Luxury is subjective. In most cases. When it comes to materialistic possessions luxury equals the ‘experience’ the possession has to offer. Take for instance a home.
A home that offers one comforts in XXL proportions is luxury. So yes, luxury isn’t using gold finished fittings. It’s using sensor operated fittings. Luxury isn’t a massive bathtub made in onyx. Luxury is a bathtub that understands the water temperature you prefer, plays music according to your mood and massages your shoulders.
Here is my Take 5 on essentials for a luxury home, Sumessh Menon style!
1. A full-fledged bar
The kind where you can make your own draught beer.
When you are talking luxury and comfort, you cannot have a mini-bar tucked away somewhere in a corner. You got to go all out with this one. Besides a fabulous display of your liquor collection, invest in an ice maker, draught beer making machine, built in wine chillers, and the works. Luxury is all about entertaining guests in style.
2. Automation
The basic of luxury
With Alexa becoming a household companion, automation is no longer a luxury. But well, it adds comfort in unbelievable proportions so its here on the list! Gadgets, appliances, lighting, window dressings, all need to hear you. Voice recognition controls is a must. Household help is no more dependable. Let’s move to technology.
3. Exotic stones
Lets ditch onyx. Please, please, please!
In fact I’d even give the Carrara and the Italian marbles all a miss and go for exotic marbles likes Brazilian marble or South African stones for a real luxury home. Its just like the tourism industry. Europe is done to death. South American countries or South Africa is more luxury. Bring on the exclusive stuff!
4. E-toilets
That remember your perfect seat position!
Toilet seats and bidets with indulgent features like heated seats, memorised seat positions, self-cleaning nozzles, adjustable water temperature and water pressure, remote control, adjustable nozzle position, etc. are a must for a luxury home. Toto had introduced the concept in Japan and now leading brands like Duravit also have a fabulous range in these. Go get them!
5. Statement light fittings
Can’t do without a conversation piece!
We all know that the right lighting can totally make or break a space and enhance its luxe factor by focussing on the essentials. But a must have for a luxury home is a ‘statement’ light fitting. Be it a classic chandelier, a drop dead gorgeous pendant light or an artistic wall light, a statement light fitting is a piece of art that stirs conversations plenty. It adds oomph to a space!
We have experimented with lights made out of Indian blown glass at Koko and its been an eye-catcher. We love to custom make our light fittings.
Bonus:
6. A media room
The lion’s den
Whats a luxury home without a gentleman’s bar and media room that is packed with gadgets? Bedrooms are all designed with the women in mind, with full length mirrors, walk in wardrobes and elegant bathrooms. The boys need some space and what better way to give that to them that than a space dedicated to their needs? Women, don’t get upset, that means less cluttered bedrooms and living rooms and no extra wires anywhere. It’s a win win!
About Interior designer Sumessh Menon
Sumeesh Menon is a leading interior designer in the country and founder of Sumessh Menon Associates, a firm that specializes in high end and bespoke residential, commercial and hospitality interiors. Sumessh is recognized as one of the top Hospitality Interior designers in the country, and is probably one of the few interior design firms in India that have such a stylish yet practical approach to design.
He has a very sensuous style of design and his creations are bold yet sleek, and make an artsy style statement. He likes to individually conceive his designs and meticulously crafts the details of each so no two designs look the same.
Be it the some of the trendiest restaurants in Mumbai, record breaking lounges and bars or high end residences, Sumeesh Menon has made his mark across categories, design sensibilities and mastered the art of seducing through design.
Some of his recent well-known projects include restaurants and bars like POH, Koko, Keiba, Masala Bar and Trilogy 2.o.
