From a Hovel into a Castle: Luxury Home Ideas You Can Bank On

Eve Ryone has a version of their “dream home.” Unfortunately, finances may limit our efforts to make our dream home wishes come true. For many people, a quiet luxury kitchen might be the upgrade they most want. In fact, according to Martha Stewart, the kitchen is the most renovated room in the home.

If you’re going to remodel your kitchen, you and your family deserve the results to be an upgrade. If you work with your contractor, you’ll learn how to afford high-end materials and revamp your workflow while giving your kitchen a facelift. As you plan for your kitchen remodel, go over possible kitchen amenities with your contractor. If some of them can be omitted (like gold hardware finishes or a double island), it will save money for necessary amenities.

According to Custom Built, talk to your contractor first about your kitchen design must haves. For example, your stove and refrigerator need a place, and those upscale kitchen cabinets should be within reach of both appliances. And while “luxury” is an ambiguous term, according to Custom Built, a luxury cabinet company should be able to supply kitchen cabinets with doors that are either glass or gleaming metal.

 

When you have a home, it’s only natural to want it to be the best environment possible. After all, you’ve got to live in it, right? Besides making sure that everything is in working order and up to the municipal code, most people seek to make improvements within their budget or schedule when possible. Those who can’t shell out a bunch of cash all at once will have to divvy up the payments, but rest assured that you can always have your dream home with the right amount of planning and consideration.

To some people, “dream home” just means a home with no leaks. For others who are more improvement-minded, it can span the range of “different wall colors” to actual luxury home ideas. While the idea of “luxury” can mean different things to different people, it all comes down to customizing your home the way you see fit so that you feel like a king or queen. Because if you don’t feel amazing in your own home, who will? Far from just being four walls and place to make macaroni in cheese, the goal of making your home amazing to live in should far exceed anything that you’ll find in even the nicest Airbnb or hotel. Don’t just dream it, make it!

Basic Improvements That Make All the Difference

When you think about “luxury home ideas” to yourself, you’re probably thinking of diamonds lining the kitchen sink made of Italian imported marble, or fire pits on every outdoor balcony. While that is definitely an option (and fire hazard) to the wealthy and conspicuous, most people don’t realize that making many basic improvements on your home add up to a luxurious environment that folks could have only dreamed of years ago. What was once science fiction or fantasy is now reality, and most of your desires are affordably priced if you seek out competitors that are all too eager to please you. You too can live in the lap of luxury, but you might also want to use a coupon (or referral link).

 

Take, for instance, the concept of security of your property. If you’re truly wealthy and have significant physical assets to guard (like gold, art, or the latest Oreo flavors), then you’ve probably already consulted with a private security service to have armed guards take a stroll around the perimeter and give you a price.

But if you’d rather be the sheriff of your home and call the shots, nowadays it’s easier than ever to get a security camera system that does the work of ten people, 24/7. Some even stream to your phone on-demand, so you can be literally anywhere in the world and get a personalized look at what is going on in your home. Others are centered around keeping your pet safe and will “activate” if certain boundaries are crossed or sensors activated. Make sure to consult with a contractor or the electrical company once you’ve found your system of choice to make sure that it’s compatible with your home.

If you’ve already got security figured out (or live in a rural area and aren’t worried about it), then why not focus on the concept of beauty? So many luxurious estates in history were renowned for their beauty and landscaped nature that complimented architecture. There really is no reason that you can’t have the outside of your house looking similar to the Palace of Versailles if you can find the right landscaper. Even contractors that offer basic mulch service will more than likely willingly plant flowers, trees, and offer suggestions to those who can do more.

Don’t be afraid to take a barren landscape (or lackluster yard) and try to turn it into something spectacular. You may have to get a specialist in there to do some land surveying (especially if you’re looking to make complicated geometric designs), but it will be worth it in the end. With your effort, grit, and imagination you too can live in a palace all your own (at least on the outside). Don’t be afraid to install permanent benches around your fire pit for a cozy, but luxurious, feel.

Rare and Exclusive Luxury is Available to Those Who Seek it Out

So far in this article, we’ve focused on basic things you can do to make your home luxurious and wonderful. But for many of you, these are really “home improvement ideas” and far from the bound of “luxury home ideas.” What about the fountains, architectural metalwork, sculptures, and private game rooms? Lest we forget that some of you are truly interested in sparing no dollar, we have also included those below.

Variety is the spice of life, and art is filled with variety. Critics may denounce it as vacuous or whimsical, but nothing could be further from the truth. Besides being an investment asset vehicle, modern art can bring a whole host of joy to a home no matter its size. Large paintings can be found at auctions, art houses, and online now for a whole host of reasonable prices that fit within any budget. Ditto with sculptures, dioramas, collages, and any other art form that tickles your fancy. Make sure to research and frequent auction houses in your area or abroad to find the best deals, and consider hiring a representative to scope out the world for you to find the perfect piece. They might take a finder’s fee or request expenses paid, but that’s small potatoes when the deal is done.

In mentioning architecture and customization, it’s worth noting that by simply shaping parts of your property into interesting spaces you can create luxury that simply cannot be bought. Take, for instance, parts of your roof that are either hidden or get great sunlight. By hiring a specialized laborer that can do flat roofing, you can turn parts of what was once the ceiling of your house into outdoor patio areas that rival anything you see in People magazine. Imagine coming out of a glass door in what was once a drab roof onto a tiled balcony in order to sunbathe and drink margaritas like you’re Princess Diana.

