CLUTTER FREE AND SOOTHING SPACES

HOW A SOOTHING, CLUTTER-FREE SPACE CAN INCLUDE YOUR FAVORITE ART

Genres and colors that complement the understated vibe of quiet interiors

JUDITH SUTTON COLDWELL BANKER GLOBAL LUXURY SPECIALIST

908 803 0472

"...the right relationship means everything..."

The quiet luxury interior design trend is highlighted by simplicity, quality pieces and timeless details along with a gentler hand when decorating. In other words: Simplify

The style has risen to the forefront of the interior design world, with more homes assuming muted palettes, layers of texture, and a less-is-more approach without engaging in pure minimalism.

Just as the selection of furniture, lighting and textiles is key in establishing a lower-stimulation space, art in these understated rooms is an essential component when creating the look.

Art plays an integral role in setting the mood for a quiet luxury interior. It acts as the soul of the space, creating an emotional connection and guiding the room’s atmosphere. Using soothing tones, subtle textures or organic forms, art in a quiet luxury space should evoke a sense of calm and sophistication.

When curating art in this style, what is the meaning of quiet luxury at home?

For those clients who imagine a quieter environment, we use art to enhance the visual and emotional experience of a space.

Your subject matter can range from coastal scenes and landscapes to figures, but typically in soothing hues—think grays, browns and other earthy tones like muted blues and greens.

Nature-inspired works will bring a sense of tranquility, and abstract art can enhance these spaces, too, since it can add a layer of intrigue and subtle movement without overwhelming the room.

Various mediums like mixed media, watercolors and photography can complement these understated spaces. Black-and-white or sepia offers a timeless touch that works well across various periods of décor.

Try monochromatic and low-saturation color schemes that can be more pleasing and comforting and easier to live with.

Colorful art isn’t completely off the table, though. Beautiful works done in vibrant hues of scarlet can lend interest, too.

Adding value for my clients and loving where we live!

Judy@JudithSutton.com

COLDWELL BANKER...GUIDING PEOPLE HOME SINCE 1906

908 803-0472
"...the right relationship means everything..."
SERVING THE SOMERSET HILLS AREA ONE CLIENT AT A TIME

Service & Experience

since 1983

When designing with this style in mind, think single, oversized artwork with simple framing to create a statement without being overly cluttered or embellished. Diptychs and triptychs are also great options.

A single large work can become the focal point of a room. Conversely, lining a wall with smaller pieces to curate a gallery effect and inject personality, especially in hallways or more compact spaces, works well too.

When deciding whether to use a collection of smaller pieces or a single larger statement piece, consider the overall scale of the room and its furnishings.

The key is to ensure that the scale of the art matches the environment and that the frames and styles of the art are cohesive with the room’s overall design.

So many possibilities to add glamor and individuality to your very special home.

LUXURY MARKET REPORTING FOR 2023

JUDITH SUTTON COLDWELL BANKER GLOBAL LUXURY SPECIALIST

908 803 0472

A look back at 2023...and what it means

Overall low inventory remained the biggest challenge during 2023 for many luxury markets, causing sellers to see little reason to drop their price as they perceived little competition. Inventory, especially new inventory, is critical in the luxury real estate market. The lack of it helped stabilize the price and saw many markets remain more favorable to sellers. Pricing at the end of 2023 is still, for the most part, controlled by lower-than-average inventory levels. Even though there was an uptick in properties listed for sale in the last quarter, pent-up demand has, for the most part, offset any negative impacts on the value of homes. Most analysts and economists predict, according to a report from Norada Real Estate Investments, that over the next five years, prices will remain either flat or will only experience a modest decline. Paired with more robust lending standards, no one anticipates a similar price crash to the one that occurred in 2008.

BLAIRSDEN Peapack-Gladstone, NJ

Demand trends changed. The ‘experience’ a home offers became a significant factor in the decision-making process of the wealthy during 2023. Savvy homeowners, luxury real estate professionals, developers, architects, and designers, all put their emphasis on defining ‘the experience’ as part of their luxury marketing message. The general message is that luxury is about the design, the location of the property, and the property’s ability to offer a unique experience. For instance, keeping the essence of the natural surroundings while ensuring that all aspects of their lifestyle, health, privacy, and security are part of the package. In the past, luxury properties were designed primarily for functionality, even if they were the most stunning mansions or estate homes. But, as we moved into 2023, more architectural and design emphasis was put into properties to promote wellness and well-being, including trends such as:

1. Biophilic design: This is an approach to architecture that seeks to connect its occupants closer to nature by incorporating things like natural lighting and ventilation, natural landscape features, and other elements for creating a more productive and healthier built environment for people.

2. Passive design: This reflects a philosophy of life and how the relationship with the environment should develop with the primary objective of using available resources and maximizing energy savings.

3. Sustainability design: Green architecture and environmentally conscious living are architectural trends that will prevail, offering sustainable solutions such as carbon-neutral homes by using natural materials, including recycled resources.

4. Green design: Properties with extensive green spaces, including private gardens, rooftop gardens, and outdoor relaxation areas, remain desirable for health-conscious buyers. It is predicted that interior design will continue to move in the direction of sustainability at a time when environmental awareness is crucial.

*Contact me for the latest updates and expertise on what is trending for your investment.

"...the right relationship means everything..."

LUXURY PROPERTIES RETAIN STRONG APPEAL

JUDITH SUTTON COLDWELL BANKER GLOBAL LUXURY SPECIALIST

Luxury Properties Retained Their Strong Appeal 2024, Going Forward

Despite the impacts of outside influences, buyers were still eager to invest in luxury real estate, especially if they could negotiate more favorable terms

The best way to sum up the luxury real estate market during 2023 might be that it remained "unapologetically resilient", despite a slower year in the overall sales volume compared to 2022.

Properties sold if they were priced correctly or held a special appeal to the current purchaser and, most importantly, were move-in ready – a demand that is set to remain high on the requirements for most buyers well into 2024. Cash buyers were dominant in 2023 – previously during the low-interest rate years, even the ultrawealthy took advantage of the historically low rates. In 2023’s market, sellers were keen to work with cash buyers as the transaction was less risky because they did not rely on an institution to provide funds or change their mind on pre-approved funds.

Leveraging their cash may have been a short-term proposition for many affluent buyers, who, with an eye on the long-term investment potential of their luxury property, will at some time refinance, especially as interest and loan rates are now starting to shift downward. Real estate is still considered to be one of the safest investments as, historically, capital values have appreciated year over year, and even though the rate of return may fall compared to the last two years, expectations are that home values will continue to climb. As always, work with a luxury property specialist like myself, during this unconventional market, to ascertain what is truly happening in your local marketplace.

Navigating the ART of selling and buying in this market needs a critical and analytical approach; my several experienced years in the business and understanding the realities and setting expectations accordingly will ensure that goals are achieved.

Invited Guest Contributions: Business Insider Fannie Mae WOWA FORECAST

Looking forward...into 2024

JUDITH SUTTON COLDWELL BANKER GLOBAL LUXURY SPECIALIST

The Magic of Home

Homes are magical places. It’s where love, hope, and dreams often get their start.

No one understands the magic of home more than our Coldwell Banker Global Luxury® Property Specialists, who are masters at bringing people and homes together. Sometimes that magic is found in the ordinary – sipping your morning latte or sinking into the familiar comfort of a beloved chair. Other times, it’s the extraordinary – a memorable evening warmed by a firepit surrounded by your best friends or tuning out the world for a night in your very own sound therapy pod. Or maybe it’s a magical moment you haven’t even dreamed up yet.

This is the spirit behind our “Best of the Best” guide, which debuted a few short weeks ago and captured media attention from Inman and RISMedia as well as many other publications.

Created with the dreamers and tastemakers of the world in mind (and right in time following the holidays), Best of the Best invites you to create your version of magic in the home by shopping a curated collection of the year’s most notable luxury home products and trends driven by insights from Luxury Property Specialists. Think:

Chef’s kitchens with unique features like statement range hoods, double islands, and tech-enabled appliances. Multi-functional indoor-outdoor living spaces that provide a seamless connection to nature. Spa-like bathrooms that redefine the idea of “sanctuary” with freestanding tubs and wellness features. Advanced smart home technology that controls, automates and optimizes everything from privacy and security to entertainment, lighting, temperature, and wellness – from anywhere.

“This guide is truly a game-changer for wealthy consumers, supplying them with on-trend products that not only elevate their homes but also add comfort and convenience to their lives.”

I hope you take a moment to peruse www.cbglbestofthebest.com to find that spark of inspiration for your own home.

