Who isn’t interested in the luxury homes of the rich and famous? They have such a flair for the fantastic. No doubt, you’ll discover innovations that you never would have thought to build into your own home. From Hollywood actors to people in politics, you’ll find the famous do their due diligence in decorating.
John Travolta and Kelly Preston primarily live in Ocala, (more…)
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At first glance the concept of a luxury prefab home might seem like an oxymoron. How in the world can we associate luxury with prefabricated structures built with processes that would seem to value economy and simplicity over custom originality?
But let’s take a closer look. Ultimately isn’t luxury, whether we are referring to luxury prefabricated homes or a classic woman’s white blouse, synonymous with a language of elegance that often has less to do with the cost of base materials, individual components or assemblies than with the overall impact of the design? This is not to say that basic materials are irrelevant, just that creativity, regardless of that with which it is given to work, can rival effects achieved by the use of high-end materials.
Here is a case in point. We have all seen the glossy travel magazines featuring gorgeous villas in Bali or Phuket or other exotic locations in Southeast Asia. Very often the design of these houses employs a so-called open floor plan, which means fewer walls, as well as high ceilings supported by columns or minimal framing. The end result is a wonderful airy feel to these homes, where the line between inside and outside is blurred a little and one can feel close to the lush equatorial greenery which is such a big part of life in these latitudes. You can imagine walking across immaculate marble flooring while soft rain falls feet away from you, over early morning coffee.
Do you consider as you observed this luxuriant scene that the marble in the floor of the Bali villa was very likely sourced from a quarry on a nearby island for 1/20 the cost that one would pay for the same stone in New York City? Or that the thatched, conical roof was done by a local specialist for a price that would make you blush?
Villas such as this may or may not employ prefabricated construction techniques, but it might help us rethink what a luxury home is, prefab or not. The point is that in this case elegance was achieved not by sheer cost of materials, rather it was a functional simplicity that fit the landscape. Similarly, it’s easy to imagine homes that make use of prefabricated construction techniques which leave us as impressed by their overall design impact as do structures that employ materials and techniques that simply cost more. Certainly mobile homes or modular homes are not as irrevocably low-end as they used to be; it’s quite easy today to find builders of luxury prefab houses that are absolutely worthy of the term.
I would contend that, as people who have means are often very environmentally conscious, we can expect to find prefab techniques that use less in the way of volume of raw materials and also energy, to become more desirable over time. Architects should relish the chance to do much more with less, or at least less waste, extending especially to luxury prefab homes.
Tom Mullaly has always appreciated well-executed prefabricated structure design, and believes that applications for prefabricated construction will continue to grow, whether in designs emphasizing economy and functionality or gorgeous bali hotels with construction that elegantly incorporates green or environmentally-friendly elements.
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Houston offers Texas luxury homeowners many of the same amenities of the Big Apple but with a southwestern flavor. Only New York City has as many Fortune 500 companies as Houston. The city is known as the ‘energy capital of the world’ and is also home to the world’s largest medical and research center-Texas Medical Center. The Houston Astros, Texas Oilers and Houston Rockets provide top notch athletic events for Houston’s visitors. And the Houston Museum District offers culture and variety that many say rivals New York’s museums. The city is one of the wealthiest in the nation and luxury homes are found throughout the metropolitan Houston area.
The Museum District is where many looking for Houston luxury homes begin their search. Many new high rise condominiums are opening. These homes are great for young executives how want a home without a lot of maintenance. Some like a large penthouse but other prefer the coziness of a smaller condo. Many of these have the luxuries of large homes-wine cellars, guest quarters and indoor hot tubs.
From it’s pristine golf course to the long list of celebrities that live there, River Oaks is considered by many to be the most luxurious areas of Houston. Many of the homes there are not just beautiful-they are large. Many include 10 or more bedrooms and an area for the maid to live. New luxury homes are being constructed every day as older ones being replaced. According to the United States Census Bureau, this is one of the wealthiest zip codes in the country.
West University Place attracts professionals from almost every type of career. The neighborhood is home to oil executives, NASA employees and those from the medical community. West University Place is a mixture of tree lined streets with family homes and larger luxury homes. The community is an incorporated city with its own city council and fire protection.
Located west of the downtown Houston, Hedwig Village is another incorporated community with many luxury homes and more are under construction. Hedwig Village is governed by a mayor and city council and offers city services such as garbage pick up. Like West University Place, Hedwig Village is a mixture of luxury homes and upper middle class residences.
Tanglewood is another exclusive community in Houston. With home ranging in price from half a million dollars to more several million dollars, the area is known as Houston’s exclusive community. Tanglewood, located west of the city, is known for its large trees that line the streets. The Houston Country Club is just minutes away.
Not only does Houston have a variety of luxury home communities, but a variety of styles of homes. These styles include:
• Tudor style home
• Traditional ranch style homes
• Colonial-style mansions
• Mediterranean style luxury homes
As mentioned earlier, Houston has many downtown luxury condominiums. You will also find many luxury town homes in the area.
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