The best part of building a custom home is being able to make all the decisions and design a home that represents your taste and personality. But these decisions don’t have to be relegated to countertops and fixtures –  in fact, across the country, homeowners are building some truly innovative and creative features into their homes. In this article, we take a look at some of the most unique features that luxury architects are designing into their clients’ houses – which of these would you incorporate?

7 Features To Make Your Home Stand Out

Some are practical, some are techy – and some are just cool. Here are some of our favorite design features from custom builds around the world.

  1. Secret Room Features: Hiding rooms in unexpected places is a great way to maintain privacy, keep your valuables safe, and (let’s face it) impress your friends. Inspired by spy movies and detective novels, consider building a room behind a revolving bookcase or under a retracting staircase. No one will know it is there unless you show them. Secret passageways between rooms can be fun as well.
  2. Features That Indulge the Kids: These features are for the young and the young at heart. Build a spiral staircase to the second floor, but attach a spiral slide to make coming down a lot more fun. Consider replacing a ceiling with a mesh hammock and let the kids relax while being suspended overhead.
  3. Surreal Water Features: Build a glass wall between your outdoor pool and a first-floor room, creating an underwater view for those inside – the aesthetics of this design are amazing, making anyone playing in the pool appear to be in a large aquarium. Speaking of aquariums, try setting your bed back into a wall and creating a tropical saltwater fish tank canopy – the ultimate in relaxation. You can also create a flowing stream with rocks and fish under your floor and cover it with thick glass, allowing you to walk on water simply by walking down the hallway.
  4. Staircase Design Features: We suggested hiding a room behind a retractable staircase, but the space under the stairs can be used in many ways. While many use the area for the more necessary but mundane – such as closet space – how about building your dog a luxury dog house under the stairs? If you need more storage, try secret staircase drawers, with each step a pull-out compartment to keep shoes and other necessities.
  5. Bathroom Tile Shampoo Holders: This is a small feature, but one that promises to be one of your favorites. Design a few of your bathroom tiles as hidden compartments, revealed when you push on the tile. You can store soaps, shampoos, and any other shower implements behind the wall – just be sure to somehow differentiate the special tiles.
  6. Waterfall Showers and Transparent Bathtubs: Rainfall shower heads proved that there is a better way to bathe – or at least a more luxurious way! These spa features will elevate your experience. Imagine standing in a pool of water while washing your hair under a waterfall or swimming through a tub made of glass and surrounded by tropical plants.
  7. Retractable Balconies: These unique features are inspired by the slide-out spaces designed into RVs. They appear as a standard window until you flip a switch, and a small area extends out, creating a glass solarium or sunroom.

These are just a few of the features we have seen that we love – but there are hundreds more. When designing a luxury home, you need a partner who shares your vision. At JTL Studios, we love creating quality homes that are as unique and creative as you are. Come speak with our experts and see where your imagination takes you.