When considering your next luxury home design, you may not always include fixtures in your thoughts. Often, this is simply because fixtures are so obvious. After all, you already know your home will have a kitchen sink and a shower. There are, however, other fixtures you may wish to consider. To follow are several innovative ideas that current PrecisionCraft clients are incorporating into their future homes.
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Kitchens That Work
Often referred to as the heart of the home, kitchens are important whether you are a dedicated gourmand or more of a weekend aperitif connoisseur. As a frequent gathering place, your kitchen should be as perfectly planned as possible, and fixtures make a world of difference.
For example, it is increasingly common for clients to incorporate a second, deep basin kitchen sink into the kitchen island. Washing, cutting, and general food preparation is often a shared and social activity. Adding a second sink (or even a second kitchen island with a sink) allows for additional food preparation space without creating a cramped kitchen space.
Another clever fixture is a long reach faucet installation located just behind your range top. This additional and handy faucet allows kettles and other cookware to be filled with water without having to be carried around the kitchen. Suddenly, preparing those lobsters or lots of pasta for guests becomes as easy as brewing a cup of tea.
Open brick ovens are another increasingly requested kitchen addition. Not only does an open oven offer new ways in which to prepare foods, it adds a lovely focal point to the room.
Baths Plus
While traditional countertop sinks remain a timeless fixture in today’s homes, there are now many others from which to choose. Vessel sinks, vitreous china sinks, pedestal sinks, and others can dramatically change the look and functionality of your bath. Additional bath fixtures for your consideration include a bidet or multiple shower heads.
Depending on your activities, family, and entertainment needs, a sauna, steam room, or both may be a wise addition. Some owners prefer to include steam rooms and saunas in shared spaces while others prefer these relaxing additions to act as private retreats within the master bath or guest suites. Sometimes saunas are designed as part of a home’s outdoor space while the steam room is included inside the residence–often accompanied by an hot tub.
Mudrooms
Once a space primarily designed into homes to contain wet or muddy shoes (or children!), today’s mudroom has evolved into much more. Perhaps your home is located at the shore or in the mountains. Including a mudroom lessens the intrusion and potential damage of sand, dirt, snow, and the inevitable water into your interior spaces.
Today’s mudrooms often include sinks for washing-up, heated drying racks for damp jackets and boots, and even compact washers and dryers for items simply too soiled to go into the regular laundry.
Pet owners know their pets are truly a part of the family. As such, more and more mudrooms now incorporate a place for a pooch’s muddy paws. This means mudrooms sometimes include a wash basin or pet shower along with adjacent space for a pet blow dryer, and of course, a treat station!
Bars & Wine Cellars
If your home will have a bar area, wine cellar, or both, there are several fixtures you will want to consider. For your bar, including a sink and compact dishwasher eliminates the trouble of transporting dirty barware between the kitchen and the bar. Compact refrigerators for beverages and fruit are a must, and coolers built specifically for different wines are not uncommon.
For oenophiles, a wine cellar is a must. If this sounds like you, fixtures such as specialty LED backlighting, custom crafted wine racks, a tasting table, and cooling units and humidity controllers are important. No one wants to destroy a special vintage simply because the cork dried out from inadequate humidity.
Outdoor Spaces
Regardless of how lush your home’s interior is, it is sometimes your outdoor spaces that most astonish friends and family. There are a myriad of reasons for this not the least of which is your spectacular view. However, your outdoor spaces also provide room for creativity when thinking of fixtures. Outdoor showers are ideal for homes designed with pools or located on a waterfront.
Drinking fountains are also a unique addition worth consideration. Drinking fountains do more than allow a refreshing sip while relaxing on your patio. Modern ones often include a hot water dispenser with which to make a cup of tea or hot cocoa. If your home is located in the mountains, having readily available hot water on a cold winter evening while sitting around your patio fireplace, may be your very definition of paradise.
As you work with the architectural designers at M-T-N Design, remember to look for opportunities to add faucets, sinks, and other fixtures to your design to make your completed home more useful, more welcoming, and of course, more luxurious.
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