Welcome to the beautiful Howard County, known for its high quality of life, excellent school system, and affluence. Howard County is among the most affluent counties in the country. It’s also well-known for preserving much of the original architecture from the colonial era and the sprawling Maryland forests that dominate the western portion of the county. These forests are especially breathtaking in the autumn, painting the landscape in golden hues of red, orange, and yellow.
Of course, there is more to luxury than natural beauty. Emphasize the elegance of your home and curate your lifestyle to perfection with these must-have luxury home features. They will improve your quality of life as well as increase the value of your home, should you ever decide to sell in the near future.
It’s important to note that interest in specific luxury home features changes over time, and some trends that were once popular may not be as desirable today. Enduring luxury home features are largely based on necessity, daily usage, and location; the list below takes these factors into account to help you make an informed decision for your home.
Wine cellars
Wine cellars are an especially useful feature if you own a home bar and frequently host guests and dinner parties. Showcase your personal wine collection with a cellar of your own, relying on only the most premium materials to create a sophisticated room. Cherry wood cellars are a popular choice if you want something durable and elegant, but any type of wood will do. Aside from providing a designated and organized space for your wine, cellars may also extend the longevity of your bottles by providing darkness, humidity, and a controlled temperature.
Massage rooms
There are a number of benefits to owning a massage room – you save on time and fuel, you curate a preferred spa experience, and you may enjoy the pampering for as long as you wish. A massage room may also serve other purposes beyond in-home massages, such as providing an overall space to wind down, relax, and take some time for yourself.
Saltwater pools
While swimming pools continue to be desirable luxury home features, the unfavorable effects of chlorine are a dealbreaker for many. Fortunately, there is an alternative: saltwater. Swapping out your chlorinated pool water for saltwater brings a number of benefits, including a smoother and fresher sensation for a more enjoyable experience, less maintenance and upkeep, and little to no chlorine smell.
Energy-efficient fireplaces
Nothing quite compares to the warm, cozy ambiance of a wood-burning fireplace in your living room, especially on a cold, wintry day, but the truth is that most fireplaces are inefficient at keeping your home warm. The heat is forced out through the chimney and other ventilation sources, leaving the other rooms to grow colder and colder. For an efficient heating system that captures the relaxing charm of a traditional fireplace, the solution is simple – choose electric. These energy-efficient fireplaces convert electricity to heat, forgoing gas and keeping the heat in your home. They’ll save you tons of money on heating and look fantastic.
Water filtration systems
An advanced, high-tech water filtration system is a worthwhile investment for a number of reasons. Aside from being better for the environment, an advanced filtration system significantly reduces the number of chemicals found in tap water, guarantees a better quality of life for your household and pets, is far more cost-effective than purchasing filtered water, and increases the lifespan of your appliances that rely on water usage. Calcium from tap water builds up in pipes and drains, causing a fair amount of damage. A high-tech filtration system, however, lowers the risk by filtering out these harmful chemicals.
Walk-in closets
When it comes to luxury homes, you can never have enough space, especially for your clothes. Walk-in closets are a highly coveted feature for master bedrooms, granting people ample room for clothes, shoes, handbags, accessories, and other personal belongings. These closets are preferable to wardrobes because they prevent clothes from being tightly packed together, thereby reducing wrinkles, pilling, and general wear and tear of the fabric.
Gorgeous, well-tended landscaping
The natural beauty of Howard County isn’t to be taken for granted. You’ll find that many luxury homes are constructed on plots with considerable acreage, enabling homeowners to extend their personal touches beyond the walls of the home. Take advantage of Maryland’s serene landscape by investing in the outdoors; keep the grass tidy and clean, choose simple but elegant shrubbery designs, and plant native species of trees such as flowering dogwood, red maple, willow oak, and more.
Home entertainment and recreation rooms
There are a number of options to consider when choosing and designing your own amenities, including bowling alleys, home theaters, home gyms, libraries, game rooms, indoor pools, and children’s playrooms, among many other potential ideas. Any combination of these rooms is a great addition to your home, saving you the hassle of booking a public venue whenever you wish to host guests and family. You’ll eschew the need to drive anywhere when you have all the entertainment you need in your home and plenty of privacy to better the experience.
Elegant home offices
Regardless of your occupation, a home office is a must-have. Home offices afford a great deal of privacy and offer an organized space for your business ventures, official documents, and personal library if you have need of one. It also offers a private room whenever you desire time for yourself. A sophisticated home office with hardwood desks and shelves lined with books looks great and adds to the luxury of the home.
Team up with VSells & Associates
To learn more about luxury real estate in Howard County, reach out to
VSells & Associates to team up with the best real estate agents in the industry. The experts at VSells & Associates offer not only exemplary customer service and expertise but also home valuation, concierge services, and moving trucks to better accommodate your move. Ranked as one of the best real estate teams in central Maryland, VSells & Associates is sure to impress.
Give them a call today.