Investing in smart and luxurious features in homes can enhance one’s lifestyle and potentially add tremendous value to one’s property. I’ve seen some high-return, refined investments used to elevate living space, but it’s always important to do these thoughtfully, with consideration for one’s self rather than simply for other people.
I always find that when houses have been customized by their owner-residents, they fare much better in the market than when a builder just adds a shopping list of “things” that they feel would be desirable.
Think of it as a curated outfit put together of eclectic clothing pieces by, say, Brunello Cuccinelli, Ralph Lauren, and All Saints along with Carhartt…that all come from different creative minds and are assembled by the wearer in a distinctively upscale and unique look. Then compare that individual with someone who just got a bunch of stuff from the Gap and threw it on. Both can look decent, but one will stand out as much more considered.
The things we consider when planning a life for ourselves may often be more appreciated by others than one that was just a bunch of things from someplace. I have told my builder-clients this time and time again that buyers are aware of these things. Sometimes we can put a finger on what it is that makes something “just right” because it’s like a recipe that fantastically blends ingredients, and is a combination of things.
Before we dive into things, learn more about what it really means to find your life of luxury. Read more here.
Home Automation Systems
These complex systems have become more user-friendly over recent years and have also become less expensive to install, especially with the use of wi-fi. They consolidate devices from across the entire house into a single screen (or your phone/tablet) so that the homeowner can instantly view the status of the security system, answer video doorbell calls, play music throughout the house, control heating and cooling, light the fireplace, control the lights and operate window shades… and even water the lawn or open a door to allow a delivery. The intelligent system is tailored and personalized to the unique homeowner’s lifestyle to enhance security, comfort, enjoyment, immediate control, and energy efficiency.
Smart Lighting: Smart lighting systems that allow you to control the ambiance, colour, and intensity of lights through your smartphone or voice commands can set the mood for any occasion and also show off the individual choices that you’ve made to decorate your home.
I learned of a great system by Control4 through a client of mine that had it in their house that I listed, which banks a group of light switches beautifully into a single-sized plate, with each switch labeled. At the front door, there can be a master switch that turns on a whole series of lights around the house in a single touch…most impressive! This feature can enhance one’s feeling of security when they can illuminate most of the house when they get back from a trip or even a late night out.
Smart Thermostats: These can be used to regulate your home’s temperature remotely, optimizing energy efficiency and comfort. If you are away on a holiday and forget to turn the heat down, you can do it from your phone, anywhere in the world! And if your trip dates change, then you can just set the heat or cooling to adjust to a comfortable temperature a couple of hours before your return… from anywhere! Further, though, if the house is larger, it can be worthwhile to install two or more HVAC systems that are individually controlled so that heating and cooling are better distributed, or whole parts of the house can even be turned off if temperature-conditioned air isn’t necessary while you’re only using a portion of the house.
Smart Home Security Systems
Smart Locks and Video Doorbells: These devices enhance security, providing remote access control and real-time monitoring. They can eliminate the need for keys and aid in giving access to the house by trades or maintenance/cleaning people while one is not at home.
Surveillance Cameras: These cameras have become incredibly good at picking up accurate detail, even in the dark with night mode, and offer comprehensive home security with features like motion detection and cloud storage. I use mine frequently to review what had happened outside, for instance, if we’ve suspected or been told of an unusual occurrence by a neighbour. I have been able to go back in time and actually play back burglaries happening across the street from my home and have provided digital footage to the police simply by dropping a video file from my phone to one of theirs when they’ve come to investigate. Even more jarring, an intruder came into my house and I was able to identify which areas he went into and where he took things from. Luckily, there was no harm done to the house or to any of my family. I am a big believer in having these set up in strategic places in the house. (I was also able to catch my kids taking items from the liquor cabinet)
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Home Theatre Systems
4K Projectors and High-End Audio Systems: With the recent reluctance to be amongst crowds in more recent years, some of the best evenings can be spent at home with family or a bunch of friends. Why not create a luxurious home entertainment experience with a high-quality screen and immersive audio system? This can integrate easily with existing audio-video equipment, and be controlled from phones or tablets, as well as from wall controls integrated into the smart home setup. We installed our first home theatre system back around 2001 when our kids were small, and it was truly a game-changer. Today, though, the systems being integrated into homes can extend through several rooms and create an experience that guests as well as families will fondly recall. Again, with WiFi and constant technological advances, these systems are more customizable and come at much lower costs.
