As the Austrian capital pulls out the stops for Eurovision 2026, it waltzes between imperial grandeur and cultural cool, writes Kerry Walker Vienna, Austria | Austria Sotheby’s International Realty For centuries the nerve centre of the Habsburg Empire, Vienna has never shied away from global attention. The Austrian capital instantly impresses: a whirl of royal palaces and parks, gilded concert halls, galleries crammed with Klimt and Schiele originals, and coffeehouses haunted by the ghosts of Beethoven, Mozart and Freud. But the city doesn’t rest on past glory: fast-growing, sustainably minded, brilliantly connected by rail and bristling with new skyscrapers, Vienna consistently ranks as one of the world’s most liveable cities in Mercer and EIU Global Liveability indexes. Tuning into this unique spirit is resident urbanist Eugene Quinn at Whoosh, who weaves together community and storytelling in his guided walks and events, from “coffeehouse conversations” pondering life’s big questions to model-led “style walks”. Foregrounding the city’s hosting of the 70th Eurovision Song Contest in May, these experiences provide a backstage pass to little-explored corners of the city. Vienna, Austria | Austria Sotheby’s International Realty “There’s a whole Vienna beyond the Sisi and schnitzel cliches,” says Quinn, in reference to the 19th century Empress Elisabeth of Austria and the country’s favourite dish. “One that is open-minded, progressive and LGBTQ+ friendly. More than 10% of the population are students, fueling fresh creative expression, and the Europe-wide song contest brings joy, positivity and parties.” Beauty, history and culture have always mattered deeply to the Viennese, he adds, nodding to groundbreaking ventures such as the city’s MuseumsQuartier, which remodeled the city’s baroque imperial stables into one of the world’s largest cultural districts. The project celebrates its quarter century in 2026. Barbara Beltram, journalist and advisor at Austria Sotheby’s International Realty points to the same successful blend of old and new in the city’s real estate, such as the high-end residential development at Börseplatz. Here, in the neoclassical former Imperial and Royal Telegraph Headquarters dating back to 1870, airy lofts and light-filled penthouses enjoy a full concierge service and wine cellar. “You really sense you are stepping into a palace the moment you enter,” says Beltram. “The Telegram Loft has six-meter-high ceilings and fabulous views of Börseplatz itself.” Vienna, Austria | Austria Sotheby’s International Realty On its doorstep, Vienna’s 1st district unfurls, with baroque, Biedermeier and art nouveau buildings forcing you to look up in wonder, as trams rattle along the monumental Ringstrasse. For a deep dive into Viennese art and opulence, Beltram recommends MAK (the city’s Museum of Applied Arts) and its new “Vienna 1900” exhibitions, while for coffee, she likes Café Gerstner. “You cannot get a more golden ceiling and its magnificence is reflected in mirrored coffee tables,” she enthuses. While the atmosphere is younger and hipper on bar-lined Gumpendorferstrasse in the 6th district, Mariahilf, history is brilliantly preserved in properties such as Bel Étage. This elegant family home blends period flair and luxury apartment living, with stucco ceilings, herringbone parquet and a secluded inner courtyard. Vienna’s foodie Naschmarkt and Otto Wagner’s majolica-tiled art nouveau buildings are a whisper away. Vienna, Austria | Austria Sotheby’s International Realty Meanwhile, revealing a greener and more serene side to the city is a 14-bedroom parkside villa in the 17th district, Hernals, modelled in the style of a three-wing farmhouse but full of contemporary comfort. “With a huge private park filled with ancient trees, it’s a country escape in the city, close to Vienna’s vineyards and traditional Heurigen (wine taverns),” says Beltram. Winging Vienna into the 21st century is the United Nations HQ, UNO City, on the banks of the River Danube, which also sparkles with new developments such as the Donaumarina Tower, the world’s tallest timber-hybrid skyscraper, and the 574.147 feet-tall DC Tower 2, both bearing the hallmark of French architect Dominique Perrault. Vienna, Austria | Austria Sotheby’s International Realty Here too are the Danubeflats, slick penthouses with far-reaching views, a spa area, heated pool, cocktail bar and sky gardens in Austria’s tallest residential tower. Steps from the lidos, trails, street art and beach bars of the 13-mile human-made Danube Island, they offer a glimpse of the future in a city that is far more than a one-hit wonder, moving from past to present without missing a beat. From Viennese waltzes to Italian feasts, Tuscany is also moving with the times