Want to go even more exclusive? Consider encasing the balcony in glass, putting tropical plants in the room, and getting specialized AC installation to keep it the perfect temperature year-round. Don’t forget the little umbrellas in the glass and a coconut radio. Now that’s luxurious!

Getting Crazy (in a Good Way) With Property Additions

There is only so many things you can put in your home. Once you’ve got a game room, movie theater, and the swirling jet bathtub that lights up orange it can be hard to come up with more luxury home ideas. Do you really need better granite countertops or wood floors imported from Thailand? Will a double-decker refrigerator give you twice the pleasure of eating a sandwich? When the inside of your home has been customized to the point of being seriously considered for another episode of MTV’s “Cribs,” then perhaps it’s time to focus on the outside or making an addition.

The outside of your house should already be a beautiful thing. We’ve already covered how you can beautify your property through landscaping and planting wonderful things, but how exactly do you utilize additional land? If you play sports (or want to start a league at your house), you can think about building a space conducive to that. Basketball courts, while not cheap, take up a predetermined amount of space and can be manufactured to be playable in all weather conditions. Tennis courts have a similar appeal, and both are great eye-catchers if you ever decide to sell your property.

The American house is rarely complete without a pool, location be damned. If they can build indoor pools within New York City skyscrapers, then your property should not be an issue and a pool is one of the most classic luxury home ideas around. Consider marking out a large swath of land for a pool and lounge area, enough to have the party size of your liking whenever you want. Whether you opt for a conventional size or Olympic-size will depend on your budget, but remember that when they’re well-maintained pools tend to add to the value of a home rather than subtract from it. If you can afford to make some sort of enclosure or arrangements for your pool to work in all weather conditions then that is even better.

If you don’t swim, enjoy parties, and don’t play sports, then maybe creating your own nature preserve is more your style. Remember how we harped on getting landscaping and flowers added to your property? If taken to its intellectual end (and with the right amount of cash) you could be well on your way to creating your own little Garden of Eden, complete with identifying sign markers and everything. Although it’s one of the odder luxury home ideas, it is possible. If you hire the right experts and get permission from the authorities, you can import plants from all over the world and create your own miniature botanical garden. If you really want to get crazy, you could even hire someone full-time to staff a petting zoo or zoological garden complete with fish ponds, common (and legal) animals all residing within a recreated natural habitat. Perhaps if you like it enough you could even charge admission and use it to pay the expenses on your home!

If You Cannot Buy, Then Take It Away: When Less Equals Luxury

For those on a budget or looking for a different aesthetic, the luxury home ideas mentioned so far may seem out of place, out of touch, or simply out of budget. To be fair, not everyone wants a mansion filled with stuff or even desires luxurious items. To many, living in luxury means living an uncluttered life full of freedom and wonder, with a cozy space to match. For those with more minimalist tendencies, it may actually be more empowering to have a roll off dumpster rental than to consult with an interior decorator from Manhattan. More power to you and your “less is more” luxury home ideas, and your wallet will certainly be appreciative.

When you’re considering getting rid of items, think about what can still be donated to make someone else’s life luxurious. Just because you’re bored of an old IKEA sofa doesn’t mean that a homeless shelter or library won’t find it to be the bee’s knees and glorify in its novelty. Especially items that are gently used and not damaged/stained in any way, it actually might be a giant upgrade from what the standard decoration fare is. Another bonus is that it is more than likely tax deductible, which could be another form of savings for you to invest in something else (or donate to the charity of your choice). When less is more, you can actually “gain” quite a lot by ridding your home of clutter and arranging the space for what you have always wanted it to be.

Always Remember: the Juice is Worth the Squeeze

Remodeling a home, whether for your own personal use or resale on the open market, can be a hassle like no other. If certain foundational aspects aren’t fixed (like a leaky roof or electrical issue), it can even result in sleepless nights where your luxury home ideas seem like far-fetched fantasies of the illusory variety. Some people may ask themselves during the process: “is the juice worth the squeeze?” and be met with silence. But rest assured, the data points out that home repairs and improvements are continually worth their weight in linoleum and that you need not carry marble yourself to create a Roman temple to make it worthwhile (a job that is much better left to the specialists).

Even a relatively minor kitchen remodel has been shown to have an average return on investment of more than 82%. The moral of this story is that when you improve a home, you increase its value to the right buyers. And with the proliferation of internet listings and international real estate agents, you can find the right buyer just about anywhere, from Seattle to Paris. Someone with enough cash is interested in the same luxury home ideas as you, but either has not implemented them or is considering their first home purchase. Perhaps they’re from another country, or right down the street. What counts is that you put your property and its assets in the right places and wait, almost like a real estate fisherman. Eventually, someone will bite (let’s just hope it’s a big one).

 

But even if you have no intention of selling your home, it’s still worth taking the time to make luxury improvements. Your home will now be a one-of-a-kind wonder fit for a museum, except you’re allowed to live in it as you see fit! No admission fees or sterile glass for you, just pure unadulterated enjoyment of the good life. So take a chance on yourself, ask around for the best contractors that money can buy and get planning! Your luxury home ideas are just waiting to be turned into an astounding reality.