As we prepare to close out the year, the Coldwell Banker Global Luxury program has several other magical moments planned for 2024. Look for our enhanced new Global Luxury website, launching this January. We’re also bringing back the award-winning Trend Report, our annual exploration of the future real estate and lifestyle trends driving the luxury sector. Expect a fresh take on all our reports and a whole new way to interact with our original editorial content, and watch for the link to all on my website: www.JudithSutton.net under my Global Luxury Blog tab.

Magic is certainly in the air for the Coldwell Banker Global Luxury® program.

Wishing you and yours, happiness, and success throughout the year!

J.S., Global Luxury Property Specialist at Coldwell Banker

AFFLUENT CONSUMER SPENDING

THE LUXURY SECTOR TRENDS

JUDITH SUTTON COLDWELL BANKER GLOBAL LUXURY SPECIALIST

The luxury sector will continue to be resilient and may choose to invest less in luxury goods and more in the areas of wellness/health, travel and leisure, and fitness/nutrition. Less attention will be paid to the ostentatious. The focus will be on longevity at a much earlier age than we have experienced so far.

Top Priorities: Health Fitness Wellness... followed by Travel Leisure Technology

Where will the affluent be putting their money?

Begin by being well-diversified. Putting money in equity, capital investments, start-ups, and alternative investments like wine, art, etc. Put money into investments that hold their value and appreciate over time like vintage cars, wine, and art. Another opportunity would be real estate trust funds.

Because homes are now our cocoons and emotional centers empathy generosity and creativity need to be the values we all address. Human relationships matter most.

The Luxury Market is a resilient sector of our economy

WHAT ARE THE TOP LUXURY REAL ESTATE TRENDS TODAY? in 2024

Property Types in Highest Demand:

Properties based on location
Move-in-ready homes
Properties with land

New Buying Trends:

Land for building dream homes
Homes in need of renovation
Fully furnished homes (complete)

Top Qualities of a Dream Home

Views
Construction Materials
Privacy

Property types for secondary homeowners:

Waterfront
Mountain
Countryside

Key Real Estate Decision Drivers

Lifestyle changes
Uncertainty about Economy
Stability for family or financial investment

Must-Have Home Amenities

Indoor-outdoor living spaces
Chefs Kitchens with the latest features
Breathtaking Views

Most valuable Tec Amenities

Home Automation Systems
Smart Energy-Efficiency Appliances
EV Charging Stations

Design Trends with Staying Power

Open Floor Plan
Bespoke Architectural Elements
Neutral Color Palettes

Top Luxury Property Specialist Qualities

High Credibility and Visibility
Unparallelled Communication
Local Knowledge

MEETING YOUR EXPECTATIONS SINCE 1983

Residencies at Natirar in Peapack

JUDITH SUTTON COLDWELL BANKER GLOBAL LUXURY SPECIALIST

A STORIED COUNTRY ESTATE

The Residences at Natirar will exude romance through the beauty of their architecture, lush gardens, and focus on simple living

The Residences are designed to be an innovative and limited real estate and lifestyle concept consisting of 24 brand-new, private luxury homes of resort-residential living. In this spectacular destination once owned by the King of Morocco, you’ll find your dream home plus every amenity, fitness choice, and wellness opportunity offered exclusively at Natirar. Residence owners will gain all of the benefits and conveniences of a resort lifestyle--without the maintenance concerns.

The Pendry Natirar Residences includes Estate Villas and Farm Villas, boasting Natirar Farm as their backyard. With natural wood and stone, handcrafted millwork, spacious balconies and patios, full kitchens, high ceilings, gas fireplaces, and pre-wired smart house functions, the Residences feature up to two bedrooms and 1,600 to 4,200 square feet of living space. The collection exudes romance and style through the beauty of the architecture, lush gardens, and a focus on simple, uncomplicated living.

The Ultimate farm estate

Pendry Residences Natirar, a new luxury offering by Montage, offers access to the Mansion, the new Pendry Natirar Hotel, Spa Pendry, Social Pavilion, the renowned Ninety Acres Restaurant, and Culinary Center, Natirar Farm, and the Natirar Club.

Getaway: Two dozen luxury homes to be built upon Pendry Natirar's pastoral landscape

Pendry Residences Natirar

Located on 500 acres of rolling hills, parkland, and meadows in New Jersey’s Somerset County, in the towns of Peapack-Gladstone, Far Hills, and Bedminster – about an hour’s drive west of New York City – Pendry Residences Natirar combines the amenities and services of a premier hotel with the comforts and convenience of a distinguished private home. Here is a collection of only twenty-four contemporary homes in a private, gated enclave close to the new hotel, Ninety Acres restaurant, Spa Pendry, and the many recreational amenities of the Resort and private Natirar Club. This new residential offering represents a priceless country estate lifestyle in a pristine natural setting.

Luxury Living.

Pendry Style.

Pendry Residences Natirar will bring to the pastoral grounds a bespoke collection of contemporary whole-ownership Residences created for luxurious country-style living. Thoughtfully designed to blend seamlessly into the landscape, these twenty-four homes celebrate a sophisticated style with curated materials and architectural details framing the surrounding beauty of the property. They are designed to deliver care-free well living, privacy, and a resort residential lifestyle within a private gated enclave.

Somerset Hills luxury hotel, $3 million homes at Natirar ready by 2022

Come, enjoy, and discover what living in New Jersey is all about.

After all, life is about living it!

For more details, please contact me at:

908 803-0472

JUDITH SUTTON GLOBAL LUXURY

PROPERTIES

JUDITH SUTTON COLDWELL BANKER GLOBAL LUXURY 908 803 8472

Peek Inside Tommy and Dee Hilfiger’s Palm Beach Pad

The fashion designers transform a grand lakefront manse into a family-friendly oasis

AD magazine article

Tommy and Dee Hilfiger are no strangers to waterfront living. For years the designer couple took respite at a Golden Beach, Florida, home with 100 feet of ocean frontage, and they continue to retreat to a vacation home on Mustique, where the estate’s swimming pool laps up against the sands of the Caribbean.

Still, when the duo decided to decamp from their residence in Greenwich, Connecticut, and make a full-time move to Palm Beach, Florida, last year, they pondered a new kind of frontier. “We fell in love with this home and the fact that it was on the lake and on the lake trail,” says Dee, referencing the west side of Palm Beach overlooking the Intracoastal Waterway, Lake Worth Lagoon.

Living room with a surfboard hung above the fireplace

Two Andy Warhol Flowers paintings enliven a corner of the living room. Vintage bronze-and-plaster chandelier from 1stDibs; lacquered table and swivel chairs all by Martyn Lawrence Bullard Atelier; custom surfboard.

“We definitely wanted to experience something different.” Adds Tommy, “We always liked being on the water, but this was a pleasant surprise because it’s not quite as windy, and it’s beautiful to look at morning, noon, and night.”

“We’re still figuring out what we like and don’t like,” explains Dee, who mentions that while they have made this residence their home, the family can also contemplate potentially living at two other nearby houses they also happen to own. “We had never lived in Palm Beach, so this is a fun transition.”

The couple’s chief Palm Beach residence—how many people can say that?—is a 5,000-square-foot three-bedroom Mediterranean-style house built in 2006. There are columns and arched ceilings everywhere you look, along with plenty of courtyard nooks and verdant gardens. “We have a much more active lifestyle here,” says Tommy, who sold the Connecticut residence in addition to the family’s Miami and New York City places. “Exercising, tennis. In the Northeast, living in Greenwich, we were commuting in and out of the city. And we didn’t have the weather to be able to be outdoors a lot.” Adds Dee, “Palm Beach is so green and so lush year-round. Every time someone gives us an orchid plant, they’re never thrown out; they’re attached to a tree.”

Living room with a palm tree in the corner

In fact, the Hilfigers were immediately drawn to the indoor-outdoor architecture of their new home, which, modeled after many of Palm Beach’s older estates, features an interior courtyard.

“The first thing we wanted to do, though, was to lighten and brighten,” says Tommy. He explains that the previous owners had decorated in heavy and dark tones. “The wood was mahogany and cherry. All the windows had blinds on them, blocking the light. There was a lot of art, patterned drapes, patterned wallpaper, and patterned furniture. Paisleys, florals, Oriental carpets. We did a clean sweep.”

“We built the look around the location,” notes Dee. “Something fresh and easy. The palette: coral stone ivory. And it’s a beautiful Spanish/Mediterranean-style home, so they brought in some Moorish accents, and we’ve also got splashes of blue and white.”

