All posts by Samantha Myers

Foreign Appeal: International Markets Drawing US Buyers

This is an extended version of Foreign Appeal which appeared in Unique Homes Global ’17. Click here to see the original story.

These 9 locales are among the most popular when it comes to attracting interest from U.S. buyers.

By Samantha Myers

Panama

Photo courtesy World Panama Real Estate Marketing

Panama

In recent years, Panama often makes the list as a country appealing to foreign buyers in the real estate market, especially from the U.S. Some benefits include the country’s climate, its varied landscape and a low cost of living — including “low taxes, low homeowner’s insurance and cheap monthly maintenance,” says Michael Flora, owner of World Panama Real Estate Marketing for over 10 years.
It’s no surprise a booming locale is Panama City, which offers luxurious high-rise properties or homes at significantly lower prices than most major cities. “Panama City attracts more international buyers’ attention for reasons of employment relocation, with some of the biggest corporate offices that reside in the city,” says Flora.
Yet, Flora finds that most American buyers are purchasing properties in beach areas — those of Nueva Gorgona and Coronado, rather than “busy, congested city life. There are also many that like cooler mountain living in such areas as Boquete or El Valle,” he says.
“An up and coming hot spot is the area of Pedasi or the surf town of Playa Venao, which attract many buyers looking for the more active lifestyle surrounded by nature,” says Flora.

Bahamas

“There is a big American presence in Nassau and the Abacos,” says Tim Rodland, broker for the MCR Bahamas Group. A 120-mile-long chain of popular paradisal islands, The Abacos has demonstrated to be one of the fastest growing economies in the Bahamas, most primarily driven by boating and trade, and one of the top locations to which Americans are drawn.

“The Bahamas has had a very rich history of attracting high-net-worth buyers. We have a lot of millionaires and billionaires. It’s been a playground for Hollywood,” says Rodland. “It’s easy to get here from New York City and the Northeast. We’re just a two and half hour flight away; we’re on eastern standard time and the U.S. dollar; and we’ve got sun, sand and the sea, boating, fishing and beautiful waters.”

Rodland sees a lot of South Floridians buying on Bimini, the closest point in the Bahamas to the U.S., and the Berry Islands. And the range of property is diverse — from $500,000 to $10 million-plus; it all depends on the lifestyle you’re looking for.

“A lot of people are coming here for investment purposes, in which case it’d be best to purchase near an international airport,” advises Rodland. “But we also have a lot of islands that are more remote, appealing to those who want to be on a Cay by yourself and just turn your phone off to relax.”

Sandyport, Nassau, Bahamas

Photo courtesy MCR Bahamas Group

Costa Rica

“As small as Costa Rica is, it really offers tremendous variety for U.S. buyers across the board,” says Todd Cutter, broker with 2Costa Rica Real Estate. “There are U.S. buyers who are ‘resort buyers,’ those who want to buy within a larger, gated community with a golf course and a marina. And then you have lifestyle buyers.”

“Costa Rica’s transition from a sleepy coastal retreat to a world-class destination of resorts and residential villas — combined with its rich natural attributes — are thrusting the country forward as a desirable destination for the most discerning travelers in the U.S.,” says Amy Davis, sales director for Rosewood Residences Puerto Papagayo, which will offer 45 exclusive residences ranging from $450,000 to $3.2 million. “Due to its location on the northern Guanacaste shoreline with the most sought-after beaches, and as the first Rosewood in the country, it’s the idyllic setting for all things luxury.”

“The biggest difference with the North Pacific and southern destinations is climate and activities. It’s typically more of a drier area of the country,” says Cutter. “You find gorgeous beaches there, but you don’t see as much of the quintessential rainforest meets beach, which some people envision when they come to Costa Rica.”

For U.S. buyers focused on the south, Cutter sees them going to three main areas — Manuel Antonio, Jaco and Dominical. “Manuel Antonio is the number one tourist destination, with multiple beaches, the number one national park in the country and a plethora of activities. A lot of buyers looking there are getting high returns from a rental perspective because of the finite supply and demand,” he says.

