Living in a high end property can be a wonderful experience. There is something about fine designs and luxury living that demands more from the spaces we inhabit. That’s not to say that luxury properties must shout from the rooftops; in fact, the best homes have a quiet subtlety about them which makes them all the more attractive. Quality only needs to whisper so that it can demonstrate its superior form and function.
With that being said, there are many practical and aesthetic elements that can be included in luxury homes, which elevate their status and make them pleasurable places to live. It’s not all about what looks flashiest and most impressive, it’s about carefully chosen furniture, appliances and home features that blend seamlessly with your everyday life. Most high end homes will benefit from the professional and personal touch of an interior designer, helping take an interior from just ok to perfect.
Interior designers are usually hired directly by homeowners and other building owners, or they are also commonly contracted by architects to work on new building projects. Most of the time, a client will already have a good idea of what they want to achieve by hiring an interior designer, though sometimes they will require full consultancy.
An interior designer will assess the space they are working with and will talk extensively with the client to create a brief. These can be as specific or general as the client wants, and they will form a guide for the designer to follow. Working from the brief, the designer will source the required materials and design elements, installing and styling them to the client’s preferences.
Most owners of high end homes and buildings will use the services of an interior designer at some point, because it removes many of the barriers that non-designers will feel when styling their homes. It is the simplest way to make sure your home has exactly the right look and feel, and a designer will be able to come up with ideas that a homeowner may not think of.
There are many things you may find in a high end home that speak to its prestige. They are things you are far less likely to find in your average home in the UK, and demonstrate that the homeowner or designer has a taste for fine things. One such example is stone staircases. Fine homes benefit from stone staircases and they take many forms. A straight, curved or spiral staircase crafted in stone is something that you and your family can cherish for generations because stone has excellent longevity, and they add value to the home.
Stone in general is something that you will only find in high end homes. Design features such as marble floors and kitchen worktops, or cladding and sculptural works in stone are understandably pricey, which is why they are the preserve of England’s prestigious properties. It takes a lot of skill and technical knowledge to work with stone to a high standard, and stonemasons train at their craft for years before taking on such projects.
Swimming pools are another example of high end features that you can find in some high end homes. The climate of the UK means that outdoor pools are uncommon and most homes with pools will have a dedicated building to house their pools. This makes them easier to heat, especially if there is plenty of direct sunlight on the water.
A home security system might not be the first thing to come to mind when you think of a luxury family home, but many people living in this kind of property will invest in robust systems to protect their home and family. CCTV and alarm systems are the standard, though there are many additional security measures that can be taken such as security guards and motion detectors.
Dining rooms are a big deal in high end homes, especially for large families and people who love to entertain at their home. A dinner party in a luxury home needs to have the right atmosphere, so a lot of attention is paid to the way the room looks and feels. Dining rooms can be austere and modern, or cosy and more traditional.