DESIGN TRAVEL: HOME EXCHANGE

our living room artwork

I commented to my husband today that our homes truly define us.  We have participated in 4 or 5 home exchanges.  The concept is that we trade our home in Toronto for another fabulous place in a different location. 

Remember the movie The Holiday?  Same website, same concept.  Instead of a love affair with another person, it is a love affair with real estate. You can search for a home in a cool place with people that want to come to your city or, as we have done, find a great house in a place you want to go and ask them if they want to come to your city! 

We have stayed in Coconut Grove in Miami; Callian in the south of France, the Noe Valley in San Francisco and this week, we are in Copenhagen.   Every time we exchange with complete strangers we are shocked by the communality of our lives. 

our bedroom

Our home exchange in San Francisco was especially freaky as my husband encountered his favourite book at the bedside (A Fan’s Notes by Frederick Exley).  The SanFran family commented that they thought we might be living parallel lives in different cities.  Often the pantry is filled with brands that we purchase at home.

A coincidence?  I don’t think so.  All of these houses have been similar to our home in Toronto.  So, if you love your home and don’t mind leveraging your real estate for some great travel; you too may find yourself in Copenhagen.