwards. In the northeast and midwest, its far more typical to have hardwood floors because the entire house is made of wood, including the subflooring. And putting tile on a wood subfloor is a disaster waiting to happen. In Florida, with concrete slabs, the cheapest option is to lay standard grade carpet down on all but the kitchen, bath and utility rooms. Concrete and tile floors get cold, yes, even in Florida. And not everyone wants to watch their young babies head get slammed down hard on a tile floor when they inevitably slip and fall the first couple of dozen times. Carpeting is warm, safe, and comfortable on the feet. Still is.
I want to visit Iceland sooo bad. Can’t get hubby on board. Right now plane tickets are very expensive. Will get there some day. Thank you for sharing info and pics
I worked for IKEA for over 28 years and traveled throughout Sweden and Scandinavia more times than I can count, in addition to traveling throughout Europe. Yes. Everything you have said is true. A couple of things that are also different are the bathrooms either being wet baths or having a squeegee for your shower. Also the use of candles throughout the home in the winter due to the lack of light. Only buying cotton sheets and not caring abuot thread count and only using the duvet (comforter) with a duvet cover but no top sheet. Minimal eating out and opting for having guests in your home instead. Thanks for sharing!
I have hardwood floors in the US and I would definitely return to carpet! It’s more gentle on the knees and more comfortable to walk around, warmer, and more child friendly. Plus I’d rather vacuum than sweep and mop my entire home. When I visited Iceland, I noticed a home with a yard of grass growing in their roof. Interesting!
Carpets are a breeding ground for bacteria, fungus, mites and pests like fleas. Many children suffer from allergies in a home that is fully carpeted. We had to remove carpets after my little boy just stayed sick.
For what it's worth, you can also vaccum wood floors. Mopping will still be necessary, but I find vacuuming my wood and tile floors to be much quicker and more effective than sweeping. I have cats, and live near a beach, and a broom just left too much pet hair and sand behind. I'll sometimes sweep out some corners and harder to reach areas before I vaccum. My home is under 1300 sqft so a small rechargeable stick vaccum if enough for my needs. I chose one with a detachable battery so that I can hang the vaccuum in my utility closet, and charge the battery elsewhere where I have an outlet.
I think carpets are becoming less popular here in the US. We only have them in our bedrooms. The main living spaces are hard flooring. But I'm definitely guilty on the huge manicured hard (Though I'm not a fan of grass and have limited space for that that's mixed heavily with clover). I'm a massive gardener so my soul died a little bit thinking of a place that I would have such a limited plant selection range. Though part of me that's a little insane was like "challenge accepted"
Yeah, having an outdoor garden bed is pretty difficult to maintain in Iceland. But, I try to incorporate indoor potted plants to keep some life in the home!
My awful hell-hole of building still has carpet in the 2nd and 3rd floor apartments, and they never clean them...even after living here for 14 years! I paid about 5 times now myself, it gets so gross, and I don't understand how none of my other neighbors have ever had theirs cleaned in the same amount of time?? 😮 Maybe it's just time for me to move or maybe this is just what happens when you live in a rent-controlled apartment taken over and run by an LLC of god-knows-who's from another country? 😅 I'll let you guess from where lol.
We got separate duvets after traveling to iceland and loving the nordic sleep setup. we sleep so much better now! we recommend it to everyone like zealots.
What you have described for Iceland holds true for most of Northern Europe. Countries develope their building stiles largely according to what was available. The U.S. was blessed with large amounts a forest. The invention of the logging industry and dimensional lumber meant that a private person with a saw and hammer and bucket of nails could build a house. Sears at one time sold whole house kits! The U.S. was also blessed with abundant energy sources.Unfortunately, the abundance has caused us often to be foolish with its use. I would bet tat an air-conditioner is a rare item in Iceland, but extremely necessary in many areas of the U.S. Our forced air systems have been rather wasteful in the past, but the newer furnaces are up to 98% efficient. I would agree that radiant heating systems tend to be more comfortable, however they do have some drawbacks: they do not humidify the dry winter air. Also, if you wake up in the morning to a chilly house, a hot air furnace can take the chill off in minutes. Radiant systems require hours to warm up. I 't think there is a right or wrong. You build for the climate. You also factor in initial costs against long term efficiencies,
> . . . radiant heating systems tend to be more comfortable . . . drawbacks: they do not humidify the dry winter air. Dry air during the winter is not a thing in well sealed homes. Dry air in the winter is due to massive air leaks. In my house I run the DE-humidifier through most of the winter to get the humidity down to 45% RH. Normal activities such as cooking, showering, watering plants, etc. puts more moisture in the air than is needed.
Educational. I liked it. Things my daughter and I noticed out on day trips. There are no big billboards along the highway, few powerlines & rare sightings of trash.
I think this is partly because of the wind - it can be too strong that billboards and powerline would fall right over 😂 and, despite high tourism levels, locals and travelers are generally very respectful of the surrounding environment.
A lot of what you mentioned are quite similar to what I have seen in Korea. I absolutely adore heated floors, and they are much more energy efficient than an HVAC. Korea, however, doesn't use dryers. So, you often find large, long patios, where the washing machine and cloth drying racks are located.
I live in the US and I could probably live without my dryer. I rarely use it. It shrinks everything, costs money to run, and it's just as easy to hang them on drying racks in my basement.
Excellent video! Visited Iceland 2 years ago and you’re spot on in your description! Loved the geothermal heating in the hotel…so neat! Beautiful places, beautiful people!
Your video was very interesting. Thank you for sharing! I think it's difficult to make generalizations about the typical American home style because it can vary from region to region.
I love Iceland. Landing there is like landing on the moon-the landscape is very volcanic. I lived in Norway for years (yes, I'm fluent). How homes are built there is very impressive. They're built to withstand very severe storms and hurricanes coming in from the North Sea. I experienced three hurricanes, and didn't board up anything. No preparations of any kind. Yes, small appliances are the norm in Norway too, very surprising for me as an American, but not an issue at all. The same with shoes: no outdoor shoes indoors, and the duvets are separate there too. However, there is landscaping since Norway is not volcanic. Great video, thanks!
@@vir2ohso it would depend on what type of heating was used to heat the floors and local codes. Want to be sure ask your local inspections and code enforcement folks.
I'm an American who has lived in New Zealand for 38 years. Many of the things you described were and are, in some instances, still true in New Zealand. I think the US is an outlier, not representative of most of the world at all.
@@Turtledove2009 lol which province is that? I came from an immigrant family and used to live in BC. We and basically everyone i knew took their shoes off when they entered a house.
I am sorry but I literally don't know anybody in US that doesn't take their shoes off at the door and over years we visited many, many homes. Many of us see slimy spits on a sidewalks, dogs peeing drunks peeing then we walk on it. My dog gets his feet washed too. I am not sure if I just run in different circles or is that some sort of regional habit of wearing dirty shoes inside the house.
I was in Iceland for 3 years back in the '70's and I can see that it has been modernized quite a bit. I remember the different color houses, bright colors. The story was to give it a uplifting look due to high depression rates in the long dark winters. We lived off base, in Keflavik, about 6 months and in the summer they were out mowing their lawns as late as midnight. I loved watching the northern lights and would keep curtains open to watch and would just be lulled to sleep. Do they still have the law that if you run down a sheep you have to pay for 3 generations? Maybe that was just to scare the yanks into slowing down on the road.
About the sheep. It's a quite common praxis in the more rural regions of Europe, that if you run down a sheep, or goat, you'll have to pay premium prices for the poor animal, because according to the peasant that owned it, it was their most loved, most productive and most valuable sheep/goat, and it would be impossible to replace no matter the cost, despite looking at the poor animal, even a layman could see it was nothing more than an old sack of bones, that was way past its heydays. 😂
No need to drive so sloppy as to murder the sheep. Probably Adults realized this law was necessary to prevent reckless deaths of others including humans.
Hi, I'm from Argentina and this video made me notice that houses in Iceland are quite similar to ours, with some exceptions: perhaps more standalone houses here but also many flats in big cities, with common parking spaces. If you don't have a garage at home, you rent one nearby (that's what I do). No different shoes for indoors, and as much landscaping as the area allows: not much in some parts of Patagonia, for example! I don't find the size of the houses shown in the video too small. In fact, smaller means less work, less maintenance, less clutter. But still comfortable.
I lived in Citibell when I was a kid. It was open space with houses. I have family in Dombosco. I loved my childhood in Argentina. Citibell, sadly is no longer the sleepy little town I remember 😢
@@carolynhoover9444 Did you? City Bell is a neighbourhood of my city, La Plata. It's still beautiful but you're right, it's not a sleepy little town anymore. It has its own commercial area and everything else they went downtown for in the past. Even its own hotels and theatres.
I could appreciate heated floors in the winter (in southeast U.S.). And also, I grew up in Tennessee and we always took off our shoes when we entered the house. It really helps keeps your floors and carpets cleaner, without bringing dirt and germs throughout the home.
I live in New York City - you definitely want to take your shoes off at the door here in New York City, after riding the subways and walking the dirty sidewalks. This is a great city, but the streets are not very clean with millions of people using them every day.
Agree no outdoor shoes in the house. Either wear slippers or have designated sneakers for wear only indoors. Have specific shoes for garden. Many cultures do not wear outdoor shoes in the home. If you have carpet, outdoor shoes bring into your carpet dirt, debris of what ever you stepped in ugh. Also have boots for rain that can be wiped clean. Americans need to adopt the no outdoor shoesin their homes. What about if you have a crawling baby or toddler as well.
The thing that gets me with Iceland is how colorless it is. It would make me depressed living in a place that was all grey, black and white. There aren't even any flowers or trees to take away that desolate feeling.
When I look at the masses of my native flowers, shrubs and trees from my gardening endeavors in Massachusetts, the look of bleak Iceland is painful. I love the "cultivated" wild look outside my home compared to my neighbors' sterile, synthetic, preened landscaping with their utterly pointless pesticide-laden lawns the size of a lacrosse pitch! This will be the way of "landscaping" of the future if USA can get its act together.
@@lanialost1320 , that's why so many people love the beautiful USA, there are so many beautiful mountains, water falls, forests. Sorry to bust your bubbles, let's say there is a problem in getting the materials needed to use in a county that sits on a volcano and seismic plate and can't get it, well the fear is tremendous. Isn't Iceland the country that a volcano erupted where all the people that could escape did, making sure they did not forget their wallet/phones, BUT LEFT ALL THEIR ANIMALS BEHIND? Not surprise that it's an AMERICAN BORN THAT IS MAKING VIDEOS HOW BETTER OTHER COUNTRIES ARE, AMERICA BAD...., WHY DON'T YOU ASK THOSE ICELANDERS IF THEY HATE THEIR COUNTRY? I CAN BET YOU THEY WON'T.
@@Dee-so3byI gave you a thumb up for making a point about them leaving their animals behind. No way I would leave my dog behind. I would get into a physical fight just to get my dog go with me.
I've visited Iceland and I loved it. There may be no trees but the landscape is dramatic and as for Reykjavik, the main street is very colourful. It's wel worth a visit.
Many Icelandic houses are painted in different colors to add some color to the landscape. I'm not saying that that replaces flowers and trees, but it is not as colorless as you're implying. It's also one of the most beautiful places on Earth. That's undeniable.