On four verdant acres near the villages of East Hampton and Sag Harbor, this Shingle-style residence is filled with timeless character and impeccable craftsmanship that harmonize effortlessly with contemporary comforts and conveniences. Although Long Island is largely known today as the epitome of halcyon coastal getaways, its globally renowned villages trace their history to the 17th and 18th centuries, when they were small charming towns surrounded by pastureland. An ambience of that period suffuses this peaceful property—four verdant acres near the villages of East Hampton and Sag Harbor that have at their heart a quintessential Shingle-style residence with 5,300 square feet above ground and a 2,200-square-foot lower level. Its classic character and craftsmanship—readily apparent in wide-plank hardwood floors, handsome stone tile, graceful arches, beamed ceilings, vintage-inspired fixtures and finishes, and hand-painted tiles—harmonize with consummate contemporary comforts and conveniences, while the acreage includes a heated pool and spa, a secluded sauna, and mature flora. The result is an undeniably idyllic retreat. East Hampton, New York | Jenny Landey , Anthony Rosina| Sotheby’s International Realty – East Hampton Brokerage The foyer introduces the timeless style that pervades the home and leads to the formal living and entertaining spaces. A wood-burning fireplace with a striking marble mantel anchors the living room, an elegant space where inviting natural light floods in through French doors. Through archways is the dining room, whose walls are handpainted in a lively pastoral pattern that echoes the greenery surrounding the residence. Windows and French doors overlook and open to the verdant backyard. An ambience of the Old World countryside animates the chef’s kitchen, custom-designed by deVOL and boasting appliances from Sub-Zero and Wolf, an oversized island with counter seating, a butler’s pantry—finished in a captivating red—with two wine chillers, and eye-catching tiles painted in a bucolic theme by Pennsylvania-based artisan Tyler Hays. Other highlights include a library with walls of floor-to-ceiling bookshelves, a stone-tiled mudroom, a custom-outfitted laundry room, a full bath with terra-cotta Tabarka Studio tiles and a heritage-inspired marble sink from Drummonds, and the two-car garage. Chief among the private spaces is a main-level owner’s suite with French doors giving way to a patio, ample closet space, an adjoining office ringed with windows, and an elegant bath with a claw-foot tub and a marble shower. An auxiliary owner’s suite enjoys the seclusion of the upper level. It features a tray ceiling, a bank of bright windows, and a delightful bath with a soaking tub tucked into a whimsically tiled alcove. Sharing this floor are three guest suites and a landing with built-in seating. Modern relaxation is the order of the day on the lowest level, which features a spacious media and game room accompanied by a casual dining area with built-in shelves and wine storage, a kitchenette, and a well-equipped cocktail bar. A sixth bedroom and bath and a roomy gym are hidden here as well. The enchanting grounds were designed by beloved local horticulturalist and “tree whisperer” Charlie Marder. Mature cedars, pines, gingkos, crepe myrtles, boxwoods, wisteria, and stone fruit trees create a colorful natural curtain of privacy for a generous patio and a heated gunite swimming pool and spa. Paths meander through the acreage, leading to an enviable outdoor shower and, further afield, a secret serene sauna. A separate adjoining lot with a letter of buildability furthers the options for expansion, the addition of another residence or tennis court, and the creation of a truly impressive compound. The conveniences of East Hampton and Sag Harbor villages are easily accessible, and when the siren song of sunny ocean beaches beckons, they are only moments away. Discover luxury homes for sale and rent around the world on sothebysrealty.com