Automated Window Treatments: Curtains or blinds that can be controlled with a touch of a button for a complete home theatre experience are a nice extra, but this is also a useful privacy and daylighting barrier that most people would appreciate.
High-End Kitchen Appliances
A high-quality, professional-grade oven and range may not only improve your cooking experience but also add to the aesthetic appeal of your kitchen. These are available with gas cooktops and ovens, dual-fuel (gas top, electric oven), and also electric induction cooktops, and work much more rapidly. They’re becoming more common in higher-end condos, where gas isn’t available or permitted for cooking, and make a great upgrade when renovating an existing kitchen.
For coffee enthusiasts, a built-in espresso machine can bring a touch of luxury to your morning routine, but they also look grouped with other matching appliances as they sit in a well-designed wall grouping. This takes away from the apparent clutter of gadgets sitting on countertops.
Often counter-depth, professional-grade refrigerators and freezers integrate more sleekly with kitchen cabinetry and are nicer, too, since items don’t get forgotten in the far rear of the shelves. Food is better presented as these appliances are often better organized and lit, and sometimes have smart features that monitor what food items remain inside so that one can plan meals and shopping lists better.
Looking for something specific? Browse through my curated list of featured listings here.
Luxury Bathroom Upgrades
About 5 decades ago, saunas used to give bragging rights to their owners as they’d herd their swanky friends down to their basements to have a sauna party. I bought a house with one, and I can say that it was a formidable storage room, where I could keep track of the boxes of things I stashed away in there as they sat on the tiered benches. Now, steam showers for a spa-like experience in one’s ensuite baths and smart toilets with advanced functionalities such as bidet and other hygienic functions are popular due to their convenience as well as the creature comforts that they provide.
Heated floors in bathrooms are always appreciated, especially during colder seasons, but also when our sleepy feet hit them after not having a ton of blood circulating through them all night. They can be controlled remotely with a smart home system or even just simply with a programmable wall thermostat that connects to a slab sensor in the floor. Less expensive systems are electric, but hydronic systems (hot water) are the most efficient and can be served by a combo-core water heater which has two heat exchangers (one for your domestic hot water, the other for floor heat). In fact, these water heaters can be rented from the same companies that one currently rents conventional water heaters from. Further, a looped hot water supply line can be run from the hot water tank with an efficient pump that constantly circulates the water such that you get instant hot water when you turn on the tap… This saves water and energy, since the hot water tank is heating water anyway, and the pump costs pennies a day to run.
Home Gym Equipment
Smart fitness equipment that offers personalized workout routines and real-time performance tracking can save the time of going to a club when one has full and busy days. It makes it easy for a family to work out together, if so inclined. Rubberized or cork floors, walls of mirrors, and other thoughtful treatments of the area where this equipment is located could make the entire workout experience more like a pro gym or spa, and the addition of an audio system or wall TV could make it seem less isolated, and allow one to combine some of their entertainment time with some good ol’ exercise!
I haven’t given up on the sauna idea, despite the comments earlier, they’re great, if space allows, and are actually going to become part of one’s routine. Newer saunas using infrared are supposedly better than the ones with hot coals and don’t have maintenance issues associated with those. Other spa features for post-workout relaxation such as a massage table (masseuse needed) or a hot tub can take this whole experience a notch higher.