Went to Iceland 6 years ago and this is what I found: --immensely freeing since few, if any, guardrails or signs of warning, so just use your own common sense to not drive off the road ramp or step into the rushing water at the top of the waterfall --had a beach all to ourselves for an entire weekday afternoon --Icelanders spoke of "the nature" and were true outdoor lovers --natural and free beauty as the pesticide free landscape changed with every 30 minutes of travel --artistic sculptures and paintings on buildings in Reykjavik for an artsy flair --humour "if it's above 4 degrees Celcius then the patio is open" hahaha (40 F for U.S .friends) --a soft language with many "shhh" sounds and unlike any other with my favourite letter looking like a little helicopter! Greetings from Ontario, Canada
😂 I did break down the word “geothermal” in my head and thought “hmm must be easier when you live on a volcano”. But what do I know? It’s June in the south with a 100 degree heat index. I don’t need heat most of the year so….
I see her 'comparisons' as just pointing out what's different and why. There's no element of 'comparing' in terms of evaluating what's good and bad or implying that Americans should be using geothermal energy to heat their homes. So she is indeed comparing apples and oranges and is quite right to do so.
@@trustmemysonisadoctor8479 Yeah - I saw all the fronzen homes in Texas when you had a cold-spell. We use geo-thermal in Norway without a volcano in sight, but Iceland have used it in some form for centuries- we have just started.
The shift from carpeting to hardwood or engineered flooring in Canada has taken place in older homes mostly in renovations in the last 10 years or so. Newer homes mostly use engineered flooring, real wood or ceramic tile according to how much money you spend. A very interesting and educational video and insight into other cultures and customs! 👍👍👍👍
Vinyl plank wood flooring too. Easy up keep. Waterproof & good if you have dogs because does not show scratches. Cheaper than actual wood or engineered woods. That is what we have & the engineered wood is splintering. Shedding it's surfaces all where there is wood? We do not have pets or wear shoes w hard soles. The floor is about 12 tears old. We are not original owners. I read there are different types of engineered wood. Probably my flooring is a cheaper one. Builders in this complex did lots of cheap stuff. The complex is about 16 years old & people are replacing roofs at costs of $20,000 up to $35,000!!
Like you already mentioned several times most of the things you listed are very common for other European countries as well. For example where I'm from, Germany, most apartments are very small and we also take our shoes off before we enter our or someone else's home. It just feels weird to walk around in your street shoes when you're at home. Funny thing is German people are crazy about their gardens. Many people that have their own garden plant their own fruits and vegetables and believe me they taste so much better than the stuff from the supermarkets. Also I think it's actually more of a Germanic/Nordic thing for double beds to have seperate blankets because as far as I know countries like France or southern European countries don't have two seperate blankets there's only one
I lived in Iceland for a few months, many many years ago. I loved it. I lived in Germany just prior so the change wasn't that great. I found there was a marked difference between how the girls treated me and how the guys treated me. The girls were much friendlier.
Northwestern Spain is the same way. Small apartments, super small appliances. The refrigerators are so small you have to shop almost everyday, that’s why the markets can’t be closed 2 days in a row. When most of your family is over 6’ and the washing machine being super small and no driers, laundry can be a challenge. But all that is nothing compared to the challenges my 6’1” daughter and her 6’4” husband face living in Japan. But they love it there.
A minor point: The term “condo” refers to the arrangement of ownership; it’s not a style of home. Quite often, we think of a condo as an apartment or flat, but it could be the complete ground/first floor, or second floor, of a two-story building; a semi-attached house; or a townhouse. A multi-story building can contain apartments or condos; it all depends on whether the units are rented or owned.
I lived in a condo-style apartment. I had both floors to myself. I miss that place but it had some issues the owners refused to ever improve properly. It also didn't have washer and dryer hookups in the unit and having to go to another building on another floor to do laundry was such a hassle.
I've never been to Iceland but I've visited some of the Azore Islands that had homes landscaped in a similar way. A much warmer climate but built on an old volcano and most everything has to be shipped or flown in. It's paradise.
I lived in Reykjavik for 3 years and loved my apartment. Granted I lived in one of the nicest high rises in the city so I was spoiled. I loved the stove tops and how they just made more sense.
In the US the trend for using carpet is virtually gone. At least in the southern states. It’s mostly ceramic tile or hardwood. Carpet is typically for bedrooms but even that is not as common now.
I grew up without carpeting and am not a fan. It's funny how things changed and though I felt out of place growing up It's no problem now. I chose an apartment that had no carpeting then they updated and put it in which I didn't like. Then the rent went up. Subsequently I moved away. I feel that I am in the wrong Country. USA.
US carpeting and padding industry exploded due to plastic fabrics that didn’t wear as poorly as natural cottons and wools which were once the expensive but beautiful art for your floors.
@@estebancorral5151 I grew up in a home of 7 people...1 bathroom. I raised my two through to their adulthoods in a small house with 1 bathroom. It can be done.
@@charq52 yes, it can be done. However, it is not worth the familial vexations. I am 100% frugal, but not a cheapskate. A family should not be modeled after a state penitentiary. Otherwise you have an ensemble of relatives used to Pavlovian conditioning.
I found this very interesting. I live in South Wales, UK and live in a small terraced house. I'd miss being able to dry my washing outdoors if I didn't have my own garden and I do like gardening as well but that's because we are used to being able to. My Mother used to have her washing machine in her bathroom, because that was the only place she had room for it. My Daughter and her partner use seperate duvets and I wish I had gone down that line instead of buying king size.
I lived in Ireland for 7 years… cold damp cement cramped apartment surrounded by other small damp cramped depressing cement apartments-flats… moved back to USA… love love love my large comfortably roomy well heated in the winter not damp well cooled in the summer house with outstanding showers-water pressure… beautiful deck… roomy yard… lovely grass… trees.. 2 car garage… finished basement with Gunn wine room and large screen movie theater…. Yeah I love my house… to each their own
Just wanted to point out that the heating in Iceland is 100% geothermal (close to it) in Iceland when the room is to hot you open a window but don't bother with the radiator. In my life I've never experienced a cold damp home, that might be an Irish thing.
I lived in the US for 10 years, Horrible pokey, badly built, cramped flats, constant leaks, nothing worked, mould everywhere, cost a fortune and the landlords threatened you constantly, finally moved back to Ireland to a beautiful huge house with tons of space and real materials instead of all the fake painted crap and plastic in the US, and we can actually drink the water.
This explains why I enjoyed Iceland so much - my home looks a lot like yours with the clean lines. Currently in the US carpeting is encountered less often, I have lovely tile floors which stay cool in our desert climate. Thanks for a great video.
As an American, I love having all the individual space we have. I like having our own yard, large rooms, appliances, etc. I would love if we adopted the leave your shoes by the door thing though. ;)
You missed a huge point. For home, business, and swimming pool heating the water is piped out of the ground and then "cooled" so as not to damage the distribution system. It is that hot. It is very easy to severely scold yourself in a shower if you fail to turn the hot water off first. I once got trapped between a stream of scolding water and the shower wall. A stick or pole of some fashion is often kept in reserve to turn hot water off from a safe distance when there is no cold water running also. Forty years ago carpet was common on floors. It is illegal to "not" pick up hitch hikers that are away from town centers. This is for the safety of the hikers. Crime is so low that it is common for Icelanders to leave babies alone outside in a stroller while parents shop inside. Also, it is common for Icelanders to leave their cars running when eating at a restaurant. Patrons to bars in Iceland typically don't start arriving until midnight. Single women are encouraged by the government to have children as part of an effort to build up the population base. Food is extremely expensive. A pack of uncooked bacon can easily cost $20 or more. Alcohol is expensive also.
@@CarriUSA Just to have children. Iceland is so desperate for children that they are now allowing African Americans to live in Iceland. Previously African Americans were not allowed in Iceland. Part of the deal that the Iceland government had with the USA to allow a military base (technically called the "agreed area") in Iceland prohibited the US from stationing black service men and women in Iceland. Icelanders are even adopting foreign black babies now.
Way off subject here but I would like to know what happens to bodies after death (human and animals) there? .. seems there wouldn't be space for endless cemeterys, so is cremation more common .. or do they throw them into the ocean? 🤔
I found this extremely interesting and informative overall. I could see myself living in Iceland or Denmark quite easily. I think I would easily adapt to the different design types without many issues. Thank you for opening my eyes to something quite new and different.
@@rfarevaloand to think that people actually fight over who has the right to live in a particular piece of desert. Iceland is a tropical paradise in comparison 😂
I was in Iceland 3 days last month on my way back to Canada from Amsterdam. I just hung out in Reykjavik because I had very little time and it was my first time there. But i loved it andd will return Amazing people, amazing country!
Awesome to hear! There is so much beauty to explore and experience outside of the city! Be sure to check out my website for all the planning resources you'll need! ~ icelandwithaview.com/
Thank you for sharing how people live in Iceland- it sounds so much more community oriented. We are a U.S. family that prefers to live in an apartment ( not in NYC) people think we are very odd in the U.S. We like knowing our neighbors, spending no time on taking care of landscaping (but at the same time, we are part of a community garden so spend time in nature that way) and being able to walk to lots of parks, shops, etc…I do like the separate Icelandic duvet system - never heard of that before. It’s super practical so no nighttime struggles for the blanket with your partner -LOL. Thanks again-
As a gardener who loves large spaces inside and out, I couldn't live there. The designs to me are cold, austere, unwelcoming but that's just me 😊. I do however love the idea of geothermal heating, esp the towel rack! Ikea's designs always strike me as cold and cheap but expensive! Btw, the little one in the garage is SOOOOO ADORABLE 😍❤🎉. Blessings from Ontario Canada 🇨🇦🎉
I’m own a furniture business and ikea is like bottom of the barrel, I am now requiring clients to only bring me wood, no furniture that has to be assembled
I agree with you -- cold, austere, unwelcoming -- and as a member of New York's Central Park Conservancy, I will add I could NOT live in this ugly place with NO trees!!! .... no bushes .. no large lawns .... no "Great Lawn" as in New York City's Central Park or "The Long Meadow" in Brooklyn's Prospect Park. No way.
For us country folk, for gardens, we need a machine that takes rock and makes dirt. And as for concrete, mad scientists to figure out how to cold melt rock.
@@paul-wq2rd This makes me want to NEVER visit Iceland. Horrible. I love gardens and lawns and trail hiking in the woods. Iceland seems barren and empty.
Just returned from 3 weeks in Iceland. Your videos were very helpful in planning our trip. We feel in love with the country and are hoping to spend lots more time there. Would love more videos about daily life and emigration. We were very surprised to find the hostel, camping area along with the sports complex, stadium, and botanical gardens in Reykjavik. So beautiful and well done. How about a video on that?
I don't know I bought a small house. And use these tactics because it is a small house. My family is from Norway though so I see the colors and styles are similar. All except outside gardens, Norway and Sweden's gardens are gorgeous. After supper the whole family would get up for a walk and tour the gardens in the neighborhood.
I live in sunny Australia I have only seen snow twice but I am fascinated by other cultures and climates and how people adapt thanks for sharing your Icelandic home with me.
I just discovered the chanel from Cecilia Blomdahl. She lives in Svalbard near the North Pole, it's fascinating and her house is gorgeous with spectacular views. You should check it out!
Wow I could easily live here, especially not hearing loud mowers & leaf blowers all summer & fall. Also, I like what you said about lack of frilly word plaques on walls, like Home-sweet-home. These make me nauseous.
The biggest change I am seeing in America is in hotel rooms. Hotels are switching to laminate wood-like floors. The rooms are cleaner. They are also removing bedspreads. Even expensive hotels are going minimalist. The less softscape in a hotel, the better. What an interesting channel.