Ironically, they aimed to bring the outdoors inside “by stripping the house back, bleaching the wood, and adding more patio space,” “We then chose to bring in the foliage—the giant palm trees—to break down the barriers and ease the feeling throughout."

Tommy and Dee's pool

“The house has a wonderful soul. We just had to take away the formality and make it feel a bit younger, sexier, looser.” —

“Tommy in particular has very set ideas and parameters," remarks Dee. “Tommy likes things clean, and he likes hints of the pattern. Like, maybe on a pillow. It’s very easy for us to work together. I think we’re different clients, but still, we’re definitely not clients who say, oh, do whatever you want.”

Peek Inside Tommy and Dee Hilfigers Palm Beach Home | Architectural Digest

They all agreed that while the decor needed complete refashioning, the bones of the house would suit them and their family’s needs just fine. “We didn’t do much structurally,” says Dee. “There were these unnecessary decorative columns in the bedroom that we took out.” Of the refresh, she simply says that “the house has a wonderful soul. We just had to take away the formality and make it feel a bit younger, sexier, looser.”

There was, however, one room that got extra attention. “Dee did insist on changing the kitchen because it had heavy caramel-colored countertops and just this heavy marble,” Tommy confides. Good thing, too, because, as it turns out, the kitchen is where the family seems to gravitate most often. Says Dee, who, as a mother to three and stepmother to four, is often hosting a crowd of family members, “The kitchen is the soul of all our homes. We do a lot of gathering here.”

COLDWELL BANKER GLOBAL LUXURY JUDITH SUTTON

La Gorce Island Listing

— 7/5/22 —

Largest Assemblage of Land on Miami Beach Hits Market for $170 Million

A spectacular Miami Beach compound has debuted on the market for $170 million, the highest price ever sought in the storied history of Florida real estate.

Listed by Coldwell Banker Global Luxury® Property Specialists Jill Eber and Jill Hertzberg of The Jills Zeder Group, the landmark property consists of four separate parcels and three homes spread over nearly three bayfront acres on the prestigious and guard-gated La Gorce Island. The views are spectacular!

“It’s a prized, trophy compound that discerning buyers have been waiting for years to come onto the market,” noted Eber. Added Hertzberg: “It’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity because it has never been available on the market before.”

Offering over 600 feet of sparkling water frontage and stunning views of Biscayne Bay and the Miami skyline, the property presents endless possibilities to develop a dream compound.

The ultra-exclusive property is comprised of four gated properties, each with private docks and open bay views. The crown jewel of the properties is an amazing private park – Domaine de la Paix et de l’Amour – with manicured gardens, towering banyan and oak trees, and a bay-facing marble gazebo. “It must be seen to be appreciated.”

PAMPERED DEPARTURES AND ARRIVALS FOR VIP FLYERS

JUDITH SUTTON GLOBAL LUXURY PROPERTY SPECIALIST

FIRST-CLASS EXPERIENCE ON THE GROUND

FLYING FIRST CLASS

Luxury travelers today demand first-class experiences in the air as well as pampered departures and arrivals on the ground for VIP flyers.

Travel first-class on any airline can try a passenger’s patience. Long lines at TSA, customs checkpoints, being served packaged foods, and enduring over-crowded lounges before boarding can be trying. Even with a first-class ticket.

Now, a company called PS ensures pampered treatment for commercial airline customers before and after flights. It is now servicing LAX but has plans to offer the same services at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International- the world’s busiest airport.

PS, or Private Suite is essentially an exclusive luxury terminal offering a stylish lounge called The Salon; private VIP suites in a private terminal as well as a no-hassle TSA checkpoint and a chauffeured luxury sedan to transport you directly to the aircraft. This service does exist internationally, but not in the US. But that is changing.

Imagine never standing in long lines again! With an increased focus on security, PS offers luxury and privacy without compromising security.

The company used downtime during the pandemic to improve and expand its physical environment eliminating traffic, lines, shared surfaces crowded concourses, and gate areas.

Think high-quality products, a well-stocked bar, daybeds, and marble baths complete with Japanese smart toilets.

Other amenities offered by the staff include in-suite massages, manicures, hair styling, and physician visits. A BMW 7-series sedan picks you up and delivers you to your awaiting plane. The return leg of your trip offers the same amenities and passengers can be whisked directly from their arrival aircraft to their final destination: home, office, or hotel.

Air travel, in a new luxurious way. No hassle.

The ART of Giving

Judith Sutton Coldwell Banker Global Luxury Specialist

WHEN IT JUST SEEMS INTERESTING TO GIVE ART AS A GIFT ON A SPECIAL OCCASION

The Gift of Art

Unlike most consumer items, a gift of original art will be treasured for years to come and passed down through generations. I am choosing to support the work of talented individuals as opposed to large corporations. The only downside is that giving art can be a daunting task, but with gift certificates and a small photo accompanied in a notecard with your intent- the gift can be very special, indeed.

For the minimalist, consider an abstract collage. The juxtaposition of muted and vivid colors can give the piece visual interest. The raw-edged pieces layered over precisely trimmed edges lend texture and depth to the collage. The beauty of abstract art, especially when gifting, is that everyone sees something different according to their own sensibilities. And the colors are sensational!

For the avid gardener, I might suggest a vibrant floral mixed media painting. The piece above brings to mind a field of wildflowers and is so rich and lush that one can almost hear the bees buzzing around the flowers. The artist's use of layered paint gives her art a 3-D effect and draws the viewer into the painting.

For the Romantic

An abstract landscape is just the thing for your favorite romantic! The fresh colors are realistic enough to tell us we are in the woods but abstract enough to let us dream of the destination! Choose something with hazy yellows and greens that are warm and inviting - perfect for hanging next to her or his favorite reading chair. Devine!

For the Hostess

How about fresh flowers or greenery in a hand-thrown vase? Choices are abundant! We love the simplicity of this stoneware that can be purchased at art or craft shows, or commissioned for that special table in a room. The raw clay exterior gives it an organic, earthy feel while the glossy white interior adds a touch of elegance. Never to be forgotten!

For the Outdoorsman

I prefer more realistic landscapes for the men in our lives. It can transport us back to lazy summer weekends spent boating, fishing, and relaxing on the waterfront. A rich, yet muted palette of greens, blues, and blush are suitable enough for his or her office, but versatile enough to hang anywhere in the house.

Take gift-giving for the home to a new level. Your gift will be appreciated and talked about forever. Judy

INSURANCE: THE ART OF PROTECTION

JUDITH SUTTON COLDWELL BANKER GLOBAL LUXURY SPECIALIST
908 803 0473

How to Insure your collectibles and collections

Your art collection is probably one of your most prized possessions, but it can also be one of the most difficult to insure. That’s because art insurance often comes with high premiums and plenty of exclusions, and you’ll need to take the proper steps to protect it from damage or theft.
The good news? If you have enough appraised value in your collection, you may qualify for extra protection from your home insurance provider—or even full coverage under certain circumstances. So whether you’re looking to start or expand your collection, here are some of the basics you should know about insuring art collections and collectibles.

What’s a collectible insurance policy?
A collectible insurance policy is a premium policy that covers art and collectibles. This type of policy is designed to protect your investment—whether that be antique art, legacy jewelry, or a priceless vase—in case of damage or theft. However, while collectible insurance policies are usually more expensive than standard homeowners or renters insurance policies, they also offer more comprehensive coverage specific to the needs of the owner, as well.

Considerations for Policies
If you’re considering getting an insurance policy to cover your collectibles, it’s important to know that it’s not as simple as a one-size-fits-all policy. In fact, there are a lot of coverage areas you should consider, so if you’re in the consideration phase, make sure you sit down with a trusted agent to go over your options. Here are a few things you should review when shopping for a collectibles policy:

Coverage Settlements
When you itemize your pieces of artwork, many insurance companies will cover them for the agreed value. That way, in the event of a total covered damage or loss, you receive the full amount of the agreed value, with no depreciation. However, other policies allow for market appreciation and may pay over the agreed value if the value has increased considerably. Another option is to receive a cash payout in the event of damage or loss if an item is irreplaceably damaged.
Newly Acquired Items
Still building your collection? You’ll want to ensure you have immediate coverage for new acquisitions. Then, within 90 days, you’ll be covered for at least some of the total itemized coverage.
Pairs, Sets, and Parts Coverage
When dealing with sets (like antique chess or even jewelry) you always have to consider the value of the item alongside its other pieces. With Pairs, Sets, and Parts coverage, you can hand over the remaining pieces, and coverage will be paid out for the entire set.
Loss of Market Value
Sometimes, if a work of art is damaged, it can lose a lot of market value—quickly. With Loss of Market Value coverage, your insurer may not only pay to repair the item but also compensate for any loss to value.

