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We think of culture influencing what we eat, the art we like and in a business sense, the pace of negotiations and how we define being on time.  But  culture is about every aspect of our lives. What we think its appropriate to wear, what to eat and the houses we live in.

It is that last item that was the subject of a recent Wall Street Journal article, Romancing the Overseas Buyer (http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887324504704578412810483083892.html

Candace Jackson’s article details how American developers are shaping their products, houses and condos, to appeal to buyers from around the world.  Brighter colors, different finishes.  Special wok kitchens.  Large balconies with outdoor kitchens, popular with Brazilians who “love to spend their afternoons hanging out and making a little barbeque”.   Details created to attract a new global purchaser more than the local buyer.

Steelcase's WorkSpace Futures (steelcase.com) the office furniture and interior experts,  wrote Office Code: Building Connections Between Cultures and Workplace Design about how culture shapes workspace.  This Wall Street Journal  article reminds us that all our spaces, for all aspects of our lives,, reflect our culture.  Office or home.  Similar and different.  Something else to observe and think about as we travel.   What will the spaces we visit tell us about the people we meet?