❤ Crazy, i have a huge Refrigerator inside in the kitchen plus i have a Deep Freezer and a 2nd frig in my garage.. Funny thing is family always complains that there's never anything to eat..🙄
A residential remodeling contractor here working in the Houston, TX area. Rare to find a single family home built from cinder block or concrete in this area, wood frame is very common. Thirty plus years ago carpeted floors were common the last twenty the shift was towards hard surfaces, the last time we installed carpet was five years ago and the time before that maybe ten years before that. Heated floors in this area are also rare, last installed one around ten years ago and the woman who had it installed under the bathroom tile was from Norway. The environment and available materials typically dictate how a structure is to be built.
I'm from south Europe. A part from the shoes off in the entrance, the rest of points are exactly the same here. In Europe we don't have big fridge or big kitchens as in the USA
Most of the Icelandic things are pretty much shared across Europe. Geothermal heating is very Icelandic though. The individual duvets are common in the other Nordic/Scandi countries and also in Germany. One item missing from the list is Reykjavik, like most European cities is incredibly walkable.
As the owner of a carpet cleaning business, I respectfully disagree with the idea that everything is carpeted in the US. In the last 10-15 or so years the move from carpet to hard flooring has been massive. Carpet may be slightly more popular with elderly ones, that’s our main residential client now, over 75 year olds. Hardwood, vinyl plank and laminate dominate the flooring options in the north and tile dominates the flooring choices in the south. Rugs are more of a thing here for sure, though. Probably because underfloor heating is a luxury, not the standard.
It has been many years since I have been to Iceland but I had several friends there. When I was there the homes were individual with nice yards and a decent size floor plan. Very modern and minimal but high quality and very comfortable. The biggest thing I remember was the shower was the bathroom with a drain in the middle of the floor. I was waiting for you to mention that but I am guessing that the newer homes have actual showers now. Love Iceland, like nowhere else on earth.
Nice video. I will say that taking your shoes off in the house has always been a mixed bag in the US and the practice of taking your shoes off when you enter a home is much more prevalent now. All of my circle of friends do this.
I've been seeing more apartments as well as houses doing more hard floors. Ppl who have allergies need flooring to help keep dust and dander under control. I like that it helps make spills easier to clean up.
I lived in Iceland in 1973/74 as my first duty station in the US Navy. I lived on the base near Keflavik (which is closed now). I was in a small room in the barracks with 2 other women who worked a completely different schedule than me. It was awful. The amenities for military personnel were almost non-existent which should have been much better because there wasn't a lot to do on the base, especially for shift workers. I visited Reykjavik a few times and saw the types of homes that you spoke of. After Iceland, I lived in Spain for 3 years then Japan for another 3 (then the US after that). So I saw Nordic, European, and Oriental lifestyles and homes. It was all an incredible experience. But I don't think I could have lived in Iceland longer than the year I was there.
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The reason they don’t have a lot of carpet is due to one of your differences-they heat their floors not the air. Putting carpet over heated floors would make the heated floors less effective at heating the home.
I've been to the US and our cousin made got so angree if anyone made a stain on the carpet. Carpets are frequently ugly, dirty and bloody inconvenient. Who has time for that shit? In Norway we use loose rugs instead, hang it out in the summer or even winter to clean and just take it in when it's clean. No one has time to clean a carpet. It was fashion in Norway many years ago, faded from fashion very fast.
I live in the US and I can't stand carpet. It's not as fashionable as it used to be. Carpet is cheaper than wood floors and that's why I had carpet in a couple of rooms for a while and I finally was able to get it out!!
That is not the reason, carpet is disgusting, you walk outside and in the us most people keep their shoes on in the home, so you step in all kinds of gross stuff and then you walk inside and walk it all over the carpet, yuck!
No offense but your home sounds like a pig sty. You're complaining you don't have time to vacuum a rug at least once a week? Gimme a break. 😂😂 You're just lazy! Fwiw, WHY do you assume all rugs are dirty and stained? That's just bizarre. Ever think it's the company you keep? LoL. Seriously, you've got to get out more mate, that comment is worthy of a 15 year old.
@@TullaRask
And heat rises, so you wouldn't want carpet blocking this from happening😊
It all sounds very sane and practical. No one trying to out do another, just living a good life. I like that.
That seems to be the case with all the Nordic countries. They always land on the upper end of the world happiness scale. When I go there, they seem more content with life.
I feel claustrophobic just thinking about it
So, you like to surround yourself with people who aren't ambitious. OK.
@@joe18750 They have everything they want and need, and they don't feel the need to show off their wealth. That's what she meant. It has nothing to do with being ambitious. You can be ambitious without being obnoxious (which is very popular in the US). There are some ambitious people living on the streets in the US...not everyone ''made it''. She probably wants to surround herself with sane, reasonable people who aren't constantly chasing something
@@vkdrk ambitious people that live on the street? lol. how revealing. you're not a serious minded person, not close.
If you don't have space, it's good to be content and grateful for what you do have in life!!
So very true ❤
Amen
I do look forward to being with God in Heaven.
So true
Well, most Europeans are not so terribly overweight, so their space needs are different.
My family has always removed shoes when entering the house. It probably comes from the type of work that was done outside the home. It's a habit I grew up practicing and I still practice it today. Most of the people I know consider it to be good manners to remove your shoes when entering someone's home.
it cut the floor clean work by more than half. it helped in Canada that most of our friends were Japanese, but still, it makes sense everywhere.
Definitely a thing in Michigan.
Don't you DARE do that in my house I don't want your foot bacteria on my floors. And NOBODY I know removes their shoes and goes barefoot. You must be from the South.
@@huitrecouture I wear socks. I don't wear flip flops or sandals. I do not go barefoot and I bathe on a daily basis so my feet are clean so speak for yourself.
From Canada 🇨🇦 always shoes off
Im an Icelander in America, and I prefer the American walk-in closets, big fridge and big appliances. Also big beds and bedrooms. I’m keeping the separate duvets though and the hardwood floors 😁
Thank you for sharing Johannah! 😊
I bought my house ripped out all the carpet!
I loved the separate duvets! That started my husband and I having our own blankets.
Because of my indoor dogs, I finally got rid of the carpet and got stone look vinyl sheet flooring. Should've done this years ago. Accidents are a breeze to clean up 😊🎉
This is a smaller percentage than most people realize. Also, majority of housing in the US are built like adult tree houses made of vinyl
I like how you get right to the point and don't have a lot of fluff in the beginning of your video and really all throughout. Very nice.
Thank you! I'm so glad you enjoy!
I have a ranch style house with big porches. In the late spring, summer and early fall we spend a lot of time outside hanging out or doing things in my stand alone 2 car garage with shop. Americans who don't live in the city want privacy and freedom. I am from Germany and there are all these considerations you have to make living with neighbors all around you. I can play music, watch movies at midnite with surround sound and do things without everyone knowing my business or being on the other side of a wall.
No vegetable gardens?
We have ten acres, 2 acres lawns and gardens, 8 acres natural woods. I would be miserable in an apartment. We grow so much of our vegetables, and I love gardening. You can’t see our home from the road which we like. Privacy is a blessing.
@deemariedubois4916 I would too. I need good fences and good neighbors
I have 25 acres in the Appalachian mountains and nearest neighbor is 6 miles, and Love it.
Private space is the best thing money can buy.
We started using separate comforters a long time ago due to medical needs. It was a game changer! It's one of the best things we did as a couple. No more fighting for blankets or one pushing the covers off while the other is pulling them up. I actually give that as my "marriage wisdom" comment for weddings. lol
Lol now think how much heavier you gonna get when you sleep in separate beds ) .. even better in separate rooms,
Hi. I loved your comment. Do you still use a top sheet, or only bottom sheet and separate comforters? I might have to buy duvet covers to easily launder while keeping comforters clean. Thank you.
@@treasuringpricelesstime5962 I'm not Trish, but I'm in the US and my hubby and I finally switched to this a few years ago.
And yes, it DID save our marriage, because hubby spins and cocoons while he sleeps, taking every bit of covers with him. Switching to this has let me sleep SO much better.
It's hell when we go to a hotel and have to share covers now, lol.
There's no "proper" way to do it; it's whatever works for YOU.
We have the one bottom sheet covering the mattress, then ourselves, and then we each have our own preferred combo of sheets/blankets/comforters.
@@treasuringpricelesstime5962 - Here in Southern California we use separate duvets, so no top sheet.
This. I need a weighted blanket to sleep, even in the summer. My fiance needs usually just a sheet, and a light blanket in the winter. We're both more comfortable now than we were when we tried to have one nice bed set.
When I was in Iceland in 2021, I was so impressed by how safe it felt. Everyone walks everywhere in the city centers and I didn't feel sketchy about being out after dark.
🙌
If the south side of chicago were populated entirely by Icelanders, you would feel totally safe there also.
Well, it's walking among one big family 😱
@@man0sticksAnywhere encased in poverty as well as overcrowded increases danger. Freedom means you have nothing to lose. If you have no home why would you care about imprisonment, same for food, same for possessions. When you work 2 full time jobs and can't make ends meet you might become resentful of the wealthy working less and receiving more. It doesn't matter where you are originally from
Homogeneous populations work that way
the washer/dryer (and sometimes one machine that does both) are in the bathroom because that's where the plumbing piping is located for easy hook up.
As a NYC resident, I visited Iceland in 1981 in late November (cheap flight). My memories are my Alafoss wool jacket, freezing all night in Hofn, and stopping all traffic in front of the Parliament because I was standing on the corner and drivers did not know which street I would cross. I was just taking pictures until someone asked which way. 😂
Freezing all night describes NYC, along with people shouting obscenities, and public urination.
@@estebancorral5151 The freezing was because it was a hotel between a glacier and the ocean in November! The drivers were very courteous to stop all traffic whereas I would likely need to run across the street even with the "walk" in NYC. I enjoyed my trip and hope visit again but better prepared for environment.
🤡🤡🤡
@@estebancorral5151???
I know the feeling. I wasn’t taking pictures but stoped at roundabout on motorway in England. I did not know how to leave it and make turn on the other side of the road. I dropped the rental next day and did not drive to the end of vacation. We used a public transportation and bought a day tours.
In Japan, everyone takes off their shoes when entering a home or school. It is being respectful.
On my side here in the US, just super practical to cut down on all the grossness of the outdoors coming in and reduces my cleaning house work load!
The outdoors is soooo gross, esp in America!!! Yuk!
I grew up in a house outside Boston, built in 1740'. Solid maple timber framed. Stone foundation. All original hardwood floors. It will easily be around 100 years from now.
Hi Kevin! I knew a Kevin Mack who is a hair dresser in Newton! His full name is McNamara.
@@lorrainemagarian2677 All us Irish are family 😄.... But I take Zero ownership of Kevin McCarthy...
Hope you still have your family’s home in your family.
A friend of mine from England 🏴 showed me his family’s home build of stone in 1100’s. Very cool.
I live in a house outside of Boston that looks like what you describe, but it was built in 1994…because we’re still doing it just that way. Heh. And yes - easily another 100 years!
When stationed in RI, 68-70 Army not Navy, we lived in a home built in the 1830’s on a stone foundation, no mortar. With high winds it would sway. I looked up the address about a year ago it’s still standing and occupied.
I think most homes in Iceland are made from concrete and steel because they have no timber resources. Japan has a lot of earthquakes. They also get typhoons. They also have a lot of timber. Their wooden temples and homes have withstood earthquakes and hurricane winds for centuries. Wood is supposedly superior to reinforced concrete for earthquakes as it bends and sways with the shocks.