“Jaco is a surf destination, with a great nightlife and developed infrastructure. This is the only destination you will see high-rise beachfront condominiums and user-friendly restaurants and artisan places. Dominical is like the final frontier; for those looking to get off the beaten path. People are buying acreage and building jungle villas amongst the flora and fauna, with dramatic ocean views,” Cutter says.

Italy

“Although Italy is roughly the same size as Arizona, or significantly smaller than California, it offers an endless number of regions and cities that can cater for pretty much any sort of activity and lifestyle,” says Orlando McKenzie Meucci, broker at Lionard Luxury Real Estate.
“The appeal of Italy as a beacon for realty investments stems from the realization that Italy is considered a universal destination for worldwide investors,” says Meucci. “One can invest in a holiday chalet in Cortina for the winter and, just as easily, own a property on the white beaches of Porto Cervo’s Emerald Coast in Sardinia.”
Although Meucci reports that Italy is currently in a buyer’s market, main cities that Americans are buying in, such as Florence, Rome and Milan, demonstrate stable, if not rising prices. “Bear in mind, Italy is not cheap. Rather than saving money, U.S. citizens appreciate that Italy offers properties and living standards that will be worth investing in,” he says. Other areas in demand include Lake Como and Liguria.
“If it is a leisure investment, U.S. citizens tend to look for genuine Italian living. They want somewhere that can offer a taste of that dolce vita style of life, which is a combination of living in a country that is historically unique, and that can allow you to live in households that are centuries old, and at the same time enjoy all the comforts of modern life.”
Some of the most underrated and “unexploited areas for investment” are the border areas between Tuscany and Umbria — Cortona, Montepulciano and the Trasimeno Lake areas that lead on toward Perugia,” says Meucci.

 

A villa in Florence, Italy, close to Scandicci.

Photo Courtesy Lionard Luxury Real Estate

Switzerland

“Because of a strong international demand for Swiss real estate, our country has historically restricted the sale of residential homes to foreigners,” says Quentin Epiney, founder of Comptoir Immobilier Exclusive Properties. “Only certain designated areas, such as ski resorts and the city of Montreux allow the sale of residential units to foreigners as secondary homes.”

While the restrictions do not extend to commercial real estate, residential restrictions have prompted Geneva and Zurich to be regarded as prime locations. Epiney brings to attention the Lake Geneva region as well as the “Valais” alpine region, as “some of the most beautiful and accessible regions, with breathtaking scenery and close to the Geneva International Airport.”

A particular ski resort that has gained significant property value in recent years is Grimentz (Val d’Anniviers, Valais), a village that has “not yet been over-developed like is the case of certain world-famous resorts,” says Epiney. Another location, Montreux, is “a truly international hub on the shores of Lake Geneva, with magic scenery and sunsets over the lake.”

“Swiss property value is among the most stable on the planet,” Epiney adds. “This is related to the fact that Swiss political stability has allowed the country and its currency to be perceived as a safe haven, more so in a global context of economic and political uncertainty.” 