How much does collectible insurance cost?
On average, collectible insurance policies cost between 1% and 3% of the total value of the collection. That means, if your art collection is valued at $100,000, you can expect to pay between $1,000 and $3,000 per year in premiums. However, it’s important to note that these are just averages, so it’s worth getting a quote from your trusted insurance broker, first, before committing to a particular policy.

While there are many things to consider when insuring your art collection, one thing that shouldn’t deter you from doing so is cost. When deciding how much collectible insurance costs, it helps to remember that owning valuable artwork provides financial security as well as emotional benefits. After all, we all want our collections to grow in value over time!

Hiring a professional appraiser
One of the first steps in insuring your collection is knowing its market value, and the best way to do that is through a professional appraisal. Hiring a professional appraiser is the best way to do this, as they will have the expertise and experience needed to accurately assess your collection. Fortunately, the cost of having an appraisal done is small (especially when compared to the value of your collection) and ranges from $200 to $500, depending on the size and type of items in your collection.

"...Your proactive, trusted real estate advisor..."

SINCE 1983

FOOD STAGING: DESIGNING A BUTLER'S PANTRY

An elegant and functional butler’s pantry by Tim Barber Architects is featured below:

The butler’s pantry has been elevated to an elegant entertaining essential in luxury residences. It acts as a buffer between the dining room and kitchen. It can be dressy or utilitarian but always should reinforce the style of the house and keep to its architectural integrity.

It is becoming indispensable for large-scale luxury living. It can be used as a bar, a dessert staging area, for espresso and tea prep, and can even serve as a flower-arranging zone.

Pantries have been designed and equipped with such specialties as a German-silver sink, traditional cabinetry, storage space, and even featuring a direct entry to an elevator. There is a custom service trolley, complete with its own compartment that serves as a docking station, and facilitates serving. All of these custom ideas have been designed for luxury living.

For a new Southern Colonial Revival house the architect designed and wrapped the butler’s pantry in lacquered cabinetry that has old-glass doors, a mahogany countertop, and lacquered brass hardware. It featured a second dishwasher, an ice maker, beverage fridge drawers, a warming drawer, a liquor lockup, storage for serving pieces and table linens, and displays for stemware.

These new pantries are a salute to the legacy of fictional butlers' past.

Estee Lauder's Summer Villa in Cannes

A sunny six-bedroom villa in the tony La Californie section of Cannes, France, has come on the market following a “tasteful renovation.”

The one-time summer home of cosmetics entrepreneur Estee Lauder, the home sits on 0.3 acres with views overlooking the Mediterranean Sea from every level. The property features multiple outdoor entertaining areas including a landscaped backyard terrace with a heated swimming pool, a balcony on the upper level, and a covered patio with an outdoor grill, accessible from the open kitchen and indoor dining area. In the category of "villa", this one has it all! Style, grace, and a nod to the "good life".

The main house is spread over four floors to enjoy panoramic sea views. The villa also features a fully equipped independent studio. It has ten rooms, six bedrooms, and six bathrooms. The garden and terrace feature a heated swimming pool, a summer kitchen and an open fireplace. The summer lounge is covered with a pergola on which grows white roses and white jasmine in memory of Estée Lauder and her favorite flowers. The property has the latest technology, a video surveillance system, and secure windows. The whole villa is equipped with underfloor heating and has been decorated with high-quality materials like marble and oak. The renovation has been carefully thought out to maintain some original elements. For example, the staircase to the first floor is still in its original state. Height of refinement, the villa has bed linen and towels decorated with the letters "RC", the initials of the house. Just lovely!

TIMELESS FLORAL STYLING

SETTING A TONE FOR INTERIORS

From its discrete packaging, sophisticated floral selections, sleek web design, and unique product collaborations, FLOWERBX embodies more than just luxury flower delivery and convenience. It is a brand that has been purpose-built to service the needs of discerning clients with the same finesse and client-centric values of a chic fashion house. And while the world of luxury paints in a palette of cashmere and silk, FLOWERBX enchants its faithful clientele through the medium of fresh, single varietal bouquets of some of the world’s most lush and inspiring flowers. FLOWERBX is about personal indulgence and generosity, but with a contemporary elegance that is in harmony with both nature and personal values. The gift of giving flowers is timeless.

Here are some of the social values that are now fuelling the evolution of bespoke flowers from a niche European delivery service to an international purveyor of flowers and accessories. This is great advice for anyone wishing to make a First Impression with flowers last:

Customers across the world are primarily interested in high-quality, single variety bunches of seasonal flowers, with sustainable practices and infinite beauty at their core. Much like luxury fashion, shoppers are excited by what is in store with each new season, waiting in anticipation for frilled tulips in spring, or peonies in high summer. Seasonality and sustainability are paramount to customers, wherever they are.

"I was constantly asking the florists to send single stem bunches and would incessantly repeat – no filler, no mixed bunches, no baby’s breath, just SINGLE STEM BUNCHES".

In the fashion world, flowers are currency, and sending the “right” flowers is seen as an extension of the brand’s image. Especially with the emergence of Instagram and social media, the bunch of flowers that you send WILL get seen by potentially thousands and WILL be a reflection of you and your brand. Representing your clientele in the best way possible is my goal.

Single-stem bunches are the most beautiful way to consume flowers, and, when offering only the freshest flowers makes it impossible to go wrong when buying for yourself or for someone else. It always has been – and always will be – central to the aesthetic of flowers.

Fashion and florals are very similar due to their seasonal nature, while the world waits for new collections each year. What are some of the floral trends that we can look forward to for interiors?

Seasonality is imperative to both fashion and flowers; the sense of anticipation for what is just around the corner and awaiting the beauty, excitement, and new discoveries that come with every change. Much like fashion, the best thing about flowers is that there is no leading season, as every month of the year has so much to offer. FLOWERBX is about timeless floral styling rather than trends; selecting a new variety, shade, or style is exciting to see how it becomes part of an overall collection.

Throughout the year, flowers play such an important role in setting a tone for interiors; and this could be anything from a showstopper arrangement in your hallway, to a couple of bunches dotted in bud vases at your next dinner party. Flowers are for an environment like accessories are for an outfit. The same way shoes and sunglasses can transform a little black dress from vixen to prim to retro to classic, flowers can completely transform a room. They are such a powerful tool to convey romanticism, modernity, abundance, or minimalism. The flowers and vases that one chooses can send a very powerful message.

Flowers, much like perfume, can often evoke powerful emotions either through their color, scent, or how they anchor particular memories.

Make your next goal in interior decorating needs- flowers! and treat all of your senses while adding timeless floral styling. Flowers melding with Fashion...

JUDITH SUTTON COLDWELL BANKER LUXURY PROPERTIES 908 803 0472

Modern Mountain Living Overlooking Stowe Mountain Resort

The pandemic created a longing in many of us to escape the hustle-bustle of city life and find retreat in the beauty of the outdoors. Are you craving the energy of a mountain town with air to breathe and lots of outdoor recreation? Think about Stowe Vermont for its quality schools, easy access to airports for travel, and the safety of living in a small community.

Consider the high-end neighborhood of Robinson Springs with direct sightlines to Stowe Mountain Resort. With sweeping ski slope views, you will know immediately this is the perfect spot for a future home.

With our breathtaking view of the surrounding slopes, building a ski chalet that would feature the stunning landscape would be ideal. Along with local Vermont builders, Red House Construction making the most of an inspiring alpine location. The result could be a new ultra-luxury home that harmonizes nature with the luxuries of modern mountain living. Consult with Coldwell Banker Carlson Real Estate in Stowe for full details of the builder.

A tour inside reveals the wisdom of their foresight. Unmatched custom detailing beams throughout the home. Over 50 different species of wood were incorporated into the home. “All of the colors and textures work together to create a warm, cohesive home that feels like a marriage between the natural environment and luxury design,” reveals the owner. The main living space is anchored with a spectacular floor-to-ceiling stone hearth, highlighting soaring cathedral ceilings and a pocketed glass wall that faces the slopes and ushers the outdoors right into the living room. Opening from here is the gourmet kitchen with a large center island, custom cabinetry, luxury appliances, and an adjacent butler’s pantry and wet bar allowing for plenty of storage while keeping things out of sight. “Lifestyle and entertaining are the central focus.

