Beyond The Ordinary: A Look into the Luxury Home Experience
Welcome to a world where grandeur knows no bounds and everyday comforts are elevated to extraordinary heights. In the realm of luxury homes, opulence isn’t just a feature—it’s a principle. From sprawling estates perched on scenic hilltops to sleek, modern mansions nestled in the heart of metropolitan sophistication, luxury homes represent the pinnacle of architectural achievement and personal indulgence. Join Sydney Home Design + Living’s Emily Axford and Rodney Binet, the sales and marketing manager at Binet Homes, as they to delve into the world of luxury living.
Established in 1959, Binet Homes has been building luxury homes across Sydney for more than 60 years. Twin brothers Peter and John Binet started off as carpenters and realised a need for high-quality homes and worked hard to perfect a formula for success in the challenging market. Today, Binet Homes is renowned for its quality craftmanship, building more and more luxury homes as the demand rises. As well as handling construction, Binet Homes also has an in-house design team that offers a free assessment of your block so you know what you can build and an approximate build cost. To Rodney Binet, “A luxury home builder should have quality ingrained in their company philosophy. Additionally, building luxury homes takes time and practice, therefore they should have a solid track record of delivering luxury homes for their clients successfully.” This is something Binet Homes exceeds in.
FROM VISION TO REALITY
A luxury home typically refers to a high-end residential property that is superior to the everyday home. “A luxury home stands out from other homes with their design, quality of construction and materials and level of finishes,” Binet details.
Let’s deconstruct that a bit.
A luxury home starts at the design stage. Often, luxury homes are built in a prime location and are custom designed with opulent amenities such as a swimming pool, wine cellar, home theatre or gym – there is nothing to big or small when it comes to luxury. “Knowledge of what you can build on your block and good design principles, including layout and an energy efficient design, can set a home up for success,” Binet remarks. Having a spacious layout is another reoccurring feature in luxury home design, meaning expansive living areas and multiple bedrooms and bathrooms, usually spread over several storeys. Although you can’t see it, the quality of construction is also an integral element of a luxury home. “During construction, a luxury home will be built using reliable construction methods and quality materials,” Binet notes. “Time-saving and cheaper construction methods usually come at an expense to quality, which is why Binet Homes sticks to traditional building methods.”
Additionally, the quality of trades that a builder employs also makes a difference when constructing a luxury home. “Binet Homes has a hand-selected group of subcontractors that work entirely on Binet projects all year. This proves to be effective quality control and ensures progress on their client’s homes,” Binet proudly remarks. Much like the choosing high-quality materials for construction, choosing high-quality finishes will make a home feel like a luxury home. High-end finishes such as marble, hardwood floors and top-of-the-range fixtures and appliances all exude opulence and polish off a luxury house nicely. “A luxury home builder should be able to guide a client in making the appropriate selections from a range of reliable brands,” Binet advises.
OPULENT FEATURES
Despite what some of you may think, luxury homes are not style or design specific, meaning you don’t have to have a modern or contemporary home for it to be classed as luxurious. As Binet remarks, “you will be able to attain a luxury home in any style if you use the right builder.” Regardless of the style, Luxury homes are finished to a higher standard than the average project home with an eye-catching front face that stands out from the average home design. “Then once you’re inside the home, you should be able to feel the difference,” Binet explains. Keeping up with the principles of the modern age, most luxury homes have the latest in advanced technology and prioritise sustainable features. “A luxury home architect should already consider energy efficient design, however, the selection of quality building materials should also aim to reach a minimum standard of energy efficiency. This includes window glazing and insulation.” At Binet Homes, all projects go through an in-house home sustainability assessment to ensure at least the minimum thermal performance standards are achieved. “This way we can determine the most cost-effective way to reach the minimum standards for our clients. Not many other builders are able to do this,” Binet explains.
THE COST OF LUXURY
Due to its natural beauty, temperate climate and quality of life, Sydney is one of the most desirable places to live, not just in Australia, but worldwide. This, in turn, makes the luxury home market in Sydney is a competitive one. Naturally, the cost of building a luxury home in Sydney, or anywhere for that matter, involves substantial financial investment. Of course, many factors influence how much or how little you spend, including the complexity of the design and the quality of finishes. Land acquisition, regulatory approvals and architectural fees also contribute to the overall cost. However, Binet explains that “a luxury home cannot be compared to a project home in terms of cost.” Here, he alludes to the “apples for apples” idiom, meaning that a standard home cannot be compared to a luxury one. He also advises to employ a luxury builder as they will usually provide the total cost of the build upfront, whereas “a project builder will leave things out to appear more affordable.” But despite the hefty price tag, the demand to exceptional, tailor-made homes ensures that building a luxury property in Sydney remains a significant, yet coveted, undertaking.
Photography courtesy of Binet Homes.