Real Estate
Luxury Plus
Amenities add extra value to even the most sought-after properties

Today, homes priced at $1 million or more frequently are described as being “amenity-laden” or “amenity-driven”—replete with indulgences that take a home from merely upscale to extraordinary. Extras such as pools, conservatories and patios long have been facets of high-end properties, and such amenities have become synonymous with lifestyle, catering to the changing ways we live in our homes and to an evolving consumer who values experiences over acquisition.

Today’s amenities give new meaning to the term “feathering your nest.” Rather than being nice additions, they often create what owners perceive as the true worth of a home. Some, such as original artwork and exceptional finishes, put a distinctive stamp on a house, crafting an environment owners find meaningful and nurturing. Additions such as smart house technology or elevators facilitate daily living in homes that on average are more than 50 percent larger than they were in the 1970s, when only 10 percent of all newly constructed homes exceeded 2,400 square feet. Most importantly, amenities help create true sanctuaries, making home the ideal spot to relax, pursue interests, watch a movie or entertain family and friends.

Here is a sampling of home amenities that we think best exemplify luxury living today:

Not Just Bedrooms
Experts tell us that cocooning is over, but you’d never know it by the enthusiasm for master suites. The ideal is a multiple-room hideaway with a private patio or garden with some of luxury’s most sought-after amenities. A bedroom kitchen makes it easy to enjoy morning coffee or a nightcap without stirring too far, and we think one would be a terrific guest-room addition. A sitting room, whether a separate space or an alcove off the bedroom, is a must. Equally desirable are master closets that have morphed into room-sized affairs with infinite permutations on storage, from large center islands with drawers and a large countertop (great for packing) to two-level closet systems, luggage storage, even a personal washer and dryer.

Rub-A-Dub-Dub
The most pleasing master baths are akin to private spas—and the largest homes might have two. Some say a private outdoor shower garden is nirvana. The next best thing may be an Oriental-inspired, infinity-edge soaking tub for one or two. The big news in master baths, though, are showers, which may just top our list as the amenity with the most bells and whistles, not to mention multiple sprays and showerheads and even waterfall fixtures that mimic rainfall. Showers have gone high-tech too, with digital controllers to program temperature and water flow. You still have to supply your own singing, though.

No Ceramic Here
Luxe finishes are more in demand than ever and designers are obliging with new lines and innovative materials. Glass tiles, which tile designer Ann Sacks claims allow you to harness the beauty of light and color in a way other products can’t, might glisten in the bath or as a kitchen backsplash, but how about leather floor or wall tiles, metal, even 14-karat-gold accents, repoussé and cloisonné finishes?

Cooking with Class
Upscale kitchens are big in all price ranges, but a butler’s pantry or a catering kitchen is the dream for some luxury owners. As great rooms and open kitchens become centers to socialize, these ancillary areas become more essential and elaborate. Some catering kitchens even include showers for the staff. At the same time, drawer refrigerators and drawer dishwashers help disperse kitchens all over the house to game rooms, bedrooms or guest rooms. Plus, two-drawer dishwashers appeal to smaller families and empty nesters.

Going Up?
Once found in only the most expensive estates, elevators have gone mainstream. New, space-sparing designs and lower costs make them attainable.

Think Green
Let’s face it, the rising cost of heating and cooling a large home has owners rethinking conservation. For the last two years, the New American Home, a luxury home built in conjunction with the International Builders Show, has received an award from the U.S. Department of Energy; it shows us that luxury and conservation can coexist. Green features this year include: a design that optimizes cross ventilation, garden mulch made from recycled construction materials, a tankless hot-water heater, HEPA filtration, a gutter system that captures rainwater to use for landscape watering, sprayed Icynene expanding foam roof insulation and high-efficiency heating and cooling.

A Place for Everything
Once an afterthought, garages are finally receiving their due. Whether you own a racecar team or just a lot of toys, enough garage space is apt to be on your wish list. Garages have gone upscale with cabinet systems, flooring and even appliances. (The convertible refrigerator/freezer is our favorite.) For collectors, space for 19 or 20 vehicles—think lifts here—and a showroom environment complete with a restroom is most desirable.

Mind, Body and Soul
Home as a refuge implies self-renewal and meditation spaces, indoors and out, speak to America’s growing spiritual bent. Architects report a growing number of requests for meditation rooms. Some vertical communities even have meditation gardens.

Exercise rooms and home gyms are also in demand, and have become standard in expensive new homes. The most elaborate are a complete indulgence with yoga rooms, massage areas, saunas and steam showers.

Room for Friends
More than anything, we value time with friends and family and more than 50 percent of the million-dollar homeowners in a recent Coldwell Banker survey said they had a room devoted exclusively to entertaining. Home theaters bring professional-quality audio and video home. Typically, upscale homes have a wet bar, but a sit-down bar in a room reminiscent of a pub, particularly with billiards, may be the penultimate.

The most desired wine accoutrements are: a cellar for thousands of bottles, an electronic system to keep tabs on the collection and an area for tastings and entertaining.

Be At Peace
Smart house technologies easily could be considered a stress-reducing amenity as they facilitate central control of lighting and shades, monitoring for intrusions (even water and leaks) and/or remote access to home systems. Second-home owners can turn on heat or cooling as well as lights before they arrive.

Dapper Décor
With an eye toward making interiors more experiential and also toward assembling a collection, more upscale homeowners are placing a premium on original artwork. 

Reprinted with permission from our sister publication Unique Homes.