What Americans Need to Know About Designing and Renovating in Israel

So you’ve just bought a property in Israel and are ready to create your dream home. Before you start pinning those gorgeous kitchen inspiration photos that you’ve seen on Pinterest, let me hit you with some real talk about designing and renovating in Israel.

I get it. You're coming from a place where you can pop into Home Depot on a Sunday morning, find budget-friendly solutions and walk out with pretty much anything your DIY heart desires. In Israel? Not so much. It's not worse, it's just different. Different can often mean less variety and more expensive items. And understanding these differences is going to save you so much money, stress, and those middle-of-the-night "what have I gotten myself into" moments.

Let me break down some of the biggest surprises you may encounter. The list is endless, but these are the ones that come up with almost every single one of my American clients.

Stainless Steel Sinks

Okay, this one always throws people. Back home, stainless steel kitchen sinks are the default in basically every kitchen. In Israel however, you’ll have a hard time finding an extensive selection.

The variety and range of stainless steel sinks in Israel is limited, and when you do find them, you may find yourself in sticker shock. The prices are higher than what you'd pay in the US, mainly because there's just not much demand for them.

Here's the cultural context: many Israelis associate stainless steel with their time in the military. To them, it feels industrial, cold, even a bit harsh for a home environment. It's just not the aesthetic they're used to. On the flip side, for many Americans, even if they  could be convinced that other options may be  more luxurious than stainless steel sinks, - it's just what they are used to and feels like home. In addition, many Americans think that other material sinks are not kasherable but in fact this is a myth. 

Here's something cool - whether you go with stainless steel or not, every sink material (and countertop) sold in stores here is approved for Pesach koshering. So that's one less thing to worry about!

Custom Carpentry

Remember browsing through Home Depot's custom carpentry section, playing around with different configurations, getting quotes? 

You cannot buy DIY custom carpentry products in Israel the way you can in the States. It simply just does not exist. For example a door kit like you can buy for a few hundred dollars online or from Home Depot and install yourself - does not exist in Israel.

Custom-made carpentry is exponentially more expensive, and honestly, there's really no way around paying local rates. It's just the reality of the market here.

And before you think "I'll just go to IKEA"—let me stop you right there. IKEA in Israel is not budget-friendly. It surprises people every single time. The prices are significantly higher than what you'd pay in the US.

All that said, there are local vendors that provide less expensive, good quality products. You just need to know where to look and this is where having a local designer is so important. To source the right items for your specific budget and show you the other local options other than IKEA.

Hardware and Products

Many of the American hardware brands you know and love either aren't available in Israel or are considered exclusive luxury items with prices to match.

That doesn’t mean you can’t find reasonably priced items in Israel, they just might not be the brands you are used to. Israel has some pretty outstanding European counterparts that sell high-quality products for totally fair prices. You'll just need to get familiar with new brand names and adjust your expectations about what's "standard." This is yet another reason why it is crucial to hire a designer project manager that you trust. To lead you to trustworthy brands that you might not be familiar with.

Paint

Painting styles and the paint companies themselves can be different from what you're used to in the US. The whole system of base colors, finishes, and application methods has its own Israeli twist. I wrote an entire article about this because it's such a big topic—check it out here if you want to dive deeper.

Windows

In the US, we're used to wooden-framed windows as the standard. In Israel, aluminum window frames are the norm.

You can get wooden frames here, but—you guessed it—it's not cheap. In fact most would say it is outrageously expensive. There are different quality levels of aluminum windows available with a range of design and color choices and also a range of insulation quality options. Aluminum windows are incredibly durable, low-maintenance, and perfect for Israel's climate.

The Bottom Line

Israel has incredible design potential, gorgeous materials, and talented craftspeople. In addition, since we are so close to Europe we have many more options of materials, and new trends reach Israel before they get to the US.

All that said, it’s important to be aware that the renovation culture here is just different from what you know.

Find someone you trust to help you navigate your home design and be open to cultural differences in the industry. What works beautifully in the US might need to be adapted here, and that's okay. Sometimes those adaptations lead to even better solutions you wouldn't have thought of otherwise.

Your dream Israeli home is totally possible—you just need the right guide to help you get there. Someone who can bridge that gap between your American design dreams and Israeli renovation reality.