Owners of homes with high ceilings find motorised curtains useful and pleasant to have, Lee said.

Modern home features in rapidly evolving age

By: Yip Wai Fong

For discerning homeowners, a modern home is more than just beautiful and functional but also design- and tech-savvy as well as environmentally sustainable. Thanks to innovations in raw materials and smart technology, these visions can now be turned into beloved homes with a variety of specifications. 

According to interior design firm Nu Infinity co-founder Alex Lee, five features are increasingly seen in homes that embody the latest concept of being modern.

“To homeowners, these innovations have greatly enhanced their living standards, granting more cost-effective yet stylish options to achieve their dream home, and (in some cases) convenience at the touch of a button,” Lee said about the following features. 

Motorised curtains

As more and more homes incorporate high ceilings and taller windows, homeowners are finding that motorised curtains are a pleasant and useful function to have. 

“As homeowners tend to prefer homes with high ceilings, the usage of motorised curtains is increasing as it is a lot more convenient and even for bedrooms and general areas,” Lee said.

Smart switches

Smart switches make it possible to control functions at home remotely and increase the homeowner’s convenience and accessibility. Lee said that it is increasingly common for homeowners to control lighting systems at home using smart switches as it also has become more affordable these days. 

“At the touch of a button on a single panel, owners can change to different types of lighting moods based on activities for the entire home. The lighting can also be programmed remotely to turn off or on. They can also be adjusted to use less energy and thus, save energy costs,” Lee elaborated, adding that some security systems are also operated using smart switches, allowing owners to activate or disarm the security remotely.

Solar panels

To homeowners, solar panels promise huge savings in energy costs in the long run as subsidy cuts are to be expected.

Many homeowners believe solar panels will reduce a potentially huge chunk of energy costs and provide a hedge against the possibility of subsidy cuts, Lee shared. 

“Some homeowners also want to make their home more environmentally friendly and installing solar panels helps significantly reduce CO2 emissions and their carbon footprint. The upfront costs for solar panels are significant (but) their maintenance is low-effort and low-cost. Furthermore, installing solar panels also can improve the value of the property,” he added. 

Separately, he pointed out that other than the above mentioned features to have for modern living, the kind of raw materials do play a crucial part in enabling the rendering of the homeowners’ vision on paper into an actual space. Nowadays, homeowners have more options than before as materials such as aluminium and glass, as well as synthetic finishes have removed cost and creativity barriers and allow for the creation of spaces that are balanced in aesthetics, functions and affordability.

Aluminium and glass

Aluminium and glass are installed in this home to achieve aesthetic and cost-effectiveness for the owners.

Lee explained that before aluminium and glass became popular, natural materials like wood, stone and marble were used in interior design. 

“Aluminium and glass have grown into a major material combination, due to their lightweight and durability. Aluminium is suitable as an alternative to stainless steel or brass accents in interior design. It gives off a sleek appearance but at a more cost-effective price point and can also be finished in different colours and textures,” Lee explained, adding that using both aluminium and glass have become a preferred solution, especially for window openings, and even carpentry works. 

Synthetic finishes

Synthetic marble finish is used to deliver the desired posh look for the house.

Due to the advancement of product research and technologies, many costly raw materials were eventually replicated by synthetic alternatives. Synthetic materials tend to offer the appearance of natural textures at a fraction of the cost, Lee shared. 

“For example, solid wood flooring is now slowly being replaced by stone plastic composite (SPC) flooring, while marble stone tops are being replaced by sintered stone tops.

“They (synthetic finishes) are durable and easy to clean, so they are among the popular materials used in high-traffic interior spaces. They are usually more versatile, allowing interior designers to achieve many different textures, patterns and finishes, thereby creating the desired visual effect,” he said. 

While individual preferences can vary, no doubt evolving innovations in construction and home design, the easy availability of information, as well as access to design professionals mean curating one’s very own modern home can be done easier than before. With due diligence, homeowners will be able to create a home that is unique to them.

Lee said innovations in constructions and raw materials have granted many options for homeowners to create the homes they want.

Pictures courtesy of Design Seed by Nu Infinity

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