What, to you, makes a home a luxury home? Is it just a price tag or is it more then that?
It’s definitely not the price tag. I’ve seen expensive homes that are far from luxurious. Like beauty is in the eye of the beholder, everyone’s definition of luxury is different. To some, it may be that $500k renovation that a family finally did to their 40 year old home. To others, it may be a $6M custom built home. We respect the vision that each client has and strive to design and build to their expectations and budget.
When asked what I believe makes a luxury home when I’m designing that $6M Toronto custom home, it’s about interesting elevations which add great street appeal; it’s about using high end materials and finishes; it’s about having unique features as you enter each part of the home that give you that awe inspiring sense of luxury.
What are some common elements you see included in luxury custom homes?
Part of designing and building a luxury home is to make it unique. A one of a kind. Too often you find a copy/paste routine with many homes designed/built by the same architect and/or builder. Every home owner wants their home to be an original. A home with the most distinctive characteristics. Some of the ‘common elements’ that you would see in a luxury home would include a grand entrance, tall ceilings on all floors, professional quality kitchens, cool architectural features, opulent bathrooms with spa like features, large dressing rooms with natural light, sun room with plants bringing the outside into the home, a fitness studio, home theatre and smart technology features.
What are some of the most unique touches you’ve added to a custom home?
It’s difficult to point out what is the most unique, as each home is very unique and designed/built to suit the home owner’s lifestyle. Many of our homes now include home elevators, multi car lifts, underground parking, indoor water features, open flame fireplaces, indoor swimming pools and 20’ tall ceilings.
We’ve pushed the envelope into the extreme luxury zone by having two storey basements with a car elevator going to the lowest basement floor which is an entire underground parking garage, whilst the first basement has a half sized basketball court, exercise room and spa. We’ve include marble staircases and sun rooms with 16’ diameter glass domes, walk in cigar humidors with their own ventilation system to allow four people to enjoy a good brandy and cigar.
Two person walk in solid marble showers with book-end marble with natural veining emanating the shape of a butterfly, with backlit marble seating and accent strip lighting in the ceilings and corners of the shower. Marble bathtubs where the water comes down from the ceiling to fill the tub, with flat screen TV’s in the vanity mirrors as well as opposite the tub above a double sided fireplace. Indoor waterfalls with fire features. The lists go on. Imagination and budget are the only limits.
Our Building Expert:
Michal J Cerny is PMP, P.GSC is the President and CEO of multi award winning Ambassador Fine Custom Homes Inc. which has been featured in multiple magazines, newspapers and television.
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