Susie Skog knows Lake Norman Real Estate Inside Out

In luxury real estate, we often hear of homes described as having meticulous attention to detail. When looking for a new home, its important to consider what that means exactly. Like a quality suit with precise stitching or a designer handbag made from rare materials, sometimes you need to know just what to look for in order to appreciate the quality in a home. Here are a few of the finer details to keep an eye out for the next time you walk through a property.

Hardware
Anyone whos had to pick out the hardware for their doors or kitchen cabinets knows that there are endless options and not all are created equal. From hand-forged bronze handles to polished brass levers, the hardware in a home should be a perfect combination of form and function by exuding quality and contributing to the design aesthetic. Its the sort of characteristic thats easy to overlook until you visit a home thats finished with exquisitely crafted hardware throughout.

Light Fixtures
Lighting serves a functional purpose, but the fixtures themselves are an equally significant component to pay attention to. While recessed lights tend to be task-oriented to illuminate an area for reading or working, wall and ceiling mounted fixtures add a decorative element and can contribute to the overall ambience. Whether its the pendant hanging over the dining room table or a sconce above the bedside table, thoughtfully chosen fixtures can set a home apart.

Faucets
Showerheads tend to get all of the attention when it comes to plumbing fixtures, but theres plenty more to keep an eye out for when walking through a home. In particular, the faucets in the kitchen and bathrooms can be a good indicator of quality. In addition to stylish designs that range from classic to contemporary, another important factor to consider is if they reduce water consumption or have motion sensors, as todays best smart faucets are engineered to do.

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When searching for a new home, there are certain features that we all covet and are easy to spot, such as a spa-like bathroom or a gourmet kitchen. However, its just as important to keep an eye out for the little details. While they might not be as noticeable at first glance, certain architectural touches can contribute to a distinguished look that speaks to the quality of the home. If youre currently searching for a luxury property, here are a few details to take note of when viewing a home.

Wainscoting
These wall panels come in a variety of styles, such as raised or board and batten, and are often considered a mark of craftsmanship that creates a refined aesthetic. In addition to giving the walls a sense of texture, wainscoting can also be incorporated into a rooms color scheme if you want to give it a two-toned look. Its quite common to see wainscoting stained or painted white and the rest of the wall painted a different color.

Built-in Bookshelves
While the world may be going digital, built-in bookshelves still hold their appeal. Whether youre putting your literary collection on display or using it as a space for small objects and artwork, theres no denying that they lend a sophisticated ambience to practically any room.

Tall, Detailed Ceilings
Everyone loves tall ceilings. They create a grand sense of space and typically come hand-in-hand with oversized windows that allow natural light to pour in. While youre looking up, there are plenty more architectural details to keep an eye out for, like wood beams or voluminous barrel vaulted ceilings.

Crown Molding
The visual barrier between wall and ceiling, crown molding can range from a simple piece of trim to an ornate display of artistry. This coveted detail can help to make the walls feel taller and if you want to get creative with a splashy ceiling color, crown molding will help to frame it and create separation from the rest of the room.

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Whether you collect classics or like to put the pedal to the metal, heres everything you need to know about car condos.

High-End Accommodations

Owners can drop in for a weekend and live luxuriously while enjoying their car collections.

Private Test Tracks

Youll be able to open your car up on a professional performance track and put it to the test the way your car was meant to be driven.

Community of Automotive Aficionados

These developments are often equipped with private restaurants, bars and clubhouses that host social events for car-loving members.

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Its no secret that luxury homeowners love to keep up with the latest in interior design. While there are plenty of enduring movements that will never really go out of style, like traditional or mid-century modern, its always interesting to see when a new one comes along. Over the last decade or so, the modern farmhouse has very much staked its claim, which poses the question: Whats next? Well, it just might be a new movement thats been dubbed Japandi. Heres everything you should know about it.

A Hybrid of Minimalist Styles
Right about now, theres a good chance youre asking yourself what exactly is Japandi? The term is, in fact, a portmanteau combining two existing design styles that youre likely quite familiar with: Japanese and Scandinavian. These two aesthetics, while hailing from vastly different places and cultures, both share a sense of minimalism that promotes simple living. In that sense, they are a perfect match for each other.

Dark Tones
While Scandinavian design typically uses light shades of gray and white, the color scheme more commonly seen in modern Japanese design is darker. Japandi, as it turns out, tends to lean toward the latter, with tones of dark gray, brown and even black. Perhaps more important, however, is that it should be a natural color palette.

Curated Objects
Seeing as both styles are closely related to minimalism, an essential step in achieving the Japandi look is getting rid of all the clutter in your home. Once thats been taken care of, you can have some fun getting creative with the objects on display in spaces that you might typically overlook, like your kitchen island, nightstand or coffee table.

Natural Textures
Both Japanese and Scandinavian design rely heavily on the use of natural elements. The presence of wood and stone can create a sense of balance. Taking that a step further, a water feature or fireplace can deepen that connection to nature. Ideally, all of these characteristics will come together to create a space that promotes harmony in your home.

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The modern world has many advantages, but one issue that many of us are facing, particularly those who spend their days working in front of a computer, is the feeling of being disconnected from the natural world. The good news is that a growing movement known as biophilic design might be just the answer and is being utilized by designers and architects around the world. Cities, in particular, are embracing this trend, and if youre looking for a living space that will help you reconnect with Mother Nature, heres what you should know about biophilic design.

The Basics
At its core, this design movement is all about creating a living space that feels like its a part of nature. That means much more than just incorporating green spaces. Equal emphasis is placed on using natural materials, such as wood and stone, to capture natural light throughout the day, and simply being able to observe things happening outside, like the sunset or a snowstorm.

Design Solutions
Breaking down the barrier between indoor and outdoor spaces is a big part of biophilic design. A retractable glass wall, for example, can capture sunlight in the winter and in the warmer months be opened up to allow fresh air to flow through the home. Additionally, you can bring the outdoors inside with indoor gardens or living walls. Even feeling connected to animals can play a role in biophilic design, like a koi pond, where you can relax while watching fish or attracting birds and butterflies with specific types of plants.

The Benefits
The main argument, of course, is that when we feel closer to nature were more relaxed and in tune with our surroundings. Additionally, biophilic design is considered to be an environmentally friendly solution because it typically requires using clean, natural materials to build homes that use less energy. For instance, if you can design a home to capture a natural breeze, then you may not need air conditioning in the summer. Or, by capturing adequate sunlight through performance glass windows you can reduce the heat required to keep your home warm in the winter. If thats not enough, its an added bonus that this also means lowering your bills.

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