One of the most exciting parts of the custom home building process is deciding on styling and details. The materials you choose play a big part in elevating your home from being cookie-cutter, to becoming a bespoke masterpiece.
From flooring to fixtures to the exterior, every detail should be thoughtfully chosen with durability, high quality, and your personal style in mind.
Let’s take a look at some of the elements you don’t want to miss when building your luxury home.
Defining Your Vision
Building your dream luxury home begins with a clear vision.
Start with a concept, an overall feel that you want your home to exude, one that encapsulates your personal style and draws inspiration from Charleston's unique blend of charm, history, and aesthetic quality.
To further define your vision, you’ll need to keep three key elements in mind:
Identify Your Personal Style and Preferences
When taking on a project as big as building a custom luxury home, you need to build a strong foundation (pun intended!) based on your ultimate needs and desires.
Consider the interior design aesthetics that resonate with you — whether it’s the timeless elegance of traditional design, the sleek lines of contemporary styles, or the warmth of cozy, comforting spaces.
Think about what color palettes, textures, and overall atmospheres resonate with you. By honing in on your personal style, you lay the groundwork for a home that’s not just architecturally stunning but also a true reflection of your tastes.
Consider Architectural Elements Unique to Charleston
Charleston has a rich history and architectural heritage with a distinctive charm that sets it apart from other cities in America.
As you define your vision, take inspiration from the city's unique architectural elements: the wrought-iron balconies, double piazzas, and intricate detailing.
Adapting these elements into your luxury home design not only pays homage to the local aesthetics but also ensures your residence seamlessly integrates with the surrounding cultural designs to create a harmonious and pleasing overall look.
Combine Quality and Aesthetics in Luxury Home Design
Achieving a truly luxurious home isn’t just about creating a visually pleasing space; it's about ensuring that every element, from flooring to fixtures, exudes the highest standards of craftsmanship and durability.
Selecting high-quality materials enhances the aesthetics and also contributes to the longevity and value of your home.
Flooring Options
Flooring is one of the first things people will notice when stepping foot into your home, so choosing materials that are timeless and make a statement adds an extra level of luxuriousness to the feel of your entire space.
Exotic Woods
Hardwood floors are a fantastic flooring option that combines classical and modern styles. You can elevate the entire look of your home by choosing exotic woods beyond the traditional oak or maple.
A few of our favorite exotic wood floors include:
- Brazilian Walnut
- Tigerwood
- Cypress
- Acacia
- Brazilian Cherry
Exotic hardwoods not only bring a unique visual appeal but are also exceptionally durable. Take it a step further by opting for custom finishes — hand-scraped textures, wide plank widths, or intricate inlays.
Marble, Quartz, and Granite
Marble, quartz, and granite have long been synonymous with luxury and sophistication. Not only is Michelangelo’s David made from pure, Italian marble, but homes that incorporate marble — either into their kitchens, bathrooms, or even flooring — bring a classic sense of opulence that’s reminiscent of old-world beauty.
Quartz is one of the more popular options in the custom homes we build, as it's perceived to be much higher-end than granite and is typically more affordable than marble.
Granite, while more commonplace, is also known for its durability and unique, pleasing patterns. The most high-end granite stones are red, blue, or purple. And the rarest granite out there? Van Gogh granite. It’s sourced from Brazil and is absolutely breathtaking.
Beyond just aesthetics, marble, quartz, and granite offer cooling properties, making them an ideal choice for warmer climates like Charleston.
Bathroom Elements
It’s all in the details.
A true luxury home ensures that its appeal extends seamlessly to everyday, frequently utilized areas. Areas like bathrooms can be designed to showcase the intricate attention to detail that makes a custom home truly stand out.
A few options for leveling up your bathroom designs to make them truly high-end include:
Freestanding Bathtubs
A freestanding bathtub adds a spa-like, luxurious feel to your bathroom. There are plenty of options to choose from when it comes to material, style, and depth.
Luxurious Shower Systems or Steam Rooms
For a genuine spa feel, a shower system or steam room brings out a high level of luxury in your custom home. From indoor to outdoor saunas or custom shower heads and sleek, modern shower designs, the bathroom is a perfect spot for incorporating your personal style.
Designer Faucets and Fixtures
Often forged instead of plated, high-end faucets and fixtures add a beautifully striking visual appeal to your bathroom and kitchen alike. Think of using a material like brass or opting for unique designs.
Heated Flooring
Perfect for those cold mornings when you forget your slippers, heated flooring is an incredible detail that not only adds comfort for you but an added element of grandeur to any bathroom.
The Charleston Touch: Elevating Your Home's Exterior to High-End Luxury
Infusing your custom home with the distinctive charm of Charleston's style combines the elements of its rich history with modern living. Here are essential tips on how to incorporate Charleston style into the exterior of your home and bring an elevated and luxurious feel to the overall space:
Double Piazzas
Draw inspiration from classic Charleston homes by incorporating double piazzas or verandas. These elevated, covered spaces not only add a touch of Southern elegance but also provide ideal outdoor areas for relaxing after a long day, sipping on some sweet tea as the sun sets.
Wrought-Iron Details
Many homes in Charleston have wrought-iron railings, gates, and accents. This is an iconic feature: It’s a hallmark of Charleston's historic architecture and adds a refined, timeless touch to your home's facade.
Historical Color Palettes
Choose exterior colors that reflect the color palettes that are so prevalent in Charleston. Soft pastels such as pale blues, greens, and pinks like you see on Rainbow Row add a light, pleasant feel to the exterior of your home.
Crafting Timeless Luxury in Your Custom Home
Selecting high-end materials and designs for your custom luxury home in Charleston requires a thoughtful approach.
Don’t rush into the decision-making stage. Make sure you understand what you want to experience day-to-day and start from there. Build upon the luxury elements you want to include and the Charleston style that appeals to you.
Need help deciding on finishes, textures, or architectural designs? Reach out to our team. Our experts have decades of experience building and designing custom luxury homes in Charleston and can help guide you through the process.
Remember, don’t be afraid to dream big! It’s your dream home —you set down the ideas, and we’ll make it happen.