England

“Americans tend to prefer areas that are well known and ‘tried and tested,’ such as South Kensington, Chelsea and Notting Hill,” says Bernadette Teuma of Coldwell Banker Southbank Estate Agents“According to figures from the Office of National Statistics (rounded to the nearest 1,000), Westminster tops the league for US citizens living in London, with roughly 7,000 of them residing in the borough. Southwark, which includes the cultural areas of Southbank, Bankside and London Bridge, as well as Kensington and Chelsea and Camden all come in joint second place with around 5,000 residents from the USA each.”
“Unlike European buyers, Americans seem to have more of an appreciation for our wonky, characterful period houses, even if they are shocked by the lack of space,” says Teuma, of these properties you can find mostly in Kensington, Nottinghill and Chelsea. Another appealing option for US buyers may be the “new, well-designed high-rise apartments that line the Southbank of the river” that may come with amenities Americans are used to, such as parking, air-conditioning, under-floor heating and extra storage.
As for investments, Teuma sees that properties from £1-1.5 million remain a popular investment choice. “Overseas buyers are paying around 15 percent less for a property in London than a year ago, meaning that no is the perfect time to invest. Following the fall in the pound due to the Brexit vote and the subsequent ‘flash crash,’ London property has never been cheaper for purchasers buying in US dollars,” she says. “We have received a 30 percent increase in sales from US buyers in the last 12 months. Exchanging US dollars to British pounds is saving US buyers thousands of pounds, and in many cases, cancels out the cost of stamp duty.”
Always a hotspot for international buyers, especially Americans, is central London. “London prices are high because people want to live here. Jobs, transport infrastructure, culture; the capital is a buzzing metropolis. A seemingly endless supply of skilled, upwardly mobile people flow there from all over the world. London is where most Americans wish to be, either because of their work or their studies…” says Teuma.
Yet, according to Teuma, there are underrated or potentially more valuable areas to purchase in, besides the popular, expensive spots. “Americans should look in Nine Elms where the new US embassy will be relocated, and the Southbank area for all its culture and close proximity to West End, shopping, the Financial District, and for the well universities namely London School of Economics, University College London and Kings College.”
“For undervalued areas and where to look for value, my suggestions for first-time buyers, families trading up and those who are new to the capital include the following: Canonbury, Finsbury Park, Marylebone, Bayswater, City Road, Earls Court, White City, Stratford, Honor Oak Park Woolwich, Acton, Maida Vale, Bloomsbury, Streatham and Camberwell.”

London, England

Credit: istockphoto.com/sborisov

Australia

Michael Keating, of Michael Keating International a pioneer for the international high-end sales for Australia more than 20 years has done sales in some of the most sought-after expensive areas of Melbourne, from Toorak, to South Yarra, to East Melbourne and Brighton.

“Voted again and again the best city in the world in which to live, Melbourne is Australia’s most European city. It’s Paris meets London with the best food and coffee culture of Italy, Hong Kong and Bombay and the friendliness of Dublin,” says Keating.

Today, he specializes on properties on the Mornington Peninsula, one of the most promising areas for luxury real estate in the country. “This is Australia’s weekender and holiday home mecca for the well-to-do and the famous,” says Keating. “It is a unique and very condensed location where some of the luckiest and wealthiest property owners from around the USA and the world own very tightly held real estate.”

“When you take all of the natural beauty and amenities away, you come back again to the peninsula’s location, so close to Austral Asia’s world city. Voted again and again the best city in the world in which to live, Melbourne is Australia’s most European city. It is Paris meets London with the best food and coffee culture of Italy, Hong Kong and Bombay and the friendliness of Dublin. Built on a block system, it is simple to navigate and all year around Melbourne is immersed in nightlife from casino to opera and everything in-between.”

“The clincher for overseas buyers is always safety… Australia is a very stable western democracy which offers transparency, accountability and an educated English-speaking populace with first-class educational and health facilities at all levels, in the heart of Asia,” says Keating. “It is the gateway to Indonesia, Malaysia, India and China,” he adds.

Price-wise, Keating often handles homes ranging from AU$3 million to AU$40 million for a Portsea Cliff Top vacation home or a Toorack Mansion; AU$10 million for a vineyard property on the Mornington Peninsula; or AU$4 million to AU$15 million for waterways properties on Queensland’s Gold Coast.

 

Ibiza, Spain

Credit: istockphoto.com/selitbul

Spain

“In the past 2 years we have seen an increasing number of Americans purchasing in Spain,” says Francois Carriere, CEO of Coldwell Banker Spain. “They are mainly attracted to the climate, lifestyle, gastronomy and the still reasonable prices due to the big crisis our country suffered from 1998 to 2012, where we have seen a turning point in the market falling price.”

