Everyone has a different idea about what “luxury home” means. It’s such a subjective topic because it all comes down to what people’s personal tastes and values are. Having said that though, there are common elements that can be found in luxury homes across the board. Here are some to think about:
Exclusive location with stunning views
Much of the price tag for luxury homes can be attributed to their locations. Lands that offer spectacular views and buffers of privacy are hard to come by and homes fortunate enough to claim these locations instantly get a premium attached to their value.
Natural, eco-friendly or reclaimed materials
People are very green-conscious nowadays and want to do their part to minimise the carbon footprint in every aspect of their lives, including their homes. The fact that a house is built with natural, environmentally friendly materials or even materials that have been reclaimed and refinished is a significant status boost.
Energy-efficient features and smart technology
The need for energy-efficient features comes from the same environment-minded desire as building with eco-friendly materials. The luxury home owners would be proud of their ecologically progressive efforts in saving energy while they also enjoy the long-term savings on their energy bills. Smart technology is a hot luxury feature as well. With the advent of wireless devices and the Internet of Things, there’s a growing demand to integrate smart technology seamlessly into everyday life at home; this can include: locking/unlocking your door with your smart phone, having your preferred thermostat setting follow your wearable smart watch from room to room, and getting your favourite news feeds scrolling through your bathroom mirror each morning as you brush your teeth while the coffee starts brewing in the kitchen and bread is being toasted. The future is here.
Open-concept floor plan
This is a great aesthetic choice for homes with limited space because it creates a liberating, wide-open feel to the house while giving it a modern touch. For large luxury homes though, this idea is used most noticeably in the atrium of the front entrance, with high ceilings and sweeping stairs to the upper levels.
Restaurant-grade kitchen
Luxury homes can’t go without gourmet meals prepared with commercial-level appliances necessary in any high-end restaurants. The kitchen would of course need to be fully stocked in its walk-in pantry and custom-millwork cabinets to maximise storage space.
Spa-inspired bathroom
Perhaps the greatest embodiment of luxury is the ability to take the time to soak in the bathtub or lounge in a hot sauna. You can either do that in a spa outside your home or bring the spa home to you. The choice is pretty obvious. To turn your bathroom into a spa, some popular features to install are: wet room, body spray water jets, radiant floor heating, and a towel warmer.
Grand master bedroom
Who doesn’t want to sleep like royalty? Every design in the master bedroom would be made with total comfort in mind, but also with the intent to inspire style. After all, this is the room where you would put on the final touches to your outfit for an evening out. This would mean having an en-suite private bathroom and especially a grand walk-in-closet-dressing-room combination with multi-angled full-length mirrors.
Entertainment room(s)
A luxury home just wouldn’t be the same without one or more customised entertainment room(s). Each room would cater to your favourite activity so it could range anywhere from a home theatre to a games room or a pool hall bar to a wine cellar lounge.
Indoor gym
Everyone has a busy schedule and sometimes the only free block of time available for a workout are during random hours when the local fitness gym’s not open (like at 2 o’clock in the morning). It’s moments like these when an indoor gym comes in real handy. Plus, you don’t have to deal with traffic while going to and from the gym.
Outdoor pool and grill patio
One of the perks of having a luxury home is that you have the ability and venue to host talk-of-the-town parties; for some reason, these epic parties always seem to involve an outdoor pool. What takes that outdoor pool up a notch on the luxury scale though is when you also install a patio that has a full-on gas grill kitchen with a sink, counter, and mini-fridge for drinks to go along with it.
Whatever features you want in your future luxury home, keep in mind that you don’t need to buy a new mansion in an exotic location first. If you already consider the place you’re in right now your dream home, there’s no need to buy and move somewhere new; you can simply build an addition to your existing house to turn it into your luxury dream home.