In addition to designing the home so that it can be enjoyed not just in winter ski months but in all four seasons, the owners sought to create a floorplan that brings together spaces for every member of the family to enjoy. A screened-in porch with a fireplace is a family favorite for enjoying sunsets over Stowe Mountain Resort as well as cool autumn nights or warm weather blooms. Meanwhile, an Italian porcelain stone patio with an in-ground Gunite pool and in-ground hot tub invites endless summer fun during Vermont’s hotter months. A brilliantly designed lower-level entertaining space also houses a recreation room complete with basketball hoops and a media center, plus a guest bedroom and bath.

A total of five bedrooms comprise the home, including a primary suite on the main level with direct mountain views, a gas fireplace, a spa-level bath, and custom closets. Upstairs, there’s an en suite guest bedroom, and two well-appointed guest bedrooms with a shared bath. Remote work even comes with a view from the home office located adjacent to the home gym above the garage. A stylized Vermont mudroom will be the envy of any skier. And if the next homeowner wants to make this modern mountain masterpiece their secondary home? There’s a hidden bonus: Red House Construction also provides property management services. “They take care of all of our ongoing seasonal needs.” "We never have to worry about scheduling maintenance, which is one less thing on our plates. And because their team built our house and knows it intimately, they care for it like it is their own.”

JUDITH SUTTON COLDWELL BANKER LUXURY 908 803 0472

Questioning the Conventional Wisdom of making money in 2022

Thoughts of: Barry Ritholtz, Investment Officer

Myth: Because the U.S. stock market has produced double-digit percentage returns in five of the past six years, stocks are due for tough times ahead.

Stocks hit a few speed bumps in early 2022, following exceptional gains the prior decade. Although it’s tempting to declare the end of the run for stocks, this may just be a more normal year than we’ve recently experienced. Historically, stocks see about an 8% per year return on average over long periods of time, and we’ve been way above average the past decade, up about 13% per year. Last year was almost 28%. When you’re up that much, it would not be surprising to see a mean reversion back towards more average returns in the following years. To use a football analogy, I’d say it’s early in the third quarter of this bull market.

Myth: The stock market is important because of the wealth effect it has on people. When stocks go up, they feel good and go out and spend money, which stimulates the economy.

People, including the Federal Reserve, get this exactly backward. When you have a robust economy, with rising wages and plentiful jobs, consumers will spend their disposable income, buying new houses; they’ll upgrade out of one house into a more desirable home. They’ll renovate, and buy furniture, appliances, and durable goods. This is the positive cycle we should continue to see. As businesses do well, it benefits the middle-class, entrepreneurs, and the very wealthy. The rising economic tide lifts everything – including the stock market – but it’s the economy lifting sentiment and markets, not vice-versa. The vast majority of Americans own little or no stocks. The top 10% of American households own 89% of U.S. stocks – a record high. They’re much more concerned about wage growth and job availability, which are both on the rise.

Myth: The Federal Reserve raising interest rates to fight inflation in 2022 is bad news for the economy, and higher mortgage rates will hurt housing.

It will take more than a few rate hikes to knock an economy this strong off its course. Historically when the Fed raises rates slowly from a very low basis as they are discussing doing now, the economy has held firm and the stock market has done well, too. Housing is in a historically unique period. We overbuilt single-family homes going into the great financial crisis in the 2000s, and then we wildly under-built them for the next decade until the pandemic. Last year saw the most single-family homes built since 2006, but the home sales to supply ratio is the lowest it’s ever been. It will take at least two or three years before there’s sufficient supply to meet demand.

Myth: Once the pandemic passes and interest rates return to more normal levels, the residential real estate market will suffer.

Property values have gone up because of shifts in demand. The thought of being in a tiny apartment with one or two spouses working remotely, with a child or two doing remote schooling education was no fun. People, who could do so purchased and relocated properties in the suburbs or the country. That increase in demand combined with very low-interest rates, plus ongoing limited supply is a recipe for increased prices.

All the various supplies that go into building a home have risen in prices too, and it is likely to take quarters or years to work out those supply chain issues. The entry-level homes and mid-price homes have reset higher permanently, higher-priced homes too, but at the very high-end, perhaps some of the wild aspirational asking prices may start to go away as things normalize. The crazy bidding wars will eventually peter out, but the housing market is very far from crashing and burning. The year 2022 is nothing like 2005 or 2006 when that cycle was at its peak.

Myth: Cryptocurrencies are just curious obsessions for a limited number of people with little impact on markets for other assets.

Crypto has created vast new wealth, and many recently rich crypto investors are diversifying at least a portion of their gains into hard assets, especially Real Estate. Consider this: 11.6% of first-time homebuyers are selling crypto to use for their down payments. People taking money out of hot investments to buy real estate is nothing new. Contemplating selling internet stocks to buy a bigger house or purchase a vacation property is not necessarily a bad idea! What better way to spend your money than enjoying family and friends in beautiful surroundings? After all...life is about living it....! This is what ENJOYING YOUR MONEY is all about!

Judith A. Sutton, ABR CRS ASP IDS IAHSP PMN WCR SRES CNRS CNIS CNMS

NAR's GREEN

Judy@JudithSutton.com 908 803-0472

Coldwell Banker Global Luxury®

COLDWELL BANKER LUXURY HOMES & ESTATES MAGAZINE
GETS A MAKE-OVER

What I’m most excited to share with you is the redesign of Homes & Estates magazine. The summer 2022 issue has begun shipping at the beginning of May, which means you’re finally going to be able to see it in the flesh! The magazine has been refreshed to have a more editorial look and feel – in line with today’s fashion and lifestyle magazines. Graphic typefaces. A greater emphasis on white space as a design element. More impactful photography. Try it by clicking on the radio button above, and choosing SUMMER 2022.

The idea behind the redesign is to revitalize the already fabulous original content while elevating the reader’s experience. We want to give our audience a taste – through engaging stories on fine art, design, travel, food, and homes – of what it’s like to live the Global Luxury lifestyle. To match the magazine’s physical makeover, the distribution will be expanding as well – more enjoyment for a greater group of clients and customers alike. Each quarterly issue will be delivered to subscribers of The Wall Street Journal and Unique Homes magazine, targeting buyers across the globe.

Elevate, then elevate again! That's what we do at Coldwell Banker! Please stay with us as we bring you much more of the COLDWELL BANKER LUXURY brand. If you wish to have your very own copy, please contact me and I will make sure you receive your copy.

JUDITH SUTTON COLDWELL BANKER LUXURY 908 803 04772

Elevate, then elevate again - That's what we do at Coldwell Banker

The Report 2022

Presented by Coldwell Banker Global Luxury^®

To help you better understand today’s affluent buyers, the Coldwell Banker Global Luxury program has curated the latest luxury real estate insider intelligence and forecasted market trends in The Report 2022.

What is The Report?

Release each year, The Report presents insights from the Institute for Luxury Home Marketing, Wealth-X, Coldwell Banker Global Luxury Property Specialists, as well as other wealth and housing experts. It is one of the most comprehensive reports of its kind covering the luxury residential market. It reaches beyond annual real estate statistics to give you a 360° view of high-end property buying and selling. The Report (as you can view above) covers the latest trends and factors set to influence real estate – from changes in living patterns and home preferences to market dynamics, economic indicators, and other financial drivers of wealth. You may simply click on the report above to read the findings and use this report as you contemplate your next move. For more detailed information or to expand any of these ideas, call me. I can help.

JUDITH SUTTON COLDWELL BANKER LUXURY 908 803 0472

Gilded Age-Inspired Mansion in New Jersey

A historic setting in Mendham Boro, New Jersey is the legacy by which the opulent lifestyle of the Gilded Age inspires this magnificent gated mansion. Designed by Beer & Coleman, the residence exudes exquisite detailing and craftsmanship throughout its approximately 14,152 square feet. Suitable for multiple generations of family, the residence balances formal and informal entertaining spaces with eight separate bedrooms. Meanwhile, the floorplan has been designed for today’s living while paying homage to the character and elegance of yesteryear. The superb kitchen serves as a comfortable gathering place with top-of-the-line accouterments every chef desires. The banquet-size dining room, touched with a marble fireplace surround and Venetian plaster ceiling, provides the perfect setting for the grandest of events. A conservatory, plus an office with custom finishes complete the main level, adding to the home’s enduring livability.

Upstairs, double accommodations await in the luxurious primary bedroom suite in addition to the seven other bedrooms. Entertain friends and family all four seasons, thanks to a luxurious spa and wellness center, exercise room, billiards room, theater, pub and wine cellar. Beyond the residence itself, the grounds beckon with lush gardens and terraces appointed with a covered seating area, pool, pool house, greenhouse and fountains. A mansion for the ages that can never be replicated.

Home Design Trends

“Great design taps into the emotions that make a house a home,” This showcases current design trends and top homes nationally and regionally.

