Flawless interior design, quality materials and generous amenities are just some of the elements that can provide value and significance to your luxury property.
The luxury housing market is governed by its own rules where lavish properties attract a specific clientele with very particular tastes. With this crowd, no expense is spared in the quest to achieve the perfect home. The amenities and interior features that bring the most value to affluent homeowners tend to address their needs and facilitate their lifestyle. Arts & Collections uncovers the interior design elements that bring significance and worth to upmarket properties.
Quality materials
Quality and craftsmanship should reverberate through every fibre of a luxury home: from exterior motifs through to interior design. Skimping on materials will seriously damage a property’s appeal and may pose a huge turn-off to future buyers. Pay particular attention to the kitchen surfaces. These can be bolstered with cool marble, striking granite or aged wood. Consider the household features elsewhere including staircases, bookshelves, decorative windows and doorways—all should be crafted using high quality materials. Think limestone for aged properties and metal in contemporary settings. Opt for eco-friendly materials where possible.
Emphasis on space
Your interior design scheme should emphasise and maximise the space in your home, which is essential even if you have ample amounts. Many successful property layouts use materials like glass to open up the living space and make it feel more capacious. Renovators may wish to consider implementing a glass wall; a thoughtful touch for properties that are blessed with a stunning view.
Such tactics work to bring a sense of the outdoors in by beckoning a flow of natural light into the home. Open plan structures are another way to make interiors feel even more expansive. By dissolving the boundaries between rooms, the space becomes more accessible and inviting.
Classic design
Designing your home around a whimsical trend may seem like a good idea, but, like fashion, interior styles tend to fall in and out of favour. Garish or outdated interiors can work against you when it comes to pricing your property; they may even alienate potential buyers.
Opt for classic, chic and simplistic designs that will never go out of style. Overall, stick to clean lines and minimal fuss. Select a neutral colour palette that is both soothing and inviting. Subtle surroundings mean that you can be bolder in your furnishing choices: patterned rugs, curtains and cushions all add dynamic textures and drama.
Highlight character
What gives your property its edge? Is it a breathtaking view? Perhaps its architectural structure is based on a futuristic design? Is it a grade-listed building with original features? Whatever unique qualities your property has to offer, accentuate them. While it is technically easier to sell a property that isn’t too heavily personalised, championing your home’s character is a must.
Marty Bautista from Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage, USA, believes that ‘the most valuable amenity of any luxury residence is the story the house tells. It should be one that leads the prospective purchaser towards the feelings of home in their terms and standards.’
Seamless technology
Most affluent residents desire the latest home gadgets, from high definition televisions to automated voice assistants. Technology is an integral part of modern-day living. It is unsurprising, then, that there is value in seamless technology integration within high-end property designs.
The scheme for a west London home by interior designer Rabih Hage—published in The Telegraph—has proved that technology and design can work together harmoniously. The integrated home used invisible speakers hidden behind the plasterwork to feed music into every room. This successful project saw discreet technology mix with Hage’s vision of heritage oak floors, intricately painted walls and contemporary art. Adopt this attitude by using smart storage solutions to hide screens, disguise wires and maintain the balance of your home.
Generous amenities
Luxury homebuyers appreciate that they are buying into a lifestyle that their home will provide. According to Nancy Reither from Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage, USA, ‘Many of today’s buyers in the luxury market are looking for world-class amenities such as a state-of-the-art fitness centre, swimming pool, tennis court, hiking and biking trails and access to the water for boating.’ These extra flourishes will add tremendous value to your property. Think carefully about your target market—remember that no service is too extravagant in this arena.
This feature first appeared in Arts & Collections Volume 3, 2018. Click here to view the digital version of the magazine.
See also: Property Talks: Luxury Realty