Yes; several of the differences are because It's. A. Volcanic. Island! Geothermal heat? check. No wood houses? Ummm what trees? Landscaping? Lava rock everywhere.
Just visited Hida, they used to lash timber together which allows buildings to sway with the earthquake.
Thatched straw roofs
Nah. The same goes for Scandinavia (few wood building nowadays) which have plenty of timber.
In Japan, many of the wooden temples you see today have been rebuilt over the centuries, sometimes more than once. There are still some older machiya style wooden houses in rural areas (or Kyoto is a good example) but they are a pain (and expensive) to renovate. New buildings in Japan are nearly always concrete and follow strict earthquake proof guidelines, I suspect in Iceland they have similar rules.
@@michellerutten4412 In Japan, strangely enough, tradition sometimes requires that they rebuild the temples after so many years. I'm not sure they even know why this is. Yeah, I subscribe to one of those living in Japan RUclipsrs and he did a couple of episodes on the disappearing machiya .
What a lot of ppl dont realize is that America is the size of all of western europe so we have many diverse terrains and climates and therefore building styles. Just in California alone we have deserts, 12000+ ft high mountain ranges, agriculturally lush valleys, the ocean, and rivers and lakes. We dont use brick in California due to earthquakes while it's regularly used in the south where hurricanes are common.
Everything described here is similar to the area around Stuttgart, Germany, where I lived in ‘92 and ‘93. I have to confess, I never got used to the aesthetic of Northern Europe. Except for the restored historic town centers, everything looked to me like a warehouse district or housing project. Combined with the perpetually overcast skies, I found it to be terribly depressing. I was so happy and relieved to get back to the ‘big skies,’ the lush greenery and wide open spaces of southwest Idaho.
Definitely cannot blame you one bit …. NW WY
Agree. The Netherlands is the best because they stick to their gorgeous historic architecture
Amen, grew up in Idaho
I hear ya about the weather...!!!
You just described Regensberg, Bayern, Deutchland.
I got to live outside the US for 4 years, what an eye opening experience. I was in the desert so not so civil as Iceland but the experience was life changing. I encourage everyone travel, it will make you life better.
In what way were your “eyes opened”? How did it change your life?
@@nadogrl I lived in Sweden for 9 years. I loved a lot of the culture, but not all of it. I would say it opened my eyes to the moral dangers of socialism and its life-sapping effect on the people... At the same time, I developed a love of nature and camping and gardening. Also got to see snow in July and reindeer sleeping in the middle of the road :)
@@karensullivan7060 - Are you American? Sounds like a very worthwhile experience. As a lifelong Conservative, I didn’t really need any personal experience with socialism, and the dangers of multiculturalism. I live my life with common sense and logic, not emotion, unlike the Left. I have always wanted to see more of the world, with just a few experiences over my 70+ years. My 3 months in Western Europe, 10 years ago, were wonderful. Not sure I’d want to go back now, sadly…London was already getting scary, as were Paris, Marseille, and other areas of France, with armed guards at the train stations, etc. I had several dicey scenarios, but also met wonderful people from many, many places.❤️
@@nadogrlat least no kids die in school shootings there
@@karensullivan7060moral dangers of socialism and its life-sapping effect on people? lololol americans are ever so ‘self-aware’. visit the ghettos of Hollywood my friend
I live on a farm. I have tons of room outdoors, and I LOVE my flowers. My husband and I both enjoy planting and seeing the beauty around. Also we grow our own food.
I am jealous you grow your own food us flowers. That seems great.
Nice!
I'd definitely like a smaller home. The problem with more space is you tend to acquire more stuff to fill it. You can't do that with smaller rooms. You optimize the storage spaces and have to prioritize functional items over space filling kitsch.
You are not able to have a lot of stuff because china and crystal are destroyed in your first earthquake.
Smaller homes are also probably easier and cheaper to maintain.
You've just put your finger on the whole reason for the USA's existence - waste lots of materials and use lots of energy driving around collecting it.
I have a 600 square foot home for me and my daughter and I absolutely love it. No carpet, only so much room to store stuff, and it doesn’t feel small to me. It’s perfect for us.
and more cleaning to do. I don't understand why Americans have so many bathrooms in their houses. it would annoy me having to clean 3 or 4 bathrooms. Generally here in Australia, you have a family/master bathroom and an ensuite
I took a solo trip to Iceland a few years ago and fell in ❤ with the separate duvets. It was the first thing i changed when i got back.
If the condos are made of concrete, you have good noise reduction from neighbors. That's one thing I don't like about apartment or cheap condo living here in California, are the thin walls, and/or wood between floors. I really don't like sharing walls with other people.
Thin walls, ugh--I agree. Years ago I moved into a newly built Apt. complex. It was very nice--and our next door neighbor was a middle-aged, quiet guy--never heard anything. After about a year, he moved out--and a couple moved in. EVERYTHING changed. This couple had frequent LOUD fights--lots of screaming and yelling, right on the other side of the wall--especially late at night when we were trying to sleep. We didn't live there much longer. That finished apartment living for me. We bought our own place, on a couple of acres out in the countryside. Now all I hear is bird song. ♥
Apartment (and "condo") living are manifestations of hell, because
you can't avoid seeing, encountering, HEARING, or in any manner
at all being affected by the assholes, and most people definitely
are assholes, especially Americans.
I don’t like condos so I don’t have that problem
@@judyperri9496 In some areas, you have to be pretty wealthy to have your own house. We got out of So. Ca. for that reason!
@@windsongshfIf you had two previous years of tax returns you could have applied for an FHA loan with only 3% down. Unless you had too many gaps in your earnings history, a house could have been within your reach.
Wood is not necesarily too fragile for earthquakes and storms. There are very old wood buildings in Japan, a country on the "Ring of Fire" and in the path of typhoons. It's the design, not the material. It actually very interesting how they adapted their building to the hazards of the environment. Architects have studied the earthquake adaptations of Japan's old buidings to improve the earthquake proof designs.
Thanks for watching and sharing your insight!
Yes, wood can move with the ground movement. Just like an old oak will break in a storm, and a sapling will bend.
The reason is probably that they simply don’t have trees in Iceland!
In NZ we have wooden buildings that stand to earthquakes. I think Iceland does not build with wood as they can't grow the forests necessary to supply the wood.. Japan uses base issolators developed in NZ to stop buildings shake them seves to pieces in an earthquake
Actually concrete is more susceptible to earthquakes than are wood timber homes. Wood can flex with the earthquake concrete can’t. To use concrete in earthquake prone areas much more reenforcing steel is required.
As a general contractor, in Oklahoma, I can share that carpeting is much less common than hard surface. Oklahoma was an area that carpeting was common, but that has greatly shifted over the years. When we are asked for carpet its typically in a bedroom, but still less common
Get your facts correct. Most homes now have hardwood floors. And 3 or 4 story homes are not common
I don’t want any carpet in my house except little area rugs, like the front door. Carpet is hard to clean and it gets stinky.
Bed bugs made a comeback. Carpet not a good idea
I am a carpenter with a pest control applicator certificate
@@Bvct95 No most homes do not have hardwood floors. YOU get your facts straight. Hardwood floors are VERY EXPENSIVE not to mention, easily scratched. Only 'high-end' houses have hardwood floors using quality wood. Searching for houses at least here in Florida, I found tile to be one of the most common floor materials now. Carpet is going away due to the fact that it collects dust and causes allergies if not frequently steam cleaned.
Came here to say this... I haven't seen carpeting in a while.
A lot of what you described is similar in Japan. The washer and dryer are usually the same thing. Most people in Japan hang their laundry outside to take advantage of Mother Nature. In the winter, we use the heater, so we use the heat to dry the laundry indoors. There are other things you described that are similar in Japan. I'm an American, who has been living in Japan for almost 20 years. Thanks for your video.
From what I understand, the main reason to air dry is if you've got one of those washer/dryer combos, the loads are small, and the dryer is horribly inefficient, runs forever, and doesn't completely dry. You can continue on and wash more clothes if you line dry.
I am jealous of you in the best possible way living in Japan especially for that long! Greetings from a Japan lover in the Western North Carolina Mountains.
I lived in iceland for 1.5 years and in Germany for 2.5 years and I loved the roll down shutters over windows and sometimes the doors. They increased security, shaded the window, allowed for the window to be opened for ventilation yet maintain safety and privacy. Also, most American doors can be opened with a kick or sledgehammer. In Europe the doors, frames and locks are way more substantial.
I guess that's beneficial for some, I don't lock my door so... security not really a concern
Agreed! I love the German windows although I’ll admit it took me awhile to figure them out 😂
Add to that, in Scandinavia/Island, the doors open outwards and not inwards...
Tobbi11--That's unthinkable where I live.
I haven’t yet met a single Tourist/Visitor of Iceland who didn’t absolutely love it & in many cases return more than once.
In Florida, the majority of homes are built with cinder blocks to protect them from hurricanes. Although, I’ve experienced heated floors and what a difference between that and forced heat. However, having a small garden/backyard and my own garage is something I wouldn’t want to give up.
I’m in the Tampa Bay Area of Florida, and each area can be different. I’d say the majority of homes here are timber frame. In my block of six homes, not one is concrete block. In fact in my entire neighborhood I’d say maybe 10% are cinderblock. My house was built in the 50’s. The 2 new houses behind me, that sold for million each, are timber frame, as are all the new houses in my area. I’m guessing the big reason for timber frame homes is that the cost is much less. The biggest factor for homes Re.hurricanes is windows & roof & wall tie-downs, which the government now controls closely. Statistically The highest risk is in the panhandle, the next is Miami, like the Homestead hit, Tampa Bay has a 17% risk factor. Obviously the Fort Myers area is high risk, since it’s has had 2 hits in the last 15 years or so.
@@janetpattison8474most of the changes to building standards and preferences happened after hurricane Andrew.
Not cement block any more.
The Texan above you wrote the exact same post word for word as you🤫
In the United States, houses are made of many materials. I own a property that is concrete block on the outside and wood frame on the inside tside. It is dead silent on the inside when the doors and windows are closed even though it is on a heavy traffic road. In this part of the country many houses are made of adobe block.
As a forever plumber with good bit of hydronic/radiant heating experience, I can tell you unequivocally, that is the way to go! The in floor stuff is especially great. Incredibly even, comfortable heat and silent if the boiler room is insulated. No dust getting kicked up, no stuffy noses etc etc. Go hydronic and you'll never go back 👍 okie dokie, that's the end of my sales pitch, have a better day
Great little clip BTW, TY!
Floor heating is enviromental good, save energy.
The ancient Romans knew it, too! Look up the Roman hypocaust heating system.
I would be very happy with a smaller but well planned functional home. One thing I loathe about my open concept home is that so much of it is unusable space. Love cozy rooms! ❤
Build in some walls. Or half walls, that go up 3 to 4 feet and leave the rest open. Then you have a place to put a sofa on one side and on the other one a drawer. You could even make the space up to the wall closed with a cute window. And of course you can just place half a wall in a space (or however wide or not wide you want it), or such parts on both sides.
Just get inspired on the internet :) It's not so expensive, but it sure makes a lot of difference in feeling cozy.
Of course you can also buy room divider furniture, like the Ikea Kallax system, or even a stylish paravent.
I'm really happy with our open floor plan, combining kitchen, dining and living areas. When I'm cooking, I still want to participate in conversation.
Is that so? It sounds that someone is tired of cleaning up a big house.
Start using different types of space dividers.
I use Japanese rice screens....it makes a difference 😊
@@estebancorral5151 I have cleaners, so NO.