Great Falls, Virginia | TTR Sotheby’s International Realty This month’s properties share a strong connection to their surroundings, from city skylines and coastlines to vineyards and private acreage. Thoughtful architecture, craftsmanship, and a sense of privacy define each home, with interiors and outdoor spaces designed to work seamlessly together. Despite their varied settings and styles, these residences offer a consistent focus on livability, character, and lasting appeal. A Cotswold’s Inspired Estate in Great Falls, VA Great Falls, Virginia | TTR Sotheby’s International Realty Tucked away on five private acres in Great Falls, this Cotswold-inspired estate feels like a secluded countryside retreat just outside Washington, D.C. Inside, warm European character meets grand-scale living, with inviting spaces designed for both quiet family life and memorable gatherings. Rich materials and thoughtful craftsmanship shape the interiors, while gardens, a pool, and outdoor living areas extend the home. Hollywood Heritage in the Hills of Los Feliz Los Angeles, California | Sotheby’s International Realty – Beverly Hills Brokerage Once part of Hollywood’s golden age, this Los Feliz estate was long associated with filmmaker Cecil B. DeMille, who shaped its early legacy. The property unfolds across expansive grounds, where mature landscaping and multiple structures form a private compound. Its classic Hollywood architecture is softened by time and layered privacy. From its elevated position, the estate captures sweeping views and a quiet separation from the city below. Vineyard Living in St. Helena St. Helena, California| Sotheby’s International Realty – St. Helena Brokerage In the heart of St. Helena, this Napa Valley estate feels shaped by its surroundings, where vineyard rows and open countryside set a steady, unhurried rhythm. Spanning nearly 20 acres, the property moves between cultivated gardens, open land, and a residence that sits lightly within the landscape. The result is a setting that feels grounded yet open, where indoor and outdoor living blend naturally into one continuous experience. A Premier Equestrian Estate in Wellington, FL Wellington, Florida | Equestrian Sotheby’s International Realty Within Wellington’s coveted equestrian community, this estate balances refined residential living with world-class horse facilities. The main residence is generously scaled, with elegant interiors that flow into resort-style outdoor spaces designed for both relaxation and entertaining. Beyond the home, professional barns, arenas, and extensive equine infrastructure support serious training and competition. A Tribeca Penthouse Commands the Skyline New York, New York | Sotheby’s International Realty – Downtown Manhattan Brokerage Rising above the streets of Tribeca, this penthouse occupies the top of a converted warehouse, reflecting its industrial character. Interiors extend upward and outward to expansive terraces, with long views across the Hudson River and downtown skyline. Light moves through the space throughout the day, softening the contrast between historic structure and contemporary design, while maintaining a close connection to the energy of Lower Manhattan. Coastal Living at Cape Elizabeth’s Staples Point Cape Elizabeth, Maine | Legacy Properties Sotheby’s International Realty As you arrive at Staples Point, the drive narrows and the landscape opens to a rare stretch of Maine coastline. The home is carefully positioned to capture the movement of the Atlantic from nearly every room, with expansive glass and natural materials that echo the rugged shoreline. Interiors strike a balance between warmth and refinement, designed for both quiet coastal living and effortless entertaining. A Modernist Landmark Residence Fort Worth, Texas | Briggs Freeman Sotheby’s International Realty Designed by I. M. Pei, this Fort Worth residence brings a rare architectural pedigree to a private setting in Westover Hills. Defined by bold geometry, expansive glass, and precise spatial composition, the home emphasizes light, proportion, and flow. Interiors unfold on a gallery-like scale, with expansive rooms balanced by more intimate, enclosed spaces. Discover luxury homes for sale and rent around the world on sothebysrealty.com
Our monthly series asks: How do you bring color into luxury design? The purple-lilac spectrum is having a moment, writes Jill Krasny Charlottesville, Virginia | Frank Hardy Sotheby’s International Realty Some homes make a lasting impression while others quickly fade from the mind. Almost always, the design and color scheme has something to do with it. Green enhances old-world interiors, while yellow, used in the right way, is joyfully uplifting. Shades of purple and lilac—which our series on color in luxury design turns to next—have a tricky reputation, but are very much back in vogue, working best in homes with a period feel. That’s partly because of the color’s “almost noble past,” says Stephanie Schabot, the design director of Pembrooke & Ives, a New York-based interior design firm. “Purple in any form was once so rare and costly to produce that it was reserved for royalty and the church.” Years later, in the Victorian era, it became a mainstay of wallpapers, upholstery and ceramics, which also picked up on purple’s floral reference points. Rancho Santa Fe, California | Pacific Sotheby’s