Custom Built-Ins and Storage Solutions
Probably the most common, but useful, upgrades to maximize storage and organization is custom-designed closets that cater to your specific needs and preferences. Ikea has terrific budget-friendly components that can be easily planned with their online closet and kitchen planning program, but several other companies will do the planning work and consult with a homeowner to get the very best system for the money planned. More sophisticated systems by European companies such as Poliform, Scavolini, or Bulthaup offer stunning closet systems that can make a dressing room look like a high-end retailer, employing indirect lighting, drawers, and sliding jewelry trays.
A custom wine cellar or bar area can add sophistication to a home, and many people discover a new interest once they have this feature. It’s rarely unappreciated, and the variety of wine storage areas I’ve seen is staggering. Whole walls of beautifully displayed bottles behind a glass wall in a dining room, a grotto-styled tasting room with stone floors and teak racking, or simply a pair of tall integrated temperature-zoned wine fridges in a well-planned kitchen provide wonderful experiences for hosting or simply enjoying a growing collection. In condos, even, smaller wine fridges are a lovely component of a well-planned kitchen island.
High-Quality Furniture and Decor
Individuality shows when one invests in timeless, high-quality furniture pieces created by renowned manufacturers and designers. Not only will they last longer, but they won’t look outdated like some trendy pieces tend to appear after a short time. Think of longevity and personal luxury, but also buy what you like and not what everyone else is buying. Weirdly, when I was at university, studying architecture, I wanted to get a Barcelona chair for my bedroom at my frat house… because I liked these chairs and grew up appreciating architectural things through my parents’ influences. This was before the days of knock-offs, so I called Knoll and asked them how much it would be to buy one of these. $5,000…. so I refrained. Back then, these were rare, because there was one original source and maker of them. Now, I see these Barcelona chairs (knock-offs) every day in real estate listings, often staged. They’ve become so common, that the pair that I grew up with from my parents almost seems like a cliché. So, do yourself a favour, and choose something that you like, that is rare and personal. Do the same with art. Curate it and buy it as you come across it on a trip, at a special gallery night, or from a friend who is an aspiring artist. But only if it means something to you; because it’s these personal touches that ultimately create luxury, and personal procurement is much more interesting than a builder home where the upgrades came from a standard list and that was then generically staged in a day, to sell.
Thinking about buying or selling? Find what you’re looking for here:
Landscaping and Outdoor Features
Outdoor kitchen spaces with high-end barbecues, fridges, and even sinks move the whole process of a dinner to the outdoors, elevating the experience of the cooks and those enjoying the fare. They become another gathering space, just like that 80s hit “Everybody’s in the Kitchen at Parties”. The garden and patio become a more central activity space of the home for more things and connect the inside with the outdoors. Outdoor furniture has become much more comfortable and stylish, too, and groupings of seats, sofas, sectionals, and coffee tables add to the usual outdoor dining sets and umbrellas. Connect this to the home audio system, and it can all be controlled, again, on one’s phone or tablet! Outside!
Those who love gardening and introduce more exotic plants and groupings can benefit from the smart irrigation systems available that optimize water consumption and adapt to weather conditions. They can be zoned, and controlled with home automation, or simply with an electric timer connected to them.
Using high-quality pavers and beautiful natural stone, or combining the two gives an upscale look and long-lasting durability. Done correctly, I’d say this is one thing area in which payback in the future is greatest, while personal enjoyment is immediate. For decking, premium woods such as ipe require less maintenance and resist rot. There are also premium recycled materials that are used to produce durable and handsome surfaces and are environmentally beneficial.
Comfort and Convenience Leads to a Life of Luxury
Before making these investments, it’s essential to consider your lifestyle, preferences, and the potential return on investment for resale value. Consult with professionals to ensure that renovations align with local market trends and regulations. Ultimately, these additions can transform your home into a luxurious and technologically advanced haven. Additionally, I have loads of experience with the implementation of these valuable additional features and am happy to share some of the feedback of buyers in the past concerning how they value these and what attracts them more. Please feel free to get in touch with me to discuss your thoughts in this regard, or if you need any advice.
Reach out directly by calling 416-824-1242, emailing robert@lifeofluxury.ca, or filling out the form on this page.
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