Separate duvets on the bed makes perfect sense. We've done that for years due to different body temperatures and not wanting to disturb the other when sleeping.
I produce heat "like a human furnace". My wife lives under multiple layers of blankets and is cold below 80F. She has Diabetes, and needs my body heat to be comfortable. Sometimes I wonder if she keeps me around as a free heat source, like a human geothermal source!
@patriot9455 Love Is... sharing your body heat. ❤
It’s a lot easier to heat a whole country with renewals when you have such a small country and small population.when you have a mega huge country like America, with so many different climates, you cannot compare it to iceland. I am British living in NZ but have been to America. It is a very beautiful country with wonderful people, great parks and wonderful homes. Of course there are always down things in every country but America houses, gardens, innovations for homes are to be admired.
So true. This American thanks you for your insight.
I live in the US, am european, and I agree.
Thank you!
Not raised ranches. Ugh!
Actually there are only two Icelanders per square-kilometer. So the country is very large compared to the size of the population.
We live in New Mexico where water is more precious, and I’m so happy to see more “lawns” shifting to xeriscaping. Watering lawns is such a waste of good clean water. Even when we lived to California (San Diego) people were starting to grow more gardens for food than for grass and flowers. The motto that many used was “water for food, not ornamentation”. Although, many just grow flowers among their veggies, some to help dispel certain pests.
Totally! I recently visited family in AZ and the aesthetic style of xeriscaping is very in line with the modern, simple, clean aesthetic of Iceland - although I don't think cacti would live here for very long! I also appreciate the sentiment about water for food, not ornamentation but I'll say that Iceland has an abundance of good clean water so it's usage doesn't need to be focused on conservation. Thanks for watching and sharing your thoughts!
@@IcelandwithaView o
Well, that’s nice but I live in Florida. It isn’t a semi dessert area. A lot of Florida is mid tropical to tropical so it isn’t difficult or costly to have a green lawn.
I think it would be great if they just stopped geoengineering the drought in SoCal. Then we wouldn’t have to worry about rationing water. But alas, disaster capitalism is the theme of the day.
I live by the river. We don't have that problem. Things are quite green here and I don't recall ever seeing anyone water their lawn.
I am from and I live in Uruguay, South America, but I traveled to Scandinavia twice, and there I learned about the advantages of removing your shoes at the entrance. When I married we adopted such a habit and we are more than happy with this.
There is also one very major difference between making noise and talking loud. I am Finnish in Texas. In Scandinavia, people respect neighbors and in apartment buildings and do not make noise as they do in the USA. Also, the smaller size of homes forces people to think about what they use and need. Here we just collect crap that is not even used. And the homes are kept much cleaner, one being a smaller home cleaning is faster than upkeep 3 story home. One of the reasons people in Nordic countries like apartment living is there is no need to wake up an hour earlier in the morning to shovel snow. No need to do yard upkeeping, or buy private playground equipment since there are common playgrounds.
I like painting and gardening. Shovel though oof
One big issue that we have in the US that I think you probably don't have in the Nordic countries is that we have a "melting pot" of cultures here plus major urban centers with huge populations. The two combined makes for a LOT of noise. Also there are certain cultures where people tend to have a LOT of outdoor parties, loud music, getting drunk and shouting, etc. You don't see this in small towns in the US but go to a large city and you'll find it in abundance. When Europeans compare themselves to Americans, don't forget the cultural mixes we have and the issues those bring. Given that you're a Finn living in Texas, you've obviously experienced this issue although the reasons might not be as clear.
@minerran You are correct about large city noice, I lived in Houston. When I retired, I wanted a quieter environment. I moved to the boonies. Before closing for the house, I drove by multiple times and it seemed quiet. Was I surprised that the area that is mostly newly built started having huge parties. Parties with 20-30 cars parked criscros around, some kind of band playing music, on loud speakers, till 2 am. I do not speak Spanish but could clearly resite the words I heard, from 3 blocks away! I am lucky not to have to wake up any more early morning for work. I realized that the majority in this area are from South America. Hence, they are, as you stated, from a different culture. I asked once during these loud events from my neighbor if it was all the time this noisy, how can he sleep at all. He said he is used to it. 😀
Lately, it is most of the time very quiet, I believe HOA and the management company have changed. They are monitoring the lawn care, etc, monthly. Perhaps the loud parties 2 years ago were someone's attempt to make money during fading covid by selling alcohol and providing parties since there are far fewer parties anymore.
I believe in motto "live and let live," but there is some common decency we all should practice. Sometimes, people just do not understand their behavior is disrupting for others since the majority accepts the behavior and do not raise an issue with it.
One of the positives is the melting pot, the mix of cultures, music, food... I have also lived in Athens, Greece, some years and saw a very different culture already in there. Mostly, the mixture of cultures makes the environment more interesting, I do not expect people from different cultures to conform to my personal standards. But I wish people would remember that they have neighbors who have babies that need to get their sleep.
Living in Texas gun culture, one must be careful. Just a couple of months ago, in some smaller community out of Houston, a man was drunk, shooting his gun around midnight. The neighbor had a small baby, and they had asked the man to quiet down since the baby could not sleep. The man had gone to the neighbor's house and killed 5 people with his gun, mainly women and children. They had already called the sheriff department much earlier, but nobody came, that itself is appalling. Even if Texas is a gun country, it is illegal to fire a weapon on the property to hunt, etc if the property is not at least 10 acres. Hence, we have to be careful who we are even asking to please quiet down.
You will own nothing and like it.
The United States is huge, and a lot of the world does not realize that. What is common in the Midwest is not at all common on the east or west coast or even the deep south. You live in Texas, which is almost its own “country” and culture. I live in the San Francisco Bay area where small, older homes are the norm and people do not typically speak loudly.
A LOT of these comparisons are specific to US suburbs only. If you live in a city or more populated area it is very common for a family to live in a multi unit condo style home!
She doesn’t seem to consider San Francisco where wooden Victorians have weathered earthquakes and offshore winds for years.
Exactly what I thought! Alsoooo, she seems to be kind of wealthy type of girl because lots of people can't even afford to live in a type of house she described.
USA is huge. Not so with countries of Europe.
So variations of living styles in the USA are many.
I came here to say this too. I've seen a bunch of people contrasting "the US" to some other place as if the US is a monolith. Wealthy suburbs are not representative of the US as a whole.
It's also common in the suburbs of the US to have hardwood or laminate flooring amongst other flooring types. The only houses in the US with carpet floors anymore are families that can't afford to update their flooring. Carpet has been uncommon for decades.
I visited Iceland once ten years ago by flying Iceland Air to Europe from the US. You get the nice layover coming and going, that lets you see so much. Had a great little hotel, rented a car, dipped in The Blue Lagoon, went to so many waterfalls, explored Reykjavik with its many beautiful and unique buildings and churches. Highly recommend. There is no place on the planet quite like amazing Iceland.
Awesome. Most Americans have never left USA soil
@@karlabritfeld7104it's because we are poor....not the "wealthiest country" like the government tries to tell us we are.
@@melissatrick9324 The wealth was supposed to trickle down, but that was a Hollyweird-production.
Same! We had a weekend layover on our way to Norway years ago, and it was a really lovely visit.
@@karlabritfeld7104 Out of the 100's of people I know currently...I don't know any who have not traveled out of the US...
We have wall to wall carpeting in our period home. Its cozy and beautiful. We wear slippers or socks inside , street shoes outside. Vacuum several times a week , professionally cleaned once a year.
That is so cool that you have an Electrolux stove! I work for the Electrolux group in USA. Thank you for your purchase. Wishing you the best.
I bought an Electrolux canister style vacuum cleaner in 1978 and it’s still working well. My mom had one and that influenced my decision and in her 90’s still uses hers. I also inherited my grandmother’s vintage Electrolux vacuum from the 1940’s and it also works well. It has a cloth bag so isn’t as convenient as that disposable ones so I use it to vacuum the vehicles. I broke a wheel and had it replaced and also replaced the hose , but the motor still works well. They tested the suction and it was still at the correct amount as when purchased. It was well worth the money. I did buy an upright from a well known brand that people told me would be easier on the stairs but the belt broke frequently and it didn’t operate in the fully upright position so shut itself off. It was so annoying that I gave it away.
As a Portuguese I can say that this type of construction is common in Europe. Here houses are rarely built with wood. In Portugal in the cities the buildings are very similar to those of Iceland, but in rural areas and smaller towns there are many villas with beautiful gardens. The landscape of Iceland is wonderful, but I find the cities a bit arid and sad without trees and gardens.
Totally agree. We stayed at a place near the airport in the largest city and It. Was. SAD. And BAREEN. I’d get depressed bug time.
@@esssee9386 "Bug" time, you say ????
Houseplants might help augment that “barren” feeling. The weather might drive people indoors much of the time, anyway.
I love the blue tile work from the Moores in Spain and Portugal.
When the Vikings first settled in Iceland in 900 BC, most of the island was covered in birch forests. They were cut down to make room for sheep pastures.
Since there is enough rainfall, Icelanders could easily reforest their land to make it look less barren. I wonder why they don't.
I live in the USA, we have a mix of tile or hardwood floors with large throw rugs in the common area. We always take our shoes off as well. I don't recall the last time I went to someone else's home and didn't take off my shoes. We bought a towel warmer for our bathroom and even have bidets in all our restrooms. I guess we're part European =-)
Yes I like both but my own is hardwood I use soft sturdy rugs and it looks good long-term less cleaning.
I would love a towel warmer !!
Traveling throughout the Nordic countries started my obsession with cabin socks. Warm, cozy, and grippy so I don't slippy!
Very interesting. I was in Iceland in 1975 and my most enjoyable experience was the huge heated outdoor pool. It was foggy and cold, that December day and it was a hugely satisfying experience. I thought Iceland was special and a great place to live or visit.
The heated floors are probably one of the main reasons why the hardly have carpets.
What you consider small (compared to US) is simply considered practical and reasonable in many parts of Europe. Many things in the US seem oversized (everything from fridge to cars) for many Europeans
Good point about the carpets! Thanks for watching and commenting!
I actually prefer my oversized home. We do have hardwood and quartz floors. I live in the south so heated floors would be a nightmare. Our house was built for efficiency. Our utilities bills are less than our previous house but we have double the square footage. My house is very energy efficient and each floor has its own temperature control. Just because it’s smaller and “efficient “ doesn’t mean it’s better. I would love to visit so many countries but it’s just not safe right now.
The refrigerators in the US are bigger because most of us cannot walk to an outdoor vegetable/meat market everyday. We have to stock up. Neighborhoods to city central are long distances.
It's the same in many other European countries that don't have floor heating. Wall to walk carpets is seen as unhygienic and the smaller kind often make a place look cluttered.
@aspenenglish4976 you must not want to visit the USA. It's unsafe!
A couple of observations: When I was in Korea we had heated floors. They were fantastic and I have missed them ever since. A word of caution; they used charcoal briskets to heat the floors. These produce a lot of carbon monoxide. Make sure the heating system doesn't have any leaks. - I was in Germany for three years and lived on the economy. I really liked how their structures were built. Like you said; almost always concrete. Much better than how we build for a few different reasons. The disadvantage is cost of materials. - - I am also a fan of not wearing your 'outside" shoes in the home. Ideally I would like to have a "mud room". You step inside to a room where you take off your shoes and clean as needed. Dirty clothing is also removed. If you are dirty as well, there is a shower to wash all that garbage away and not bring it into the house/living area with you. Thanks for the view of what it is like to live in Iceland.