While they serve as indicators of what’s hot and what’s not, trends can be tricky, especially when applied to higher-priced properties. If anything, affluent homeowners shy away from the notion of trends, but still want their homes to be current, elegant, comfortable, and, most importantly, exclusively theirs. “A color or trend becomes viral instantly, and suddenly you see it everywhere,” “ Clients don’t want this. They want their home to feel uniquely their own. They may use currently popular colors and fabrics, but in the end, they want their home to feel special.”

Even more influential than the color of the day or the newest smart gizmo are changing attitudes among the affluent toward house and home. “I think now there is an increased emphasis on the home. People are into design and their home,” “Some people want more of a trophy home, but the majority want to feel good. They want their home to feel pretty and function well and be sort of an extension of them.”

“People want comfort and convenience, but do not want to sacrifice chic.”

Few are also willing to compromise on comfort. Home has become a place to decompress, a refuge for family and friends ideally adaptable to a range of activities and quite often ages. “Families especially do not want a home that is too precious. We have many clients who entertain frequently — both small and large events for charities and such — but then they may also be hosting 30 six-year-olds. Their homes must be able to function and survive with all these options."

Finding the Balance

For designers, the challenge becomes creating interiors that are of the moment, but with an overall style that lasts well beyond the moment. “There is a lot of focus on creating very personalized interiors that also have lasting qualities. So, while we might incorporate something that is a trend right now, we’re also thinking about... we don’t want this to look dated in two, three years, right? So, it’s a balancing act really,” “Right now, we’re starting to see a lot of things from the ’80s return." Brass is coming back, but not the polished, shiny yellow brass of the 1980s. This is more refined, a little more subtle, darker antique brass.”

Hints of brass and gold could be spied at design shows as recently as a couple of years ago; this year, brushed and satin bronze and gold along with oil-rubbed bronze and even black-dominated exhibits. Although featured usage was faucets and hardware, shiny warm accents are turning up in furniture and lighting. It’s all part of a design evolution toward warmer finishes, which expects to be more than a transitory influence on interiors.

The New Modern

As the ongoing shift toward contemporary architecture continues, a new modern aesthetic is taking shape. Instead of a composition of hard-edged, white linear forms, modern elevations today appear as an overlay of shapes and forms defined by disparate materials and textures such as stone and brick or even a single stone applied in varied directions. Defining spaces using mixed materials is a growing practice. Outside In, a modernist home in Paradise Valley took top BALA honors this year. Architects employed textural components, such as Negra Canta stone, to define spaces and also echo the surrounding landscape. An indoor/ outdoor synergy continues to be an essential, organizing factor. Not only are visual connections strong, but entire living areas, which can be seen in Outside In, open to outdoor spaces with little or no transition between the two. Disappearing doors, few thresholds, and using the same flooring inside and out bring spaces together. Even on the smallest of lots, developers and architects are finding ways to incorporate outdoor living, often making the best use of side yards.

Contemporary has become the most popular architectural style, but mid-century modern and modern farmhouses are still “incredibly popular across the country,” according to judges, in new homes, but also renovations that bring out a home’s original character. Black window frames are another highlighted trend. Available in almost all price points, equally adaptable and transformative for interiors and exteriors, they easily could be viewed as design’s latest Swiss army knife. They inject an industrial sensibility to some spaces, particularly kitchens, while seemingly elevating the overall design of others. No matter the style, contemporary to traditional, they appear apropos. “Black metal windows have been hot for a few years, and I don’t see that going away in the near future. The black metal looks great in a more traditional house,” says Phil Kean, whose eponymous Winter Park, Florida, architecture-design-build firm was named “the best custom home builder in the U.S.” last year by Home Builder Digest. Kean has also designed and constructed more than one New American Home for NAHB. Using the example of a traditional Georgian-style home, he says, “Put big black windows in it and do white brick and it has a fresh feeling, and it almost seems contemporary.”

Brass and gold accents are only one indication of the ways in which interiors are being revamped. Bouclé, a nubby wool fabric, prevalent in the 1980s, was very much in evidence at this year’s Maison et Objet in Paris. “It was basically on all the furniture.” Says Gendelman. “Things are getting slowly warmed and layered."

Vintage and Color

Instead of the sterile, monochromatic look recently in vogue, shapes are organic with more curves. Texture continues to be important, but color is back in a big way. Expect to see neutrals continue to edge into warm tans, beiges and creams.

“We have always used neutrals as a foundation for the home to create flow. We still use quite a bit of gray, but both in the office and homes we are starting to see warm grays and taupe and brown as the neutral foundation,” says Jeffers, whose recent book “Be Bold” tackles color and other aspects of bespoke interiors. “Color seems to be back with a big bang! Emerald greens, fuchsias, periwinkles, aubergines. Strong, demanding color is everywhere.”

We see growing enthusiasm for vintage pieces, which he says, are fetching super-high numbers at auctions. “They add a lot to the warmth and start to make a place feel more relatable, more comfortable. It’s a level of warmth and nostalgia that is hard to achieve when everything is fresh out of the box.”

Antique pieces are even finding a place in the kitchen, where they inject authenticity and personalization. “The kitchen continues to be the social hub, the center of the home with multiple activity centers and open plans with delineated spaces,” said designer and educator Mary Jo Peterson, speaking to designers and architects at the national kitchen and bath show.

Also, the demand for vintage and color is an indication that “people are open to this idea.

Technology

Technology took center stage in Las Vegas during Design and Construction Week. The biggest change for tech is the way things are being integrated and further “knitted together.”

Increasingly, smart responses in the home are enhanced with predictive behavior so when you arrive home or give voice commands, a series of events such as turning down or off lights, setting temperatures, and turning on/off security systems ensues. These smart scenarios have been predicted for years, but “knitting together” is making the process consumer-friendly and intuitive. No longer considered an amenity for upscale properties, technology is expected, especially to control shades, temperature, music, security, and many other functions.

Regarding technology, we do sound a note of caution to clients. “Maintaining a threshold of technology is important. It’s easy to have smart everything these days. Clients don’t want a refrigerator that tells them to order milk, but they do want to be able to easily adjust lighting and music throughout the home. It is easy to go crazy, but the technology changes so fast you’ll be obsolete in a year. My advice: other than speakers and keypads, keep everything else out of the walls! An iPad® in your wall instantly dates your home.”

What’s New and Next

New this year? Wellness tech, in a whole house system that integrates with a home’s overall smart system, (demonstrated in a concept house in Henderson, Nevada, designed by KB Home). Darwin, a smart system developed by wellness pioneer Delos, continuously monitors air and water quality via sensors built into walls. Rather than simply observing, Darwin responds to changes, adjusting air quality even in a single room. Owners are alerted to water leaks and can respond remotely via tablet or smartphone. Several other manufacturers, including Moen, introduced products that address water leaks.

Double islands, multiple pantries, and secondary kitchens are enhancing the functionality of kitchens and expanding the role of this space as a social hub. It’s not uncommon to find flush doors on cabinets open to a place for countertop appliances and an additional workspace. “Using tall bi-fold doors to hide a workstation is a huge trend,” Also, the nice thing about this strategy is it helps eliminate wall cabinets. You can take the concept a step farther with cabinets that open to hidden pantries and even hidden rooms.

What’s on the horizon for home? Wet bars, wine bars, and even smoothie bars are in demand almost everywhere, say, designers. Also, look for “Amazon® rooms” as architects strategize ways to secure deliveries without compromising overall home security, especially in city apartments and high rises. Storage and more storage in all the right places will continue to enhance function, making a home truly in sync with an individual’s lifestyle, which is always in demand- wherever you live or work.

Haute Design: Tommy Hilfiger’s Stunning Gourmet Kitchen

They are some of the most coveted kitchens features today, the popularity of which reaches its peak in October during National Kitchen & Bath Month. October is the most popular time of the year for homeowners to remodel their kitchen, thanks to being sandwiched between kids returning to school and “families not yet overwhelmed by the flurry of activity around the holidays,” according to the National Kitchen+Bath Association.

If you’re in a renovation head space, that likely means you have been poring over design magazines and websites, visiting kitchen showrooms and touring model homes, and tagging, clipping, pinning, and snapping pictures of all the appliances, fixtures, and finishes in your kitchen redo fantasy.

It also may mean you’re more conflicted than ever about how to create the perfect space that offers all the functions you insist on with the feel you crave. And, how to make sure your kitchen is on-trend without being trendy. And, beyond all the features and fixtures and finishes, how to still allow your individuality to shine through. Thankfully, what can sound like an overwhelming mix of must-haves can yield an amazing kitchen that balances all your needs, and your wants. Fashion mogul Tommy Hilfiger shows us how.