International Realty Interestingly, Victorian widows were encouraged to move on to wearing lilac after an initial mourning period of dressing in black, a detail that points to the shade’s more uplifting qualities. These were also drawn on a century later. The Hyatt House Hotel, a midcentury-modern building in Lincolnwood, Illinois, designed by Hungarian architect John Macsai, featured a purple glazed-brick exterior, earning it the nickname of the “Purple Hotel.” Nowadays, Schabot sees clients favoring the not-quite-purple shade of lilac for their hallways, bedrooms and occasionally bathrooms—“places where light moves slowly and people want to feel something,” she says. “There’s a real appetite right now for color that carries emotion,” she continues, and lilac, with its echoes of wisteria and jacaranda blooms in late spring, evokes feelings of calm, innocence and nostalgia. Charlottesville, Virginia | Frank Hardy Sotheby’s International Realty The aptly named Sunday Lilac, a French provincial-style estate in Charlottesville, Virginia, features a stately dining-room suite drenched in a muted lilac with adjacent moody-blue cabinetry and a bold chandelier hanging from the ceiling. The bright turquoise light fixture exudes energy, says Schabot, while brass sconces and a sunburst mirror draw out the warmth of the wall color. A thoughtfully restored mansion in Ermoupolis, the capital of Syros island in the Greek Cyclades, has a lilac-accented bedroom that evokes the sorbet colors of sunset. “The Aegean sky in late afternoon is lilac,” says Schabot, “and this bedroom seems to draw direct inspiration from the light and landscape, which is a beautiful reference point.” Syros, Greece | Greece Sotheby’s International Realty A blush-colored bathroom in a luxury coastal home in Lielupe, Latvia, similarly echoes the silvery light of the Baltic Sea. The simple metallic fixtures pair well with lilac, says Schabot, creating a “quiet magic,” enhanced by the monochrome pattern on the floor. Meanwhile, the grayish-lilac exterior of a mansion in Scarsdale, the affluent commuter neighborhood about a half-hour from New York City, also makes a bold statement in a subtle way. “An exterior must hold through every season,” says Schabot, “and the fact it breathes rather than shouts says everything about the power of a well-chosen tone.” Scarsdale, New York | Julia B. Fee Sotheby’s International Realty Lilac, in particular, pairs well with warm colors, especially when they have a blush or honey base, says Schabot, who frequently finds herself turning to Farrow & Ball’s Elephant’s Breath, a paint color that reads gray, but carries a subtle hint of magenta. “Those shared warm undertones mean the two pair well with each other,” she says, not unlike the blooms on the jacaranda trees lining the road to a home in Rancho Santa Fe. Explore our Color Chart design series, from zingy orange, bold red and joyful pink to classic green, calming white, crowd-pleasing blue and uplifting yellow
In the enviable enclave of Studio City’s Silver Triangle, this six-bedroom farmhouse-inspired home and guesthouse are dedicated to a life of self-assured style and quiet, natural ease. Homes in a wide variety of architectural styles line the quiet, tree-lined lanes of Studio City’s Silver Triangle—an enclave of convenience, charm, and subtle sophistication with a strong sense of community and proximity to an array of amenities and the trappings of the entertainment industry. This new modern residence—distinguished by its rustic-refined farmhouse inspiration—blends timeless natural materials, designer finishes, and welcome luxuries to create a sanctuary of impeccable panache and chic comfort in a sought-after location. Studio City, California | Bryan Abrams, Phoebe Abrams| Sotheby’s International Realty – Sherman Oaks Brokerage The thoughtfully minimalist interiors, painterly natural light, effortless openness, and organic hues create an immediate impression in the foyer, which is anchored by a gracefully curving staircase and introduces the high ceilings, white oak beams, art walls, and wide-plank hardwood floors found throughout the home. Living and dining rooms were designed for formal gatherings, while the family room is a warm, welcoming space with a fireplace flanked by sturdy built-in bookshelves. Easily accessible from the living and entertaining spaces is a chef’s kitchen with a dual-oven Wolf induction range, a Sub-Zero refrigerator-freezer, an oversized island with counter seating, abundant white oak Shaker cabinets, and Taj Mahal quartzite counters. Window walls in the breakfast area turn the enveloping scenery—namely, a solitary mature olive tree—into interactive art that can be