I'm married to a Japanese woman and she is the same. You take off your shoes before you come into the main house. She doesn't understand the mentality that Americans have sometimes about wearing the shoes you just got done walking thru mud, water, or snow, etc, and tracking it thru the rest of the house.
Charcoal "briskets", huh? Were they charcoal "corned beef brisket?" Or perhaps you meant charcoal briquettes?
Re: your "mud room". In the UK that's called a "boot room". They were more common in larger, wealthier, houses. Some modern homes have these now, mainly in the suburbs or rural areas, and even have a proper changing area and a shower. I have built a small extension here at my casita in Spain. It has built in storage for your outside jackets, boots etc. but is minus a shower.
Ya, Korea, and maybe some other asian countries, are the only places that still use charcoal to directly heat their homes. In the US floors like that are heated with pipes running the home’s hot water through them all the time on a continuous hot water setup. Probably the same in iceland, heating the water with geothermal energy.
Mom's house built in 1940 has all beautiful oak. I dislike trying to keep carpet free of allergens.
I just stumbled upon this video today and I'm liking it so far
We lived in Iceland 🇮🇸 for two years, it was the most amazing place I’ve ever seen, ❤ I would go back and live there in a heartbeat 💓
@treasuresbyivyjade, why don't you? No one is stopping you, that is the country have their limits on who can enter.
@@Dee-so3by Chemotherapy is stopping me. I am unable to fly,
I know you're getting a lot of comments on the carpet issue. It really depends where in the U.S. you are. Unlike Iceland, the U.S. is a big country with a lot of variation in terrain and climate.
Up in the Pacific Northwest where it's often cold and drizzly, carpet is extremely common as it's warm and people often take their wet/muddy shoes off when they enter their house. I learned this when living in Portland and Seattle.
On the other hand, in the southwest carpet is much less popular. Many houses are made of adobe and even the ones made of wood tend to have saltillo floors, which are burnished adobe tiles. They keep a home cooler in hot temperatures, are low-maintenance, and last for a long time. They're super common in New Mexico, Arizona and southern California.
In southeastern states, carpet can be found in bedrooms and hallways in some houses and is sometimes seen as a luxury or status symbol. I saw this a lot in Atlanta and Greensboro when I was there. Houses with central A/C and luxurious carpeting were popular among people with money.
It really depends on where in the U.S. you go.
You think the fridges are small there, but I used to live with an rv size fridge-smaller!
When living in a certain tropical Southeast Asian country the main concern was to keep the rain out and allow lots of air flow, never saw heated or carpeted floors.
I agree with this. I live in southwest Missouri, and here "nicer" homes have a combination of hardwood and carpeting, lushly carpeted bedrooms are the norm. No one I know takes off their shoes when visiting friends or family. I do not know ANYONE in my area who does not have central A/C. It would be considered strange or even inappropriate not to have central A/C here. It does vary so much.
@@seltzermint5 In the Houston area today 96F with humidity it feels like 112F. A/C is very common even if portable or window units. Only ones I am familiar with who remove their shoes are Asians including those on the Indian sub-continent, oh and my late friend Stan Rodman.
Thank you for noting this. I’ve lived in the US South, Southwest, and Northwest and I just returned from living in Asia for a decade. It always struck me how people outside the USA think the entire country is the same as the small bit they are familiar with. Not so! Very different housing styles in different parts of the country.
She’s described a very specific home in like the mid west or north east America. Almost all of the homes in Florida are made from concrete and none of them are carpeted.
Lived in Florida all my life. Homes are made from cinderblock and a lot of them are at least partially carpeted. There is a lot of ceramic tile and still some terrazzo but it is common to carpet bedrooms at the very least. It's a design choice really
@@Barclaylindaltrailer parks
Wait... are you actually high right now? I almost spat out my coffee. I live in Florida and 80-90% of homes are STILL carpeted. Because that is standard builder-grade materials. Real hardwood floors are still far too expensive for most homeowners in FL, so most non-carpeting options are either tile, laminate, or LVP. And most apartments are still wall-to-wall carpeting, except for kitchen and bathrooms. But yes, there is a modern trend where builders of newer apartment complexes have started install hard surface flooring. Mostly because over time, it saves them money after multiple renters damage the carpets, and the laws requiring them to be replaced every 5 years or so. So its just an economics thing, not necessarily for comfort or style.
Oh, and you have things backwards. In the northeast and midwest, its far more typical to have hardwood floors because the entire house is made of wood, including the subflooring. And putting tile on a wood subfloor is a disaster waiting to happen. In Florida, with concrete slabs, the cheapest option is to lay standard grade carpet down on all but the kitchen, bath and utility rooms. Concrete and tile floors get cold, yes, even in Florida. And not everyone wants to watch their young babies head get slammed down hard on a tile floor when they inevitably slip and fall the first couple of dozen times. Carpeting is warm, safe, and comfortable on the feet. Still is.
I want to visit Iceland sooo bad. Can’t get hubby on board. Right now plane tickets are very expensive. Will get there some day. Thank you for sharing info and pics
I worked for IKEA for over 28 years and traveled throughout Sweden and Scandinavia more times than I can count, in addition to traveling throughout Europe. Yes. Everything you have said is true. A couple of things that are also different are the bathrooms either being wet baths or having a squeegee for your shower. Also the use of candles throughout the home in the winter due to the lack of light. Only buying cotton sheets and not caring abuot thread count and only using the duvet (comforter) with a duvet cover but no top sheet. Minimal eating out and opting for having guests in your home instead. Thanks for sharing!
That was a fun read! Thanks for sharing!
I have hardwood floors in the US and I would definitely return to carpet! It’s more gentle on the knees and more comfortable to walk around, warmer, and more child friendly. Plus I’d rather vacuum than sweep and mop my entire home.
When I visited Iceland, I noticed a home with a yard of grass growing in their roof. Interesting!
Carpets are a breeding ground for bacteria, fungus, mites and pests like fleas. Many children suffer from allergies in a home that is fully carpeted. We had to remove carpets after my little boy just stayed sick.
For what it's worth, you can also vaccum wood floors. Mopping will still be necessary, but I find vacuuming my wood and tile floors to be much quicker and more effective than sweeping. I have cats, and live near a beach, and a broom just left too much pet hair and sand behind. I'll sometimes sweep out some corners and harder to reach areas before I vaccum.
My home is under 1300 sqft so a small rechargeable stick vaccum if enough for my needs. I chose one with a detachable battery so that I can hang the vaccuum in my utility closet, and charge the battery elsewhere where I have an outlet.
I think carpets are becoming less popular here in the US. We only have them in our bedrooms. The main living spaces are hard flooring. But I'm definitely guilty on the huge manicured hard (Though I'm not a fan of grass and have limited space for that that's mixed heavily with clover). I'm a massive gardener so my soul died a little bit thinking of a place that I would have such a limited plant selection range. Though part of me that's a little insane was like "challenge accepted"
Yeah, having an outdoor garden bed is pretty difficult to maintain in Iceland. But, I try to incorporate indoor potted plants to keep some life in the home!
motel 6 and a lot of cheaper motels have nothing but hard floors,no carpet
@@dethray1000 Blood is easier to clean up on a hard surface once the coroner removes the body....
@@kendallevans4079 🤣
My awful hell-hole of building still has carpet in the 2nd and 3rd floor apartments, and they never clean them...even after living here for 14 years! I paid about 5 times now myself, it gets so gross, and I don't understand how none of my other neighbors have ever had theirs cleaned in the same amount of time?? 😮 Maybe it's just time for me to move or maybe this is just what happens when you live in a rent-controlled apartment taken over and run by an LLC of god-knows-who's from another country? 😅 I'll let you guess from where lol.
OMG! I love the concept of separate covers. My ex & I did that... and it meant neither of us overheated or had to deal with a cover hog.
We got separate duvets after traveling to iceland and loving the nordic sleep setup. we sleep so much better now! we recommend it to everyone like zealots.
What you have described for Iceland holds true for most of Northern Europe. Countries develope their building stiles largely according to what was available. The U.S. was blessed with large amounts a forest. The invention of the logging industry and dimensional lumber meant that a private person with a saw and hammer and bucket of nails could build a house. Sears at one time sold whole house kits! The U.S. was also blessed with abundant energy sources.Unfortunately, the abundance has caused us often to be foolish with its use. I would bet tat an air-conditioner is a rare item in Iceland, but extremely necessary in many areas of the U.S. Our forced air systems have been rather wasteful in the past, but the newer furnaces are up to 98% efficient. I would agree that radiant heating systems tend to be more comfortable, however they do have some drawbacks: they do not humidify the dry winter air. Also, if you wake up in the morning to a chilly house, a hot air furnace can take the chill off in minutes. Radiant systems require hours to warm up.
I 't think there is a right or wrong. You build for the climate. You also factor in initial costs against long term efficiencies,
I lived in a 2 bedroom Sears kit home!!
My ex-husband and I lived in his grandparent's house that was a Sears Craftsman bungalow. I loved that house!
Most houses in Norway and Sweden are made of wood. Traditional in many ways.
@@bosse641 My Grandmother's birth house in Stavanger, Norway looks much like a traditional Cape Cod New England wooden house.
> . . . radiant heating systems tend to be more comfortable . . . drawbacks: they do not humidify the dry winter air.
Dry air during the winter is not a thing in well sealed homes. Dry air in the winter is due to massive air leaks. In my house I run the DE-humidifier through most of the winter to get the humidity down to 45% RH. Normal activities such as cooking, showering, watering plants, etc. puts more moisture in the air than is needed.
Educational. I liked it.
Things my daughter and I noticed out on day trips.
There are no big billboards along the highway, few powerlines & rare sightings of trash.
I think this is partly because of the wind - it can be too strong that billboards and powerline would fall right over 😂 and, despite high tourism levels, locals and travelers are generally very respectful of the surrounding environment.
I did see graffiti in one of the clips along a roadway though.
@@queens6583 Most likely made by someone that doesn't live in Iceland. Don't you think?
Craigmccann…you are kidding, right?
@@craigmccann1028 Your probably right.
A lot of what you mentioned are quite similar to what I have seen in Korea. I absolutely adore heated floors, and they are much more energy efficient than an HVAC. Korea, however, doesn't use dryers. So, you often find large, long patios, where the washing machine and cloth drying racks are located.
I live in the US and I could probably live without my dryer. I rarely use it. It shrinks everything, costs money to run, and it's just as easy to hang them on drying racks in my basement.
Excellent video! Visited Iceland 2 years ago and you’re spot on in your description! Loved the geothermal heating in the hotel…so neat! Beautiful places, beautiful people!
Your video was very interesting. Thank you for sharing! I think it's difficult to make generalizations about the typical American home style because it can vary from region to region.
I love Iceland. Landing there is like landing on the moon-the landscape is very volcanic. I lived in Norway for years (yes, I'm fluent). How homes are built there is very impressive. They're built to withstand very severe storms and hurricanes coming in from the North Sea. I experienced three hurricanes, and didn't board up anything. No preparations of any kind. Yes, small appliances are the norm in Norway too, very surprising for me as an American, but not an issue at all. The same with shoes: no outdoor shoes indoors, and the duvets are separate there too. However, there is landscaping since Norway is not volcanic. Great video, thanks!
Thank you for watching, I'm glad you enjoyed it!
Does heated floors alter having rugs/carpet?
@@vir2ohsoI don't know the answer to your question, but just basic cleanliness militates against carpeting. It's filthy!
Had a Swedish boy foreign exchange student first day here he was asking where the duvet was.