Hilfiger’s Miami mansion in the exclusive Golden Beach enclave, listed for $27.5 million in South Florida and Miami Beach, is a pop art and post-pop art confection that Hilfiger has described as “part gallery, part beach house, part disco.” Featured on the cover of Architectural Digest, the 14,075-square-foot oceanfront home with interiors by renowned interior designer Martyn Lawrence Bullard is a head-to-toe, floor-to-ceiling example of how to imbue luxurious personal style into your abode.

When you’re Tommy Hilfiger, that means bold bursts of color and great graphic prints throughout, like the red, purple, black, and white swirled hair-on-hide carpet in the show-stopping living room. The faux suede fabrics by Robert Allen and Kravet in Hilfiger brand colors cover the walls of the icon’s home office. Diagonally-striped fire engine red-and-white walls in one of the kid’s bedrooms and yellow and white polka dots from ceiling to walls to the floor in another. And, don’t forget about the banana-motif scratch-and-sniff wallpaper in one of the home’s eight bathrooms.

By contrast, the exquisite gourmet kitchen in Hilfiger’s home is stark and subdued, but no less spectacular. Black-and-white, diagonally-striped tile floors set the dramatic tone, with an expanse of stainless Miele appliances including double ovens and a built-in coffeemaker the only interruption among walls of floor-to-ceiling, custom, white Aran Cucine cabinetry. The Gaggenau cooktop and Aran Cucine hood are integrated into the back wall of the kitchen, with a mirrored backsplash that adds another reflective surface to the lustrous, luscious space. Gaze up toward the ceiling, where the contemporary Robert Sonneman chandelier brings some ‘70s-era swag.

The massive island features a waterfall edge and a black stripe that bisects the white Caesarstone countertops. Pull up a stool, or in Hilfiger’s case, four amazing Willy Rizzo–inspired acrylic stools dressed in Mongolian lamb’s wool cushions, and convene at the eating bar; it affords a stellar view of the entire space, as well as the adjacent breakfast nook and the lush, tropical grounds.

The nook is flooded with light through tall windows on two sides; on one, Elizabeth Taylor (from Pictures of Diamonds) from Vik Muniz, one of Hilfiger’s noted artworks (also featured throughout the home are works by Andy Warhol, Jean-Michel Basquiat, and Keith Haring). On another, palm trees and ocean blue hold court. A side door also offers access to the property’s expansive oceanfront patios, infinity pool, ample lounge areas, and the beach beyond, with 100 feet of water frontage.

In all, it creates a one-of-a-kind space that is at once personal, professional, and pristine, just as the perfect kitchen should be. Please contact me for more decorating ideas for your kitchen.

Judith Sutton ABR CRS IDS PMN ASP IAHSP SRES GREEN

Judy@JudithSutton.com 908 803-0472

LUXURY REAL ESTATE OUTLOOK FOR 2025

A Luxury Real Estate Outlook for 2025

What design fads, economic developments, technology & amenity trends will shape the Real Estate Market in 2025

JUDITH SUTTON COLDWELL BANKER GLOBAL LUXURY SPECIALIST

A look forward and what to expect in 2025

Hopes are high for luxury housing next year, with central banks around the world still rolling back interest rates and the U.S. stock market forecast to continue rising.

That sense of abundance, at least for the wealthiest, can even be sensed in interior design trends, which have gone from austere and sterile to wildly colorful and full of personality in recent years. That will breed a new spin on maximalism that leads to the “more is more” mentality with increased focus, according to many design professionals. So, what is next in real estate? New luxury developments are on the horizon…to make your life easier in 2025.

First, how do you define luxury? A survey of new developments opening around the world in 2025 found that it is all about the experience of effortless, high-end living. (or you might say; very high living!) Let’s explore!

Yes, the finishes, appliances and smart technology are top of the line and worthy of five-star resorts, but privacy, spectacular views, and leisure-time pursuits, such as golf and boating, are equally important.

Quiet Lounges, Sport ‘Labs’ and Resort-Style Pools Lead 2025’s Home Amenity Trends

Sounds good! Sounds luxurious!

The bar for amenities will continue to rise in 2025 as developers work to transform the luxury residential experience. From saltwater pools to Roman bath-inspired wellness circuits in Florida’s newest premium towers, designers are creating immersive environments that merge wellness, technology, and sophisticated social spaces.

Five Factors That Could Make or Break Housing Markets in 2025

We’ve already seen the power of falling mortgage rates, tax-friendly policies and a strong stock market which is driving home purchases.

Much is poised to change across the world in 2025, with new and re-elected world leaders bringing policy ideas to the fore that will trickle into many aspects of life, not least housing markets.

All eyes are also on central banks across the globe and their movements on interest rates, and on equity markets, which are projected to perform with vigor. Both will have an outsized impact on real estate in the U.S. and abroad—with a robust stock market greatly benefiting the luxury sector. Most of the action will hinge on when and if those expectations come to pass and where.

There are more rate cuts to come, which is good, but until those rate cuts happen, there might not be a huge amount of room for price growth right now. We are waiting for cuts to come through in the new year, and that will unlock the market in a lot of locations.

Meanwhile, tax policies will continue to play an important role in where wealthy buyers want to live.

And not least, with the continued transfer of wealth from the silent generation and baby boomers to their millennial and Gen Z family members. The whims and wills of the younger generations will begin to reshape the demands put on luxury real estate across the world, not only those of us in the US.

These five factors will have the biggest effect on global luxury residential real estate across the world in 2025:

Interest Rates

The year ahead will likely see a continued easing of interest rates from central banks around the world, economists predict. It means that mortgage rates are likely to come down some as well, unlocking buying and selling in markets across the globe.

Earlier this month, U.S. Fed officials forecast their target rate at 3.9% by the end of 2025, with further cuts anticipated for 2026. Those figures are slightly higher than they previously anticipated, and Fed officials left open the possibility that it may not cut rates at all next year considering President-elect Donald Trump’s planned tariffs, which could reignite inflation.

We’re not going back to those very low, pre-pandemic interest rates. The prediction is that any lowering will spur an increase in real estate transactions after a hot period for rentals.

Further professionals forecast more sales of luxury real estate in 2025. The combination of pent-up demand from buyers sidelined by a lack of properties, an easing in mortgage rates, and luxury home pricing coming back down to 2019 levels will make buyers active in the market again.

Equity Markets

*After a year that bucked expectations, financial analysts are predicting another strong year of growth for equity markets. Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley forecast the S&P 500 could hit 6,500 by the end of 2025.

The equity market obviously has had a great year, and it is been a great source of wealth creation. If there is a significant pullback in the equity markets, could that affect luxury real estate? The answer is yes.

In the U.S., certain luxury markets like Aspen, Colorado; Park City, Utah; and Jackson Hole, Wyoming, will remain well insulated from any downturn.

The wildcard at large, he said, is to what extent Trump’s proposals that touch on housing become policy.

Ability to Do Business

Real estate in cities across the world with favorable tax policies are reaching new heights and are expected to continue luring high-net-worth buyers in 2025.

Still important for people who are looking to buy luxury homes, (often their second or third homes), they want a place that they can operate globally from and operate their business interests, highlighting good connectivity and the ability to hire skilled workers as major draws.

Generational Transfer of Wealth

Over the next decade, some $90 trillion is poised to change hands in the U.S. from the silent and baby-boomer generations to millennials and Gen Z, handing the reins to the younger generations to make decisions about where and how they spend.

It remains to be seen how wealthy millennials and Gen Z will stack up to their earlier counterparts when it comes to global property ownership.

It should create more transactions. We’re going to start seeing the kids sell their parents’ houses, and then they will buy something new for themselves. Example: That doesn’t mean that generational properties, like a chateau in France that’s been in the family for 200 years will sell, but their apartment in Paris will.

We are starting to see younger generations move away from renting for convenience, a pandemic-era trend, and move toward holding a small portfolio of homes.

Lots of wealthy families might have two, three, even four homes. Is that something which the next generation will want to continue, or do people find that a little bit complicated in terms of their lifestyle? There has been some evidence that there’s some reluctance from younger people to take on that kind of complexity of ownership and management of real estate portfolios.

Climate Resiliency

Climate change is a top concern for the next generation of buyers

One thing is for certain: Millennials and Gen Z prioritize spending differently than the earlier generations. They are putting a premium on climate and meaningful expenditures. Practicality seems to be the trend.

Some 66% of millennials focus on investing with purpose, compared with 49% for Gen X, and Gen Z might be taking it a step further.

