Must-Haves for the Home

By CRISTIAN DAVID | Special to the Palisadian-Post

The real estate landscape is ever evolving. As a trendsetter in the world of home design and architecture, Los Angeles buyers and sellers, as well as the agents at Sotheby’s International Realty, I have noticed a few trends that influenced homes and home sales last year.

Let’s take a look at some of the most popular home features, which will be sure to continue to be popular tomorrow.

Formal Foyers. A foyer could easily set a home’s tone as the ambassador that welcomes guests inside. Yes, it can be extravagant and, often, a splurge.

The focus of most foyers is a main staircase and some of its key features include luxury elements, like balustrades and hand-turned banisters, which make strong design statements.

Foyers can also be functional, as storage can be a subtle but relevant factor. As a transitional space, it invites guests to see what’s next, and if enclosed, it can be home to many art pieces and furnishings.

I have also noticed that floors in a foyer can be a strong choice. In one Los Angeles home, designer Betsy Burnham chose a Moroccan theme, and instead of rugs or carpets, she chose mosaic tiles to create patterns.

To me, every choice in the design of the main entrance tells a story, and in today’s world of so many words, the stronger the statements, the more memorable the entrance will be.

Mudrooms. Just as with foyers, a mudroom can serve as a transitional space between the garage and the rest of the house.

Recently, mudrooms have been making stronger statements through their key functional elements, including seating, cabinetry, flooring and storage spaces.

Many designers have turned these rooms into more than just a small space to breeze through. We have noticed a sense of playfulness where a piece of artwork can either be inspirational or reflective, or simply funny. Why not change your mind to a more positive state prior to entering your main home?

Garage Epoxy Flooring. While epoxy flooring can be a great solution for many areas and commercial spaces, designers prefer this thick plastic-like durable and versatile compound in the garage.

Epoxy offers a modern visual appeal that designers and architects love because of its amazing color palettes and finish combinations, which allows them to really create their vision.

I personally love the variety of artistry and depth in the designs that this type of flooring can display. And since the garage is no longer just an extra space used for storing your unwanted items, they have been playing an
important role in making strong design statements.

I love having my 1961 Jaguar E-Type parked on my epoxy floors (and so does Jay Leno, I’m sure).

His ’n‘ Her Bathrooms. In an interview with Esquire magazine, Sir Michael Caine has declared that the secret to his long lasting marriage is separate bathrooms.

“You start with two bathrooms. You never share a bathroom with your wife,” he said.

Apparently, Sir Michael Caine and his wife are not the only ones who believe in separate bathrooms. Many of our clients have requested that their homes come with oversized his ’n‘ her bathrooms.

Men seem to be fairly minimalistic with their bathrooms, whereas ladies doubtlessly require all manner of pots and potions, unguents and lotions, creams and ointments, flannels and hand towels and face towels and bath towels, and those really enormous, super-fluffy towels.

Wine Cellars. These days, it’s not uncommon to see a sleek, all-glass enclosed space with stainless steel and wood trim adjacent to the dining area (often in addition to a larger storage cellar elsewhere), primarily for visual effect.

Apparently designers have been inspired by restaurants where wine cellars have been more integrated into the common space. We are more and more in tune with our senses nowadays, and having the warm glow of backlit bottles, as seen in bars and restaurants, creates a kind of jewel box and even a theatrical effect.

Media Rooms. Media rooms have become quite the necessity in most of the newly built homes. We used to see these rooms mirroring the cinema-like design that included stadium-like leather upholstered motorized seating with consoles in between.

Now, we are seeing more serene, family getaway-like designs, featuring oversized furniture and art, elegant sconces on chic, light oak wall panels, loungy sectionals, luxurious upholstered club chairs, and cushioned daybeds suspended from the ceiling.

High-tech has evolved rapidly in the last few years, as well. The latest designs have caught up with the media rooms by featuring multi-media versatility. Through the technology provided by Lutron, for instance, today’s media room is a technological marvel, by simply adjusting your lighting, sound and shades through the touch of a button or an app on your phone.