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More than ever, your home needs to be the place to relax, reconnect, recharge, retreat, renew. You should feel at ease knowing each space designed just for you, with elevated basics and quality materials, will stand the test of time.
This type of well-being has a new name.
Quiet luxury.
You invest in it. You love it. And it pays dividends now and later.
In clothing terms, quiet luxury is a much-loved designer handbag worn year after year. In kitchen terms, it’s a beautifully veined quartz countertop that provides a durable background to a dressed-up holiday turkey or casual mezze.
You sense quiet luxury more than simply see it.
Quiet luxury fits you like a glove, the difference between a dress you buy off the rack at a department store and a couture garment with dressmaker details and fine workmanship.
“Quiet luxury is not necessarily ‘look at me,’” says kitchen and bath designer Karin Ross of Karin Ross Designs. “What you get is a great look and a wonderful feeling. Clients want to feel being understood, being taken care of.”
When your kitchen coffee station perks away, and your bathroom lighting and makeup organizer make getting ready a breeze, you start the day with the invisible help of great design.
“You start happy and look happy, and it carries throughout your day,” says Ross.
Getting to Know You
Quiet luxury doesn’t just happen, however. Ross gives her clients an extensive questionnaire to help understand their likes and dislikes, habits, desires, and the way they want to live. “I do over 100 hours of research for a medium-sized kitchen,” says Ross. “That comes with a price tag. Like an investment advisor, I can suggest where it is more important to spend money and where they could cut back.”
Elevated Basics
After a customized design, quiet luxury relies on quality materials. Ross prefers quartz for countertops as it is non-porous—unlike marble—and will look great for many years with little upkeep. Luxury is also in the ease in which you live with it.
Cabinetry is also important element. Ross avoids oak or pine because of the prominent grain in oak and the reddish gold that comes through with pine. Instead, she prefers maple, walnut, cherry, or knotty alder. “Maple has no grain and stays smooth. We also prefer walnut, cherry, and knotty alder. We use cabinet makers who finish the cabinets in the shop, and they come with a lifetime warranty,” she says. “You never have to worry.” Cabinets finished with paint from a store can chip and fade over time—not a luxury. Ross’s cabinetry uses a German product that ensures a timeless finish.
“Lighting can elevate the mood of a room and make you feel great,” she says. It can animate and accentuate, adding movement and flow. Knowing where to put it for best effect is another reason to rely on a designer.
“Our clients know we will take care of it all,” Ross says.
Quiet luxury is knowing you’re in good hands.