Climate change is the No. 1 concern for Gen Z, and whether they’re rich or just affluent, they see it as their generational responsibility to fix what has been broken by their elders. (sure, blame it on us parents!) This issue is fundamentally changing consumer behaviors, particularly for those with wealth.

As younger buyers become wealthier, their climate-conscious focus will manifest a demand for energy-efficient homes and solar power. The industry needs to listen.

This climate awareness will also likely influence where the younger generations are buying homes in years to come.

Why would I buy in Miami? If it is going to be underwater in 30 years? Denver, Boulder and Vale are a very sought-after area and a location forecast to weather the effects of climate change with more gusto than coastal properties.

Also, real estate in Cleveland, Ohio, has doubled in value over the past few years, with the area rated in 2023 by National Geographic as one of the most resilient cities weathering climate change.

In 2025, as millennials and Gen Z continue to become a larger share of homeowners, we will likely continue to see more climate-resilient destinations grow in popularity, and with them the demand for more energy-efficient homes and green-home infrastructure like solar panels. Let the Buyer be aware!

Millennial Pink is the New Color of Luxe for the Home

Just what is “Millennial Pink”? It’s a muted shade that lies somewhere between beige and blush. Called it “ironic pink” or “pink without the sugary prettiness.” It also has been described as “androgynous.”

Now Millennial Pink has weaved its way through the runways at Gucci to jewelry stores like Tiffany and Cartier to the furniture showrooms of Milan. Interior designers are embracing the trend too, unapologetic-ally dressing their walls, drapes and chairs in various shades of Millennial Pink. In short, it’s turning up everywhere — on our iPhones, our clothing, our jewelry, our furniture, our art, our restaurants and — even our plumbing hardware. And, it doesn’t appear to be going anywhere any time soon. If you happened to stop by Mansion in May this year- I refer you to the gorgeous "pink" bedroom on the second floor of the mansion in Madison!

So, when and how did pink become so in vogue, and so refreshingly luxe?

When Everything Started Coming Up Roses

The trend can be traced back to 2016, when Rose Quartz became one of Pantone’s two colors of the year. Does time repeat itself?

Declaring Rose Quartz “a persuasive yet gentle tone that conveys compassion and a sense of composure, the color company later went on to cast Pale Dogwood — a closer match to Millennial Pink — among its top 10 colors to watch on its Fashion Color Report Spring 2017 report.

Pale Dogwood is “quiet and peaceful” and “engenders an aura of innocence and purity,” according to Pantone.

“Every female client of mine over the past one to two years has come to me seeking a full pink or blush look for their home,” says the fellow millennial decorator. “I just completed an entire home in solely dusty pink velvet, white and rose gold. Pink tones are becoming the new neutral in design. I can’t name a recent project that I haven’t used a pop of pink for!” (again, I mention the pink bedroom in the Mansion in May!)

Pink can enhance an interior,” which can reflect the soft, rosy glow throughout the home.

Millennial Pink is the New Neutral

Usually, color trends come and go — so why has Millennial Pink remained in such desire and demand?

“It’s a nuanced neutral,” offers Leatrice Eiseman, executive director of the Pantone Color Institute. “It has that staying power.”

The new pinks have become a wonderful backdrop to any style interior.”

Designer and “king of color,” Carlton Varney, offers another explanation for pink’s staying power. He says pink is “more flattering than beige, grey, or white.” (Varney knows a thing or two about pink. He is the author of “In the Pink: Dorothy Draper–America’s Most Fabulous Decorator,” and he’s also the president of the company that still bears Draper’s name.) Because the hue is so “flattering to the face” and adds instant warmth to interior spaces, Varney says that “all successful ballrooms in hotels and resorts are painted pink.” Thomas explains further: “When natural or artificial light is reflected off a pink surface, such as a ceiling, for example, it casts a warmth that can be very familiar to a client as well as flattering to their complexion. Pink has a warmth and a glow that immediately brings pleasure to the person experiencing an interior.”

Millennial Pink is not only flattering and warm — it is also “ambivalent.” While traditional pinks may have evoked feelings of femininity and girlishness, Millennial Pink is different...with its hints of peach, grey, lilac, and cream, it has become more “sophisticated” and “subtle” hue.

“Previously, pink was mostly thought of as a color relating to youth and immaturity,” but I feel that as women are redefining their power and role in the world it is only fitting that the color pink does the same. Women are powerful and sophisticated while still maintaining their femininity... so why can’t the color pink do the same?”

Millennial Pink, in all its complexity and hard-to-define qualities, has become the modern answer to chic, defining a new generation of luxury in interiors.

“Millennial Pink is the new fab, because young people look for a touch of glamour.”

Bringing it Home

Millennial Pink is moving its way into our residential spaces in various ways. Pink is finding its way into all kinds of interior spaces — except for male spaces; “go-to rooms” bring in pink tones to bedrooms, living rooms and offices.

“By adding blush, peach and dusty pinks into an interior space, it adds a softness and hint of femininity that’s not too overbearing.” “Whether it’s pale pink tones in paint, pillows, drapes, accents, rugs or lighting, there are ways to bring in pink that are soothing and beautiful that even men love and appreciate too. When designing with pink, I often mix it with white and rose gold and brass metals to compliment it, and use charcoal and grey tones to contrast it.”

Beverly Hills home

Thomas says his goal with his pink-obsessed client was to use the color sparingly in such a way that it wouldn’t dominate his client’s interior color palettes but enhance them. I would also agree with the notion that less is more when it comes to Millennial Pink. The male client dared to bring a dusty hue into his bedroom — hardly a sanctuary of sweetness. He balanced any suggestion of the saccharine with contrasting cooler tones and dark hardware from his collection. The effect is fabulous, as you can see below.

“The key to styling Millennial Pink in the home is choosing contrasting cooler tones such as pewter, concrete grays or green-toned blue-grays".

Massimo Minale’s Stockholm Residence

Varney is known for using pink on the walls and ceilings of resorts as well as in commercial properties. “Combine pink with chocolate brown, navy blue, rich forest green, black lavender, and a room scheme is born,” he says. “When I plan my collection of products for my HSN television appearances, I always include sheets and bed throws in ombré pink tones. The pinks always are five-star sellers.”

Some interior designers are also using Millennial Pink to breathe new life into classic furniture pieces. For example, interior designer Robyn Branch recently took a furniture piece by Dorothy Draper/Kindel Furniture that has been around for decades: the Monte Carlo Chest. Working with Kindel’s decorative paint experts, it gave the chest a modern twist with a custom pink lacquer to appeal to a younger affluent audience.

Draper Monte Carlo Chest by Kindel, in a custom color by Robyn Branch

Kindel has other Millennial Pink offerings, including another Draper classic — the España Bunching Chest in a peach-salmon hybrid color (which Varney customized) that is a popular choice among discerning younger buyers.

Countless manufacturers in the luxury home decor space have also capitalized on the Millennial Pink craze. Spanish brand Sancal and Note, a Swedish design studio, chose to launch the “Isla” sofa in soft pink.

Isla by Sancal and Note

Even manufacturers who have had pink versions of their home decor products and accessories for years are seeing an uptick in interest for them. Stone Forest, a high-end manufacturer of natural stone products, was way ahead of the curve when it debuted a gorgeous collection of pink onyx vessels. The rare stone has been so sought-after that the company is currently sold out of it, but is “searching hard to locate some blocks.”

Pink Onyx Wabi Vessel Sink by Stone Forest

The always fashionable French bathroom manufacturer, THG, launched a chic rose gold finish for several of its faucet collections, including the contemporary, Collection O by Studio Putman (Starting at $2,000). First debuting in 2015, the rose gold finish has proved to be especially popular among the younger generations and those who have a modern aesthetic.

Collection O by THG in rose gold

“We always track what’s happening in the design world — whether it’s jewelry, fashion or auto, and we started to see rose gold transition into the interior design space about 2-3 years ago." “Rose gold is a play on gold, which can feel old and tired to a lot of younger people. It’s a way to maintain the luxury feel that you might get with gold, but it’s more playful, youthful, and warmer.”

The finish has become an element of differentiation in the home. It has become a way for homeowners to balance good taste with sophistication and a sense of uniqueness.”

Uniqueness has been the defining quality in luxury. But as the Millennial Pink trend plays out, there is also a danger that its ubiquitousness will eventually be seen by homeowners as commonplace.

The real trend is the gravitation towards bespoke in the luxury home space: “People are going for customization, and a variety of colors and unique finishes.” Perhaps that’s the real undercurrent behind the modern Millennial Pink movement: the homeowner’s authentic desire for that one thing that no one else has.