October 27, 2020

Luxury Houses

Written by Rebecca Clayton

What goes into creating these unique builds?

IQ Glass are the UK’s leaders in architectural glazing, known for challenging the norm and pushing boundaries to create specialized, innovative homes. Our systems are designed to be flexible, adapting to each brief and any specific requirements.

Luxury today has a whole new meaning, with more demand for personalised systems, homeowners want the ultimate functionality and things that were previously regarded as luxury have become essential.

Particularly important if striving to meet Paragraph 79 criteria, where homes must be undeniably unique as well as complementing their natural surroundings. Using completely bespoke systems to create a Paragraph 79 house gives the advantage of the design being specialized, a one-off. Due to the strict criteria this type of home demands, having a design that is truly a one-off will work in favour of gaining approval.

Highly glazed internal spaces are viewed as the epitome of luxury, with glass atrium designs being a popular choice for innovative home designs. Internal glazing comes in many forms and is almost unrestricted on design possibilities. Using an internal glass partition system provides an elegant finish and maintains the appearance of large bright, open spaces.

Credit: Ricardo Oliveira Alves

Things we have come to view as luxuries, such as home gym equipment or dedicated exercise rooms, are now regarded as essential. Coming as a result of spending more time in our homes than ever before, homeowners need their amenities to be functional as well as luxurious. Home gyms are often required to be brightly lit, open spaces that are highly ventilated either by opening elements or an air conditioning system. 

Minimally framed or frameless designs compliment exercise spaces hugely, encouraging productivity with natural light and panoramic views of outside. On a ground floor level, gym spaces can be seamlessly connected to the outside by either a sliding, pivoting or bifolding door system. Opt for a sliding door system for a flush threshold, creating a smooth transition between indoor and outdoor spaces.

Now that homes are being used as school and work environments as well as living spaces, the demand for open plan living with no flexibility is rapidly decreasing. What was once a luxurious design feature has become largely impractical and lacking in functionality. 

Broken plan living is becoming an essential rather than a trend, creating options for homeowners to separate areas of the home using internal glazing solutions. One thing that has become essential in the wake of lockdown is zoning – the ability to zone off spaces to ensure separate ambiences can be achieved when required.

Home office spaces need to be set up for optimum productivity. There are many ways this can be achieved but the main thing to consider is designing a space that can be closed off from the rest of the home. This will mean uninterrupted workspaces as well as granting the ability to shut off from work at the end of a day or weekend.

A popular choice for creating zones is internal sliding doors. Using glass as an internal building material ensures privacy can be achieved without interrupting the flow of natural light. Internal sliding doors can be configured to slide into a hidden wall cavity, creating a pocket door that is invisible when open. Technical glass solutions such as switchable privacy glass or acoustic reduction glass can be utilised here to design the ideal workspace.

Another trend to consider when designing a luxury house is wellness. The rise in demand for dedicated wellness or medication spaces is unparalleled and set to stay throughout 2021. Following a biophilic design, there is a need for a home to act as a sanctuary and for a holistic approach to be taken.

Dedicated wellness spaces are often brightly lit, with unobstructed views and a strong connection to the outside. To enhance this strong connection, frameless glazing is the first choice. With neat silicone joints between panes and impressive sizes within reach, frameless glazing seamlessly merges two environments to achieve an indoor-outdoor style of living.

Ventilation is another essential feature to be considered within a home. There are automated systems such as the automated venting rooflight or our bespoke sliding electric rooflight system, designed to offer effortless functionality. These systems are a great way of ventilating kitchen areas whilst flooding the area below with natural light.

With so many luxury aspects of a build becoming essential, IQ understands the changing landscape of architecture and are equipped to work collaboratively with architects to create modern-day luxury houses. To speak to a member of the technical team about making your next project truly innovative, call us on 01494722880.