The demand for luxury never takes a breather, but the components of luxury residential environments are constantly in flux. Transitions in lifestyle preferences, technology, and demographics have challenged designers to express the quality of high-end home accessories in new, innovative ways. With the pandemic behind us but not forgotten, many of the most in-demand accessories are fueled by comfort, convenience, and wellness.
John Cialone, partner and vice president at Chicago-based Tom Stringer Design Partners — the firm’s portfolio features cosmopolitan penthouses and waterfront retreats across the country — reports, “Our clients have access to everything, so finding something truly unique, which nobody else has, can be challenging.” He adds, “People love things that are clever, but especially when they’re functional or solve design problems,” citing items like pop-up TVs and secret doors. “We do a lot of hidden doors, usually so the aesthetics of a library or wall space aren’t interrupted,” says Cialone of this quintessential cloak-and-dagger feature.
Acknowledging that lighting has a profound impact on a space, Cialone admires the top-tier products of Los Angeles-based Alison Berger Glassworks, which offers handblown, custom lighting commissions. More accessible is South Carolina’s Urban Electric Co., which is adept at mixing different finishes per the requirements of some Tom Stringer Design Partners projects. For someone who has everything, Cialone suggests constellation-themed tableware from German porcelain maker Nymphenburg, whose hand-painted “My Private Sky” plates present the night sky as it appeared at any time and place significant to the homeowner.
Photo Credit: Alison Berger Glassworks/Joshua White
“I have a great appreciation for fine-quality textiles,” notes Cialone, adding, “Everybody knows Hermès, but Sandra Jordan produces alpaca textiles that are not quite cashmere but are extremely luxurious.” The sustainable product is used for throws and pillows or for upholstering furniture. A unique accessory, applicable for both entertaining and décor, is a Scrabble set with exquisite leather-wrapped tiles from London-based Asprey, priced at more than $15,000. Game rooms continue to evolve, with billiard table designs that complement any architectural style. Cialone recently commissioned New York’s Blatt Billiards for a custom vintage-style table, and for contemporary aesthetics, designers look to Impatia, located outside Milan, whose billiard and ping-pong tables have the sleek styling of Italian sports cars.
Photo Credit: Studio Ganz
Art and music are perennial interests among luxury homeowners, and Sondra Ganz, founder and principal designer at Studio Ganz in San Francisco, incorporates both into her projects. “Clients are less interested in super-expensive art and are gravitating toward pieces by emerging and local artists,” she says. “Many of my clients are involved in playing music or collecting instruments, and whenever possible, I like to incorporate those into the décor,” she adds. Ganz notes that serious audiophiles are now acquiring reel-to-reel music players, which are said to deliver better sound quality than vinyl. “They can be quite expensive, and because they have more of a physical presence than turntables, they create an element of surprise in a room.”
Photo Credit: Tom Stringer Design Partners
Photo Credit: Tom Stringer Design Partners
Ganz reports another pandemic influence (one that is here to stay) is the incorporation of greenery into the home, and she works with horticulturalists specializing in bespoke interior planting. She receives frequent requests for Zip Water faucets in the kitchen, which Cialone also reports are in demand by his clients. This multifunctional faucet, which dispenses filtered boiling, chilled, and sparkling water, appeals to health- and eco-conscious homeowners while eliminating the need for teapots or SodaStream machines.
The home gym has always been an essential space in ultra-luxury residences, but the pandemic made it an even greater priority. For a more artistic version of the stationary bike, high-income workout enthusiasts opt for the Ciclotte Bike. Priced at almost $20,000, the traditional frame is replaced by an ethereal glass disk, making the crystalline unicycle almost entirely transparent — a truly seductive piece of gym equipment. In San Francisco, where square footage is often scarce, Ganz reports that many of her clients seek to combine an office with space for cycling or yoga.
Another interior design priority reinforced during the pandemic — but proving to be enduring — is the ever-increasing value of the kitchen, no longer hidden behind closed doors but now a showcase for sophisticated design and a prime venue for entertainment. While cutting-edge technology is encouraged, tradition can be equally compelling, demonstrated by classically styled La Cornue ranges handcrafted in France. A myriad of options and custom colors are available, and with all the bells and whistles, a La Cornue appliance can cost as much as a Ferrari.
Photo Credit: La Cornue/Manolo Langis
Steven Cooper, principal designer at Cooper Pacific Kitchens — the company has showrooms in Los Angeles and Big Sky, Montana — reports that La Cornue ranges are serious cooking machines that double as pieces of art. “It’s the ‘original' French range made one at a time, so it’s fully customizable to your lifestyle and whatever you like to cook,” says Cooper. “In the American market, it’s known first for its aesthetics and the allure of French styling, but it’s also beloved by serious chefs,” he adds. Cooper notes that students at Le Cordon Bleu culinary school learn their craft on La Cornue ranges.
By Roger Grody