A major draw for buyers is Costa del Sol and the coastal towns Malaga and Marabella as well as the surrounding villages. “This resort destination is one of the few locations in Spain where you can find new, big residential projects offering the same kind of service and amenities that American clientele are expecting, such as large, residential condominiums,” says Carriere.

Unsurprisingly, other attractive locales are Barcelona and Costa Brava, which is a short drive north of the country’s capital, offering a rural destination with plenty of outdoor activities. “This is a fantastic family or destination for countryside lovers or beach lovers,” says Carriere. “People call it the little Tuscany by the sea.” Carriere sees the authenticity of Barcelona as a major draw to buyers: “…the architecture, enormous choices of any type of restaurant, leisure activities, exciting nightlife, cosmopolitan city, offering a unique setting including beach, mountain and city interest. Mix of modernity, sophistication and authenticity; with Old Town, central Barcelona or a location by the sea such as Barceloneta.”

Yet for those looking for nightlife and an unbeatable club scene, buy on Ibiza, which “is becoming the new Saint Tropez,” say Carriere. “It’s more affordable even if prices are increasing very fast especially in the luxury segment. It’s not rare to see properties above 5 and 10 million euros today on the island.”

Paris, France

Credit: istockphoto.com/eugenesergeev

France

“In France, we see American buyers on the French Riviera, like Saint-Tropez, Cannes, Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat, getting beautiful waterfront villas. You also see Americans in the Loire region, in central France which is a countrified setting that offers charm and authentic properties with wide open spaces for relaxing,” says Vanda Demeure of Coldwell Banker Demeure Prestige of France and Monaco. “And, of course [Americans] go to Paris, the city of lights, always much-esteemed by foreigners.”
Demeure believes that Americans, when purchasing in France, are most seeking an authentic French lifestyle. “[They] like the possibility to get a baguette and croissant by just walking across the street, to enjoy a good glass of wine around a cheese board,” she says. “They are also attracted by the rentability; France is a good place to invest. A property will always be more expensive on resale.”
A “pied à terre” with around 2 bedrooms in a nice district of Paris will go for around 1 million euro, while a bigger luxury flat will cost anywhere between 3 to 5 million euros. On the French Riviera, the price of a comfortable unit in St. Tropez will be around two-thirds of a million euros, yet bigger houses with sea views will be more. The peninsula of Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat sees much more expensive prices. “We find a targeted clientele, really selective, because the price by square meeter is the highest of the French Riviera. A villa is worth 20, 30, 50 million, even more…”
Demeure notes that Americans are buying both in the city and in rural locations. “It totally depends on the taste and age of buyers. Some of them prefer tranquility of rural locations and buy a property with a country setting, land and calm. Others prefer a nice flat in the center of the city, with shops nearby — the French bistro, bars, theatre and cinema. They prefer a lively and vibrant neighborhood.”
Unsurprisingly, the most desired city to reside in is Paris and Demeure has advice regarding where US buyers should look. “They should look at the oldest districts of Paris, like 1st and 2nd (Louve, Rivoli) with beautiful Hausmannian building and a lot of historic monuments. The Marrais, 3rd/4th district with typical “medieval” buildings. The 8th district, Triangle d’Or: The Champs-Élysées, Montaigne avenue with all luxury shops, five stars hotel, and wealthy foreigners.”

“In the 18th district, Montmartre, the artistic district of Pairs has a small paved street, village spirit, lot of musicians, painters… really touristic! They should also look at the 6th district, Saint Germain Des Prés, renowned for its cafés like Les Deux Magots and Café Procop or for le Bon Marché: a big french store. And to finish,  île Saint-Louis, with nobles buildings of 17/18th century with high ceilings, moldings, wood beams with marquetry. Each building as his own story, that’s Paris magic.”

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Big Island’s Kohanaiki Surpasses $100 Million In Sales This Year

Along the shores of Big Island’s Kohala Coast, it’s no secret that private club community Kohanaiki is changing the face of luxury of the Hawaiian Islands and beyond — and they’ve got the sales to prove it. 

