Every era calls its latest properties modern, but a new wave of architectural styling, technology and amenities makes today’s Marbella homes modern in the true sense of the word.
Even in comparison with a few years ago, the villa you would buy today stands out for a number of features that represent the latest in the evolution of a property type that dates back all the way to the ancient Romans, Egyptians and Babylonians.
Open flow Where not so long ago a typical villa featured a rather classical layout, with a grand door leading to an entrance hall flanked by sweeping stairs, and a transversal corridor that acted as the connecting point between the kitchen, living areas and other sections of the ground floor, now the flow is altogether more open. Though today’s villas still feature impressive front doors and a true sense of arrival as you enter, the feel is altogether more contemporary. Flanking staircases are now rare, and the entrance offers a more intimate approach that flows seamlessly into the large, open-plan living space in which lounge, dining and kitchen areas are subdivided but linked.
Outdoor living The link to the outdoors is even stronger than before in Marbella, when seating and dining on the terrace became very popular. Back then the typical villa terrace would overlook acres of lawn with a swimming pool at the heart of it. These days most homeowners want a property that is stylish and imposing yet also more compact and easier to maintain – especially if their Marbella villa is a second home. The terraces and pools are sleeker, and added to lounging and dining areas are sophisticated outdoor kitchens and private bars capable of catering to anything from breakfast to barbecues and large gatherings.
Private quarters The bedroom suites, likewise, are more integrated into a single lifestyle area, with the division between bedroom, dressing area and bathroom increasingly defined more by frosted glass with subtle lighting rather than the more boxy collection of rooms seen before. His and hers bathing and dressing areas, however, are as popular as ever, and though they have become more intimate and practical, a panoramic terrace for private sunbathing or breakfast remains a must-have.
Entertainment The move from boxed in rooms connected by corridors to a more open-flowing layout in which different uses overlap and link is also very much in evidence in the entertainment areas, many of which continue to be located at basement level. The home cinema room, gym, spa and wine cellar of the past have merged into one joyous entertainment area in which members of the family can still feel connected while relaxing in the heated pool or sauna, enjoying a drink at the bar, playing pool, working out or watching a movie.
Garaging One of the latest trends is the fact that the garage is evolving from the ugly duckling it has so long been into a feature worthy of the often impressive collections of beautiful cars it houses. No longer are luxurious and classic cars confined to rather dark, dank basement rooms – now they can be displayed in all their finery in glass-walled galleries that are an ode to art on wheels, and indeed sometimes combined with art of the conventional kind. It makes for even more enjoyment of such expensive possessions, and provides the setting for an alternative lifestyle area complete with bar, lounge and entertainment facilities.
Marbella Hills Homes is a specialist in luxury villas in Marbella and surroundings. Contact us if you are looking for a prime selection of this region’s best homes.
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