@@vir2ohso it would depend on what type of heating was used to heat the floors and local codes. Want to be sure ask your local inspections and code enforcement folks.
I'm an American who has lived in New Zealand for 38 years. Many of the things you described were and are, in some instances, still true in New Zealand. I think the US is an outlier, not representative of most of the world at all.
it kind applies to Canada too actually..
@@vitasoy1437 Canadians (in my province) take their shoes off at the door.
@@Turtledove2009 lol which province is that? I came from an immigrant family and used to live in BC. We and basically everyone i knew took their shoes off when they entered a house.
Same in Australia 😅
I am sorry but I literally don't know anybody in US that doesn't take their shoes off at the door and over years we visited many, many homes. Many of us see slimy spits on a sidewalks, dogs peeing drunks peeing then we walk on it. My dog gets his feet washed too. I am not sure if I just run in different circles or is that some sort of regional habit of wearing dirty shoes inside the house.
As an American, I love my multiple cabinets, walk in closets and big appliances. 😂❤❤
I was in Iceland for 3 years back in the '70's and I can see that it has been modernized quite a bit. I remember the different color houses, bright colors. The story was to give it a uplifting look due to high depression rates in the long dark winters. We lived off base, in Keflavik, about 6 months and in the summer they were out mowing their lawns as late as midnight. I loved watching the northern lights and would keep curtains open to watch and would just be lulled to sleep. Do they still have the law that if you run down a sheep you have to pay for 3 generations? Maybe that was just to scare the yanks into slowing down on the road.
About the sheep. It's a quite common praxis in the more rural regions of Europe, that if you run down a sheep, or goat, you'll have to pay premium prices for the poor animal, because according to the peasant that owned it, it was their most loved, most productive and most valuable sheep/goat, and it would be impossible to replace no matter the cost, despite looking at the poor animal, even a layman could see it was nothing more than an old sack of bones, that was way past its heydays. 😂
@@Bannimann2hope people don't look at humans the same way there 😵
@@Bannimann2OMG thank goodness no one is using the sheep for their personal pleasure. Can you imagine what that would cost?
@@alsteeves2044)9
No need to drive so sloppy as to murder the sheep. Probably Adults realized this law was necessary to prevent reckless deaths of others including humans.
Hi, I'm from Argentina and this video made me notice that houses in Iceland are quite similar to ours, with some exceptions: perhaps more standalone houses here but also many flats in big cities, with common parking spaces. If you don't have a garage at home, you rent one nearby (that's what I do). No different shoes for indoors, and as much landscaping as the area allows: not much in some parts of Patagonia, for example! I don't find the size of the houses shown in the video too small. In fact, smaller means less work, less maintenance, less clutter. But still comfortable.
I lived in Citibell when I was a kid. It was open space with houses. I have family in Dombosco. I loved my childhood in Argentina. Citibell, sadly is no longer the sleepy little town I remember 😢
@@carolynhoover9444 Did you? City Bell is a neighbourhood of my city, La Plata. It's still beautiful but you're right, it's not a sleepy little town anymore. It has its own commercial area and everything else they went downtown for in the past. Even its own hotels and theatres.
I could appreciate heated floors in the winter (in southeast U.S.). And also, I grew up in Tennessee and we always took off our shoes when we entered the house. It really helps keeps your floors and carpets cleaner, without bringing dirt and germs throughout the home.
I live in New York City - you definitely want to take your shoes off at the door here in New York City, after riding the subways and walking the dirty sidewalks. This is a great city, but the streets are not very clean with millions of people using them every day.
Just because you can’t see them doesn’t mean there aren’t germs 😂😂😂
@@judyperri9496 Right!
Agree no outdoor shoes in the house. Either wear slippers or have designated sneakers for wear only indoors. Have specific shoes for garden. Many cultures do not wear outdoor shoes in the home. If you have carpet, outdoor shoes bring into your carpet dirt, debris of what ever you stepped in ugh. Also have boots for rain that can be wiped clean. Americans need to adopt the no outdoor shoesin their homes. What about if you have a crawling baby or toddler as well.
@@g.flesch9731 Please don't tell Americans what to do.
The thing that gets me with Iceland is how colorless it is. It would make me depressed living in a place that was all grey, black and white. There aren't even any flowers or trees to take away that desolate feeling.
When I look at the masses of my native flowers, shrubs and trees from my gardening endeavors in Massachusetts, the look of bleak Iceland is painful. I love the "cultivated" wild look outside my home compared to my neighbors' sterile, synthetic, preened landscaping with their utterly pointless pesticide-laden lawns the size of a lacrosse pitch! This will be the way of "landscaping" of the future if USA can get its act together.
@@lanialost1320 , that's why so many people love the beautiful USA, there are so many beautiful mountains, water falls, forests. Sorry to bust your bubbles, let's say there is a problem in getting the materials needed to use in a county that sits on a volcano and seismic plate and can't get it, well the fear is tremendous. Isn't Iceland the country that a volcano erupted where all the people that could escape did, making sure they did not forget their wallet/phones, BUT LEFT ALL THEIR ANIMALS BEHIND? Not surprise that it's an AMERICAN BORN THAT IS MAKING VIDEOS HOW BETTER OTHER COUNTRIES ARE, AMERICA BAD...., WHY DON'T YOU ASK THOSE ICELANDERS IF THEY HATE THEIR COUNTRY? I CAN BET YOU THEY WON'T.
@@Dee-so3byI gave you a thumb up for making a point about them leaving their animals behind. No way I would leave my dog behind. I would get into a physical fight just to get my dog go with me.
I've visited Iceland and I loved it. There may be no trees but the landscape is dramatic and as for Reykjavik, the main street is very colourful. It's wel worth a visit.
Many Icelandic houses are painted in different colors to add some color to the landscape. I'm not saying that that replaces flowers and trees, but it is not as colorless as you're implying. It's also one of the most beautiful places on Earth. That's undeniable.
Went to Iceland 6 years ago and this is what I found:
--immensely freeing since few, if any, guardrails or signs of warning, so just use your own common sense to not drive off the road ramp or step into the rushing water at the top of the waterfall
--had a beach all to ourselves for an entire weekday afternoon
--Icelanders spoke of "the nature" and were true outdoor lovers
--natural and free beauty as the pesticide free landscape changed with every 30 minutes of travel
--artistic sculptures and paintings on buildings in Reykjavik for an artsy flair
--humour "if it's above 4 degrees Celcius then the patio is open" hahaha (40 F for U.S .friends)
--a soft language with many "shhh" sounds and unlike any other with my favourite letter looking like a little helicopter!
Greetings from Ontario, Canada
The heating issue is comparing apple to oranges as most of the US does not have active volcanoes so geothermal is not as cost effective.
😂 I did break down the word “geothermal” in my head and thought “hmm must be easier when you live on a volcano”.
But what do I know? It’s June in the south with a 100 degree heat index. I don’t need heat most of the year so….
@@SavannahSedai So true, here in just south of Austin Texas it's 101-105 with heat index between 115 - 118 and not a volcano in sight!!!
Geothermal heating is not dependent on volcanic activity and is used a lot of places outside of Iceland
I see her 'comparisons' as just pointing out what's different and why. There's no element of 'comparing' in terms of evaluating what's good and bad or implying that Americans should be using geothermal energy to heat their homes. So she is indeed comparing apples and oranges and is quite right to do so.
@@trustmemysonisadoctor8479 Yeah - I saw all the fronzen homes in Texas when you had a cold-spell. We use geo-thermal in Norway without a volcano in sight, but Iceland have used it in some form for centuries- we have just started.
The shift from carpeting to hardwood or engineered flooring in Canada has taken place in older homes mostly in renovations in the last 10 years or so. Newer homes mostly use engineered flooring, real wood or ceramic tile according to how much money you spend.
A very interesting and educational video and insight into other cultures and customs! 👍👍👍👍
Vinyl plank wood flooring too. Easy up keep. Waterproof & good if you have dogs because does not show scratches. Cheaper than actual wood or engineered woods. That is what we have & the engineered wood is splintering. Shedding it's surfaces all where there is wood? We do not have pets or wear shoes w hard soles. The floor is about 12 tears old. We are not original owners. I read there are different types of engineered wood. Probably my flooring is a cheaper one. Builders in this complex did lots of cheap stuff. The complex is about 16 years old & people are replacing roofs at costs of $20,000 up to $35,000!!
Like you already mentioned several times most of the things you listed are very common for other European countries as well. For example where I'm from, Germany, most apartments are very small and we also take our shoes off before we enter our or someone else's home. It just feels weird to walk around in your street shoes when you're at home. Funny thing is German people are crazy about their gardens. Many people that have their own garden plant their own fruits and vegetables and believe me they taste so much better than the stuff from the supermarkets. Also I think it's actually more of a Germanic/Nordic thing for double beds to have seperate blankets because as far as I know countries like France or southern European countries don't have two seperate blankets there's only one
I lived in Iceland for a few months, many many years ago. I loved it. I lived in Germany just prior so the change wasn't that great. I found there was a marked difference between how the girls treated me and how the guys treated me. The girls were much friendlier.
Figures. If the guys are cold the girls need warming. Easily solved.
The John is always right
Northwestern Spain is the same way. Small apartments, super small appliances. The refrigerators are so small you have to shop almost everyday, that’s why the markets can’t be closed 2 days in a row. When most of your family is over 6’ and the washing machine being super small and no driers, laundry can be a challenge. But all that is nothing compared to the challenges my 6’1” daughter and her 6’4” husband face living in Japan. But they love it there.
A minor point: The term “condo” refers to the arrangement of ownership; it’s not a style of home. Quite often, we think of a condo as an apartment or flat, but it could be the complete ground/first floor, or second floor, of a two-story building; a semi-attached house; or a townhouse. A multi-story building can contain apartments or condos; it all depends on whether the units are rented or owned.
I learned something new, thanks!
I always wondered what a condo actually was. So it doesn't refer to a form of dwelling at all, but to ownership status. Very weird.
I lived in a condo-style apartment. I had both floors to myself. I miss that place but it had some issues the owners refused to ever improve properly. It also didn't have washer and dryer hookups in the unit and having to go to another building on another floor to do laundry was such a hassle.
@@XSemperIdem5 You must mean townhouse. Condo is not a style. Condo refers to the ownership.
Exactly. Condos have associations, rules and ownership and pay fees for group maintenance. But they can be in any style of building.
My daughter lived in Keflivk. My granddaughter was born there. They had thermal heat
I've never been to Iceland but I've visited some of the Azore Islands that had homes landscaped in a similar way. A much warmer climate but built on an old volcano and most everything has to be shipped or flown in. It's paradise.
Don't tell them. This is about the only beautiful place that's not cursed by tourists.
I lived in Reykjavik for 3 years and loved my apartment. Granted I lived in one of the nicest high rises in the city so I was spoiled. I loved the stove tops and how they just made more sense.
In the US the trend for using carpet is virtually gone. At least in the southern states. It’s mostly ceramic tile or hardwood. Carpet is typically for bedrooms but even that is not as common now.
I grew up without carpeting and am not a fan. It's funny how things changed and though I felt out of place growing up It's no problem now. I chose an apartment that had no carpeting then they updated and put it in which I didn't like. Then the rent went up. Subsequently I moved away. I feel that I am in the wrong Country. USA.
US carpeting and padding industry exploded due to plastic fabrics that didn’t wear as poorly as natural cottons and wools which were once the expensive but beautiful art for your floors.
@@theresewalters1696condo?! Condos have people above & the condo associations require carpeting😮😢😅
Another big bonus of a smaller home is you actually interact with your family members. People don’t disappear into some part of the home.