By Samantha Myers

“I guess you can say we’ve had a great first half of the year. We surpassed $100 million in sales since January,” says Nicole L. K. Vincent, principal broker for Kohanaiki. “We have more than tripled the sales from the first half of last year.” Attributed to the surge in demand for the 450-acre residential development was the debut of its 67,000-square-foot clubhouse at the beginning of the year, which has quickly become a lifestyle meeting place for its residents.

“I think it’s important to recognize that our members are a unique set of individuals,” says George Punoose, general manager. “They are well-traveled, sophisticated and they’ve seen a lot of special places over the world.” Kohanaiki offers members two home options: buildable home sites and turnkey properties, from $1 million for custom home sites to over $16 million for turnkey properties. But with property, also comes private club membership — with a $150,000 entrance fee and a $25,000 annual fee, Kohanaiki is at the forefront of full-service luxurious living.

“What I find really special is the vertical membership,” says Vincent of the program that enables siblings, children and grandparents to be members. “You get families and generations coming together for holidays. Everyone’s so happy to spend time together, golfing, going out on the ocean on the boat… creating these magical memories in Hawaii.”

Recent to the luxury development is a new director of its world-class spa offering an extensive menu of wellness and relaxation treatments. “Our focus on the spa has always been to use ingredients that are local, whether that’s the coffee, the sand, mud or lava soil,” says Punoose. Other additions include the opening of an on-site brewery, providing residents a choice alternative to the otherwise wine-centric property.

Despite the abundance of amenities, a Rees Jones golf course, and ideal coastal surfing and snorkeling spots, when it comes down to it, the essence of Kohanaiki is actually in the intangible. “Time and time again, we constantly hear that what is special at Kohanaiki is not only the product and the service,” says Punoose. “But our biggest factor is the quality of people we hire — their attitude and friendliness.”

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Traditional Feng Shui by Dee Kelly

This article originally appeared in the Summer 2017 edition of The High End magazine. For more information about The High End, click here.

Trained in Traditional Feng Shui by an authentic Taiwanese master, Dee Kelly has been practicing the art and science of Feng Shui for 20 years — and her mastery of the subject is sought by clients far and wide to both improve their lives and business ventures.

By Samantha Myers

Photo by Nick Johnson

Dee Kelly was one of 16 students out of a group of 400 to be chosen by her Feng Shui master to continue her practices. Now a Traditional Feng Shui master herself, Kelly is one of the only people in the U.S. to offer Feng Shui services for residential, corporate, retail, or hospitality-driven real estate as well as land development. “Feng Shui has been the best kept secret weapon of successful people for hundreds of years,” says Kelly, who has a diverse, highly successful clientele to which she aids in confidential real estate situations.

For those unfamiliar with Feng Shui, the practice is rooted in a complex, technical mathematical science and art originated in the Tang Dynasty over 1,000 years ago, and has been passed down through a master-to-student tradition since then. In fact, Feng Shui is responsible for the invention of the earliest magnetic compasses by Chinese practitioners who wanted to harmonize buildings. The practice encompasses eight directions and is based around the Five Elements: water, wood, fire, earth and metal. Today, despite simplified interpretations or misconceptions of Feng Shui, Traditional Feng Shui is still kept alive in select individuals like Kelly, and promises real solutions to everyday problems.

“Feng Shui is defined as the practice of planning or design that harnesses or optimizes the energy around a space, such as a home, office or building,” says Kelly. “It’s about finding the best relationship between the energy of the surrounding landform and the inside of a space. By deepening our understanding of nature, seasons and cycles, and applying Feng Shui to our lives, we can access the best in nature and become much healthier, happier and more successful.” 

In simpler terms, for Kelly, Feng Shui is a wellness tool: she defines her job’s main objective as helping people, whether in their homes, real estate or other applicable ways.