enjoyed at any hour of the day. In nearly every space, oversized windows afford a glorious glow, and glass doors blur the lines between indoors and out. The owner’s suite is tucked away on the upper level; it includes a boutique-worthy walk-in closet and a bright spa-inspired bath with a spacious glass-walled shower and a relaxing soaking tub. Three additional bedrooms, each soothing and serene in its own way, share this peaceful floor; two have glass doors opening to idyllic balconies. In the six and one-half baths, natural hues—seen in handsome wood, rugged stone, and mineral-toned tiles—harmonize with modern lines and contemporary fixtures and finishes. Short- and long-term visitors will appreciate the seclusion and style of the freestanding guesthouse, which offers one bedroom and bath accompanied by a chic living room and a thoughtfully equipped kitchen. Consummately versatile, the space could also serve as a studio for the artistically inclined. The dedication to minimalism and the congenial farmhouse aesthetic notwithstanding, the estate is replete with contemporary comforts and conveniences, including solar panels, security cameras, integrated speakers, top-tier internet connectivity, and smart home control systems. Ringed with a virtual wall of greenery, the perfectly private landscaped courtyard is a refreshing escape. Steps outside the family room is an alluring pool and spa along with a sun-washed terrace composed of eye-catching flagstone and a dining pergola. At the other end of the property, off the living room and office, is an enviable natural indulgence: a wide swath of impossibly lush green lawn that solidifies this home’s dedication to a life of pure, quiet ease. Discover luxury homes for sale and rent around the world on sothebysrealty.com
With luxury features ranging from climate-controlled cabinetry to museum-grade lighting, these private spaces combine glamour and calm, writes Emma Reynolds Brooklyn, New York | Sotheby’s International Realty – East Side Manhattan Brokerage It’s a dazzling month for fashion as stars parade showstopping looks at the Met Gala in New York, while “The Devil Wears Prada 2” hits the silver screen—a timely moment to spotlight the evolution of the luxury dressing room. In ultraprime residences such spaces are no longer treated as secondary features. As places to dress in, as well as to store and edit clothes and accessories, they are planned with care and shaped around the habits, rituals and treasures they hold. “The best luxury closets feel like a boutique tailored to the owner,” says Nick Damianos of Bahamas Sotheby’s International Realty. “These spaces should make day-to-day life easier and be calm, well-proportioned and intuitive.” Nassau, Bahamas | Lyford Cay Sotheby’s International Realty The dressing room at the beachfront Blue Palms in Nassau has a distinct boutique feel, featuring custom cabinetry and waterfall marble islands, paired in coastal hues. Now given the same level of design attention as any other major room in the house, high-end dressing rooms and closets do more than reflect a client’s aesthetic. They should align seamlessly with their owners’ lives; the place where a day begins and ends, providing privacy and peace. The tranquil dressing room of a Brooklyn brownstone is a case in point, functional yet calming, flooded with natural light and with direct access to a private outdoor terrace. Brooklyn, New York | Sotheby’s International Realty – East Side Manhattan Brokerage Killy Scheer, founder and principal of the Austin-based interior design studio Scheer & Co., says closets have evolved into immersive dressing environments. Her clients have commissioned double-height spaces with dedicated styling areas, lighting calibrated to the time of day, packing stations with integrated luggage storage, custom furnishings, fabric-lined walls, full-length mirrors that expand light, and hidden back-of-house zones for storing less frequently worn pieces. “Many of our clients consider their closets a place for respite and recharging, so it’s important that we identify what that means to them,” Scheer explains. “We often layer ambient lighting with integrated LEDs and then introduce lighting that shifts in temperature throughout the day—cooler in the morning, warmer in the evening—to support decision-making and reflect natural conditions.” Successful dressing rooms make even a substantial wardrobe feel organized and manageable, starting with a layout that is clear and easy to navigate. Smaller additions can make a noticeable difference, whether that means bespoke lighting or motion sensors that eliminate the need for hard switches. Bel Air, Los Angeles | Sotheby’s International Realty – Beverly Hills Brokerage In a spectacular Bel Air home, the floor-to-ceiling closets feature illuminated glass-fronted cabinetry, custom shelving and specialized LED lighting within each display. Climate control to protect and preserve the longevity of clothing is equally important, Damianos notes, particularly in places like the Bahamas, where heat and humidity can impact clothing and accessories. “We’re seeing solutions like closets with microclimates rather than a single, uniform environment,” Scheer agrees. These include humidity-controlled areas for fine leather goods and furs, UV-filtered glass to protect delicate fabrics, sealed vitrines for handbag collections, museum-grade lighting, and even refrigerated storage or integrated scent systems. Paris, France | Propriétés Parisiennes Sotheby’s International Realty While many dressing rooms remain adjacent to a home’s primary suite, some are positioned further away from bedroom and bathroom, creating a quieter or more private enclave. Bespoke wood paneling offers privacy by establishing both a visual language and concealed organization in the walk-in storage space of a landmark Parisian mansion. Meanwhile, ornamental detailing lends a sense of occasion and history to a home in Genoa, Italy—a reminder that dressing rooms have long occupied a more ceremonial place in the home than a regular closet. Genoa, Italy | Italy Sotheby’s International Realty While there is no single formula for the ultimate luxury dressing room, the best examples are unified by clarity. Bespoke construction around a specific wardrobe and an individual’s lifestyle is what ultimately sets them apart. Luxury homes are as stylish as the clothes in the world’s most fashionable cities
Quite a lot, it turns out. Purchase a home by age 30 and your net worth will be 22.5% higher by the time you turn 50, according to the “2026 Generational Wealth & Housing Report,” published March 12, 2026, by Realtor.com®. Wait until your mid-thirties (between the ages of 33 and 37) and that wealth boost shrinks to 11.2%, according to the study, dropping to just 1.5% when buying for the first time aged 38-42 and zero if you become a homeowner beyond your 43rd birthday. However, all U.S. homeowners are significantly wealthier than renters. The average net worth of homeowners was 38 times greater than renters of the same age between 1989 and 2022, shows Realtor.com analysis of the “Survey of Consumer Finances,” published by the US Federal Reserve Board on November 2, 2023. And Realtor.com also reports that children raised in homeowner households are 18.4% more likely to become homeowners by age 35 than those brought up in renter households. Cover Property: Studio City, California
Standalone elements and period pieces can bring flexibility and flair to the heart of a luxury home, writes Kate Youde A contemporary Sydney kitchen designed by Pattern Studio featuring a Guatemala green marble island and cherry burl cabinet. Photograph: © Tom Ross We have Austrian architect Margarete Schütte-Lihotzky to thank for the modern fitted kitchen. It was her design of the Frankfurt Kitchen for German flats in the 1920s, which prioritized domestic efficiency, that helped to popularize features like built-in cabinetry. A century on, however, the unfitted kitchen is back in vogue. Rather than walls of matching fixed cabinets and integrated high-end appliances, this approach embraces freestanding pieces—although a mix of fitted and unfitted elements is common. But why the move away from the sleek aesthetic of the built-in kitchen that has suffused luxury living in recent times? Lily Goodwin, co-director of Pattern Studio, identifies a desire for flexibility. Recent kitchens by her Australian design practice “lean toward a freer arrangement,” merging with other living spaces in the home. “Fully fitted kitchens often prioritize efficiency and uniformity but can lack personality and adaptability,” she says. “The shift reflects a broader cultural move toward spaces that feel collected, lived-in and evolving, where elements can be added, changed or reinterpreted over time.” A mix of fitted and unfitted features is common, as in this Carmel property. Photograph: Sotheby’s International Realty – Carmel Brokerage Pattern Studio combined different elements, rather than relying on a built-in system, when reshaping a house in the high-end Sydney suburb of Paddington for a father and his two adult children. The aim was to create a home that “could evolve with its occupants and support a shared, joyful way of living,” says Goodwin. The kitchen, designed as part of the broader living space, is anchored by a large island made from green Guatemala marble. The island’s cabinetry has