No, no, and no. You need a minimum of three bathrooms or you will be sorry.
@@estebancorral5151 I grew up in a home of 7 people...1 bathroom. I raised my two through to their adulthoods in a small house with 1 bathroom. It can be done.
@@charq52 yes, it can be done. However, it is not worth the familial vexations. I am 100% frugal, but not a cheapskate. A family should not be modeled after a state penitentiary. Otherwise you have an ensemble of relatives used to Pavlovian conditioning.
@@estebancorral5151 I'm sorry, this does not make sense. As a single parent, we had the biggest house I could afford...we made it work.
@@charq52 I understand now. Your decisions were due to some else’s poverty of the spirit.
I found this very interesting. I live in South Wales, UK and live in a small terraced house. I'd miss being able to dry my washing outdoors if I didn't have my own garden and I do like gardening as well but that's because we are used to being able to. My Mother used to have her washing machine in her bathroom, because that was the only place she had room for it. My Daughter and her partner use seperate duvets and I wish I had gone down that line instead of buying king size.
We dry clothes outside, we just buy a drying racket and put it out on the balcony. 90 % of apartments comes with a balcony.
I lived in Ireland for 7 years… cold damp cement cramped apartment surrounded by other small damp cramped depressing cement apartments-flats… moved back to USA… love love love my large comfortably roomy well heated in the winter not damp well cooled in the summer house with outstanding showers-water pressure… beautiful deck… roomy yard… lovely grass… trees.. 2 car garage… finished basement with Gunn wine room and large screen movie theater…. Yeah I love my house… to each their own
Just wanted to point out that the heating in Iceland is 100% geothermal (close to it) in Iceland when the room is to hot you open a window but don't bother with the radiator. In my life I've never experienced a cold damp home, that might be an Irish thing.
You are SPOILT 😂😂😂 God help you in the Apocalypse 😂😂😂😂
I lived in the US for 10 years, Horrible pokey, badly built, cramped flats, constant leaks, nothing worked, mould everywhere, cost a fortune and the landlords threatened you constantly, finally moved back to Ireland to a beautiful huge house with tons of space and real materials instead of all the fake painted crap and plastic in the US, and we can actually drink the water.
This explains why I enjoyed Iceland so much - my home looks a lot like yours with the clean lines. Currently in the US carpeting is encountered less often, I have lovely tile floors which stay cool in our desert climate. Thanks for a great video.
Thank you for watching! The simple and modern aesthetic is definitely my jam!
As an American, I love having all the individual space we have. I like having our own yard, large rooms, appliances, etc. I would love if we adopted the leave your shoes by the door thing though. ;)
You missed a huge point. For home, business, and swimming pool heating the water is piped out of the ground and then "cooled" so as not to damage the distribution system. It is that hot. It is very easy to severely scold yourself in a shower if you fail to turn the hot water off first. I once got trapped between a stream of scolding water and the shower wall. A stick or pole of some fashion is often kept in reserve to turn hot water off from a safe distance when there is no cold water running also.
Forty years ago carpet was common on floors.
It is illegal to "not" pick up hitch hikers that are away from town centers. This is for the safety of the hikers.
Crime is so low that it is common for Icelanders to leave babies alone outside in a stroller while parents shop inside. Also, it is common for Icelanders to leave their cars running when eating at a restaurant.
Patrons to bars in Iceland typically don't start arriving until midnight.
Single women are encouraged by the government to have children as part of an effort to build up the population base.
Food is extremely expensive. A pack of uncooked bacon can easily cost $20 or more. Alcohol is expensive also.
Everybody knows that crime is virtually nonexistent, it is like that in all areas where the population is all white.
😳 Do you mean woman just to have children, or encouraged to marry and have children???
@@CarriUSA Just to have children.
Iceland is so desperate for children that they are now allowing African Americans to live in Iceland. Previously African Americans were not allowed in Iceland. Part of the deal that the Iceland government had with the USA to allow a military base (technically called the "agreed area") in Iceland prohibited the US from stationing black service men and women in Iceland. Icelanders are even adopting foreign black babies now.
Way off subject here but I would like to know what happens to bodies after death (human and animals) there? .. seems there wouldn't be space for endless cemeterys, so is cremation more common .. or do they throw them into the ocean? 🤔
I found this extremely interesting and informative overall. I could see myself living in Iceland or Denmark quite easily. I think I would easily adapt to the different design types without many issues. Thank you for opening my eyes to something quite new and different.
ICELAND HAS NO TREES OR GOOD SOIL. I wouldn't live there. Don't believe me? Go to google earth and try and find a forest :-)
@@rfarevaloand to think that people actually fight over who has the right to live in a particular piece of desert.
Iceland is a tropical paradise in comparison 😂
I was in Iceland 3 days last month on my way back to Canada from Amsterdam. I just hung out in Reykjavik because I had very little time and it was my first time there. But i loved it andd will return Amazing people, amazing country!
Awesome to hear! There is so much beauty to explore and experience outside of the city! Be sure to check out my website for all the planning resources you'll need! ~ icelandwithaview.com/
So interesting. Ty so much for letting us now what it’s like there. I would go crazy being so confined.
Thank you for sharing how people live in Iceland- it sounds so much more community oriented. We are a U.S. family that prefers to live in an apartment ( not in NYC) people think we are very odd in the U.S. We like knowing our neighbors, spending no time on taking care of landscaping (but at the same time, we are part of a community garden so spend time in nature that way) and being able to walk to lots of parks, shops, etc…I do like the separate Icelandic duvet system - never heard of that before. It’s super practical so no nighttime struggles for the blanket with your partner -LOL. Thanks again-
Thank you! I share a similar mindset too. I so much value the smaller space & definitely no yard work!!
As a gardener who loves large spaces inside and out, I couldn't live there. The designs to me are cold, austere, unwelcoming but that's just me 😊. I do however love the idea of geothermal heating, esp the towel rack! Ikea's designs always strike me as cold and cheap but expensive! Btw, the little one in the garage is SOOOOO ADORABLE 😍❤🎉. Blessings from Ontario Canada 🇨🇦🎉
I’m own a furniture business and ikea is like bottom of the barrel, I am now requiring clients to only bring me wood, no furniture that has to be assembled
I agree with you -- cold, austere, unwelcoming -- and as a member of New York's Central Park Conservancy, I will add I could NOT live in this ugly place with NO trees!!! .... no bushes .. no large lawns .... no "Great Lawn" as in New York City's Central Park or "The Long Meadow" in Brooklyn's Prospect Park. No way.
For us country folk, for gardens, we need a machine that takes rock and makes dirt. And as for concrete, mad scientists to figure out how to cold melt rock.
@@paul-wq2rd This makes me want to NEVER visit Iceland. Horrible. I love gardens and lawns and trail hiking in the woods. Iceland seems barren and empty.
@@cathynewyork7918 Like so many other foreign places I've been to, it's a nice place to visit but I wouldn't want to live there.
Just returned from 3 weeks in Iceland. Your videos were very helpful in planning our trip. We feel in love with the country and are hoping to spend lots more time there. Would love more videos about daily life and emigration. We were very surprised to find the hostel, camping area along with the sports complex, stadium, and botanical gardens in Reykjavik. So beautiful and well done. How about a video on that?
Thanks so much for watching and subscribing! Also, thanks for the video ideas! There's a lot in Reykjavik that people don't know about.
I don't know I bought a small house. And use these tactics because it is a small house. My family is from Norway though so I see the colors and styles are similar. All except outside gardens, Norway and Sweden's gardens are gorgeous. After supper the whole family would get up for a walk and tour the gardens in the neighborhood.
I live in sunny Australia I have only seen snow twice but I am fascinated by other cultures and climates and how people adapt thanks for sharing your Icelandic home with me.
Thank you for tuning in!
I just discovered the chanel from Cecilia Blomdahl. She lives in Svalbard near the North Pole, it's fascinating and her house is gorgeous with spectacular views. You should check it out!
@@lb4001Africa comes from the Greek meaning land without cold. No cold means no snow.
Wow I could easily live here, especially not hearing loud mowers & leaf blowers all summer & fall. Also, I like what you said about lack of frilly word plaques on walls, like Home-sweet-home. These make me nauseous.
Same here. I hate those stupid word plaques. Yes, I know this is “Home”. I don’t need a sign to remind me to “Love”
The biggest change I am seeing in America is in hotel rooms. Hotels are switching to laminate wood-like floors. The rooms are cleaner. They are also removing bedspreads. Even expensive hotels are going minimalist. The less softscape in a hotel, the better.
What an interesting channel.
❤ Crazy, i have a huge Refrigerator inside in the kitchen plus i have a Deep Freezer and a 2nd frig in my garage.. Funny thing is family always complains that there's never anything to eat..🙄
A residential remodeling contractor here working in the Houston, TX area. Rare to find a single family home built from cinder block or concrete in this area, wood frame is very common. Thirty plus years ago carpeted floors were common the last twenty the shift was towards hard surfaces, the last time we installed carpet was five years ago and the time before that maybe ten years before that. Heated floors in this area are also rare, last installed one around ten years ago and the woman who had it installed under the bathroom tile was from Norway. The environment and available materials typically dictate how a structure is to be built.
I'm from south Europe. A part from the shoes off in the entrance, the rest of points are exactly the same here. In Europe we don't have big fridge or big kitchens as in the USA
Thanks for watching and sharing your experience!
Most of the Icelandic things are pretty much shared across Europe. Geothermal heating is very Icelandic though.
The individual duvets are common in the other Nordic/Scandi countries and also in Germany.
One item missing from the list is Reykjavik, like most European cities is incredibly walkable.
Exactly
The city of Houston is 620 sq.mi. and hot in the summer walkable is considered walking to one’s car without sweating.
As the owner of a carpet cleaning business, I respectfully disagree with the idea that everything is carpeted in the US. In the last 10-15 or so years the move from carpet to hard flooring has been massive. Carpet may be slightly more popular with elderly ones, that’s our main residential client now, over 75 year olds. Hardwood, vinyl plank and laminate dominate the flooring options in the north and tile dominates the flooring choices in the south. Rugs are more of a thing here for sure, though. Probably because underfloor heating is a luxury, not the standard.
It has been many years since I have been to Iceland but I had several friends there. When I was there the homes were individual with nice yards and a decent size floor plan. Very modern and minimal but high quality and very comfortable. The biggest thing I remember was the shower was the bathroom with a drain in the middle of the floor. I was waiting for you to mention that but I am guessing that the newer homes have actual showers now. Love Iceland, like nowhere else on earth.
Nice video. I will say that taking your shoes off in the house has always been a mixed bag in the US and the practice of taking your shoes off when you enter a home is much more prevalent now. All of my circle of friends do this.
I've been seeing more apartments as well as houses doing more hard floors. Ppl who have allergies need flooring to help keep dust and dander under control. I like that it helps make spills easier to clean up.
I lived in Iceland in 1973/74 as my first duty station in the US Navy. I lived on the base near Keflavik (which is closed now). I was in a small room in the barracks with 2 other women who worked a completely different schedule than me. It was awful. The amenities for military personnel were almost non-existent which should have been much better because there wasn't a lot to do on the base, especially for shift workers. I visited Reykjavik a few times and saw the types of homes that you spoke of. After Iceland, I lived in Spain for 3 years then Japan for another 3 (then the US after that). So I saw Nordic, European, and Oriental lifestyles and homes. It was all an incredible experience. But I don't think I could have lived in Iceland longer than the year I was there.