Luxury Housing Trends & Home Improvement Ideas

Jacuzzi has something called the Ambient Air Body Dry System that dries you off after your shower without the need of a towel. It comes with the Summer Rain shower series, offering 12 air jets (fully adjustable) that, through the use of a pre-heat cycle, are warm the minute you’re ready to use them. The air tower can reach a heat of 140 degrees, so it’s not quite a sauna, but it should keep you from getting cold as soon as you get out of the shower.

More information at Jacuzzi Introduces Ambient Air Body Dry System

Is it your job to climb up on the roof and de-leaf the gutters? Fun, isn’t it? Ok, not really… Leaf Guard is a product that clasps on to your home’s gutters. It allows water to enter but nothing else. Their website is located at www.leaf-guard.com and from there you can find dealers in your area.

While fireplaces used to be the only way to heat a house, they’ve since become a luxury item. Why confine a fireplace to the living room or the family room, though? Today fireplaces in the bedroom are becoming more popular.

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Hands-free faucets aren’t just for the restrooms at the movie theater. Numerous manufacturers are now offering facuets with electronic sensors for home use. Why are they a good choice? Hands-free faucets can reduce water use by 5% and they limit the spread of germs. And some of the models out there look pretty cool, too.

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Are you one of the millions of Americans who owns a vacation home? According to an online article in the South Coast Today, many vacation homeowners “often fail to maximize their tax savings from their part-time residences.” The article advises that by “…keeping simple tax records for your second home can result in saving hundreds or even thousands of tax dollars.” It suggests four different ways you may be able to save.

Realty tax tips: Vacation and second home tax breaks

You know you want to install a jetted bathtub (who wouldn’t?), but you’re not sure whether water jets are superior to air jets or vice versa. Here’s a quick lowdown:

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Remember when a luxury swimming pool was a kidney-shaped deal in the backyard? Modern pool building technology knows no bounds. Vanishing edges are very trendy today, a feature that makes the end or side of the pool seem to disappear into thin air. For more information on this and other residential pool trends, visit Swimming Pool & Hot Tub Information‘s article on Pool Design Trends.

Thinking of buying a new home in a place where it has a good chance to appreciate in value faster than the national average? The January 2005 edition of Unique Homes researched and listed their top 35 markets to watch for upscale homebuyers. For a full list, and details on the locations, you’ll want to check out their magazine, but here are a few of the top spots they mentioned:

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With dual-income families becoming the norm, who wants to take responsibility for the mundane stuff like vacuuming? NuTone’s VacuSweep system rests inconspicuously in the basebooards and sucks the dirt off hard floors (doesn’t look like they have something than can handle carpets yet). Most pictures show it in the kitchen slurping up spills (liquids are no problem) and crumbs. The VacuSweep units can be installed all over the house and dust is collected in a central bin that only needs to be dumped out a couple of times a year.

Do you find yourself watching shows like the Travel Channel’s Amazing Vacation Homes? Do you drift to the magazine section every time you go to Barnes & Noble? Not to pick up the lateast gossip publication but to browse house plans, dream homes, and home improvement magazines? Do you find yourself sketching floor plans for your future home? Or add-ons to your current home? If so, you (like me) belong here. The purpose of this site is to follow the lateast trends in housing technology and fashion. Find out what’s cool and what’s outdated. Please visit often as this site is updated several times a week.