timber doors finished with a deep grain stain, while a freestanding custom cherry burl cabinet houses a refrigerator and a pantry. Goodwin says a successful unfitted kitchen needs “a strong material language” to unify the various components—she recommends investing in materials that will “age well and carry character.” She also advises “a balance between concealment and expression.” As she explains: “It’s less about removing structure and more about redistributing it.” Wall-to-wall units are absent from Pattern Studio’s kitchen in a desirable Sydney neighborhood. Photograph: © Tom Ross American designer Ken Fulk often incorporates “beautiful, interesting shelving that opens up the space” into his kitchen projects, fuelled by his innate dislike of upper cabinets. “You can see things, you can reach things,” says the AD100 regular, who has used this approach in his coastal home in Provincetown, Massachusetts. The kitchen of a Californian beach house that Fulk designed through his eponymous design company features blue powder-coated steel and rope shelves. These hang in front of a wall clad in an intricate pattern of weathered driftwood collected from the shoreline. The floor, made from beach rocks and broken mosaic tiles, displays a wave design. Rather than a “constrained kitchen,” Fulk says the line is blurred between this space—featuring an island topped with leathered black basalt—and the rest of the house. Bespoke blue shelving in a Ken Fulk-designed beach house, California. Photograph: © Douglas Friedman He ascribes this recent shift in how kitchens are perceived and used to the increased time spent at home during the Covid pandemic and greater access to design inspiration through social media. He thinks people have started to question the previous notion of a kitchen being for a specific use with rules attached. “Obviously it’s one of the more highly functioning spaces in a house but that doesn’t mean that it shouldn’t be personalized, interesting, even eccentric,” says Fulk. He likes to repurpose items and is currently customizing a draper’s table for the kitchen in another of his homes, a 19th-century ranch in Napa Valley, California. After years of “sameness”—think shades of white, marble or granite countertops, fitted cabinets and a built-in island—Fulk says kitchens have “finally become more of a personal expression.” The kitchen of Ken Fulk’s home in Provincetown, Massachusetts. Photograph: © Douglas Friedman While older luxury homes with existing points of interest lend themselves to a less fitted kitchen, spaces with a modern feel such as an industrial New York loft can “benefit from the tension of having something with history, something that doesn’t feel so perfect” to add character, Fulk adds. This desire for contrast among interior designers and homeowners has benefited Robert Young Antiques in London, which reports an increased interest in sourcing period pieces to customize modern kitchens in the past three years. Gallery Director Florence Grant says popular heritage items include wooden farmhouse tables, dressers, butcher’s blocks and stick back chairs. Space dictates demand. While a London pied-à-terre is unlikely to accommodate an antique Welsh dresser, it could house a spice cupboard or a nest of drawers. A Windsor Comb Back Chair from Robert Young Antiques, London. Photograph: © Robert Young Antiques “I think [people] have realised that the older bits of furniture aren’t just for older atmospheres,” says Grant. “They look really sculptural in modern settings, so people are popping a Windsor chair in their kitchen and it ends up looking really cool and trendy.” She thinks the interest stems from people being “more relaxed about having the imperfections on show.” The freestanding arrangement of an unfitted kitchen complements the way we live now, according to Goodwin, as it embraces the overlap between cooking, socializing, relaxing and work. She believes this more bespoke trend is leading towards kitchens “that feel increasingly indistinguishable from living spaces” elsewhere in the home. “We’re likely to see a continued blending of furniture, architecture and joinery, where kitchens become softer, more adaptive and more reflective of individual lifestyles—spaces that can evolve over time rather than remain fixed,” she says. Embrace al-fresco living: here’s how to design the perfect outdoor kitchen
As a true local agent, she takes pride in representing you and your home to the highest quality. When choosing Jayce, you can feel confident that she knows the area well and will provide you with a valuable real estate experience with her approach to all levels of the market, from entry-level to custom-built luxury.
Let's Connect