“When dealing with a residence, whether it’s $31 million in Southampton, located in Miami, or anywhere in the world, we still want the house to be healthy for us,” she says. “Just because it’s very expensive, doesn’t mean we still don’t have to be concerned about the environmental energy. Traditional Feng Shui is the best tool to maximize and optimize the environmental energy of any home.”

Kelly’s ambition is to transform the relationships people have with their home or work environments. To complete this, she trademarked a system titled “The House Is You.” “The idea is that you are inextricably connected to your home,” she explains. “You are in a relationship 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, with your home, whether we realize it or not,” says Kelly. “What I really want people to understand is that you pick the house you are living in because of your own energy and body. Whatever is happening in your life, you picked a house with the same issues.”

“When dealing with a residence, whether it’s $31 million in Southampton, located in Miami, or anywhere in the world, we still want the house to be healthy for us.”

Photo courtesy Dee Kelly

Natural materials promote a relaxed interior, despite the home’s bustling city location. 

This living room is exemplar of the penthouses’ cool, serene palette throughout its designer furnishings.

Although Kelly knows how to mediate pre-existing homes through Feng Shui, an ideal state for her process is choosing apartments and homes for her clients from the start. Kelly gets to know her clients through birth information, and then evaluates real estate opportunities to know what is the best option for them. This includes examining the windows and doors relative to the flow of energy from the outside among other complicated principles. “When people pick things on their own, they’re going to pick the one they are comfortable with or a reflection of themselves. This is where we come in, to offer a better, more improved relationship with the home you’re living in.”

One of the more accessible takeaways from the complex system that is Feng Shui is the idea of “Yin” and “Yang.” Yin is defined as dark, bottom, moist and Yang is the opposite: hard, dry and bright. Kelly explains that your bedroom, should take in more Yin traits, while rooms such as the kitchen, or fitness area should adopt Yang characteristics, but yet all should achieve an effective balance and nothing should outweigh the other.

“If you lived in a basement for three months, how do you think you’d feel or look? We don’t build garbage heaps next to hospitals. These kinds of common sense ideals are important and embedded in Feng Shui,” says Kelly. “There’s something very powerful about being in a relationship with your home, property or apartment — to make changes in our physical environment and understand that we are changing the energy not only there, but in our physical and emotional selves.” She promises that any home can be great, with the right transformations.

In terms of commercial projects, Kelly’s job typically involves searching for or analyzing potential land to determine the most
lucrative option for developers, either now or down the line, by examining cycles and timing. She also often assumes roles on core design teams — working with architects, landscape designers and interior designers — for projects being built from the ground-up.

“In a commercial job, our primary objective is money,” says Kelly. “In a residence, money is still important, but health is number one, followed by relationships and then money.” Although a majority of Kelly’s projects are confidential, she explains that she has a high success rate.

“The most beautiful thing is regardless of your status, everyone still wants to be healthy. Everyone still wants to have a balance and harmonious relationship and marriage, and want their kids to do well in school. All of these things, once we become in better relationship with nature and are able to access that inside of our built environments, can actually enhance and improve your life and the life of your family.”

A Positive Place In NYC

The Grand at Sky View Parc in New York City’s Flushing neighborhood, in Queens, is a residential community that has incorporated Feng Shui principles into its designs.

“The biggest opportunity for Feng Shui came in our 7-acre rooftop garden,” says David Brickman, director at Onex Real Estate. “We really put a lot of effort into designing something that felt special. You’re in Downtown bustling Flushing, and you take an elevator up to the sky lobby and you’re suddenly in an oasis; the energy changes completely.”

The garden utilizes landscape components representing The Five Elements, maintains a balance between Yin and Yang through shaded and sunny areas, and seeks to encourage a positive sense of place overall.

Photo ©David Cheung

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Classic Kitchens Simmering with Fresh Ideas

Pop-up restaurants, showrooms, television and design challenges: These age-old kitchen brands are cooking up ways to stay on the cutting edge.

By Samantha Myers

Photo courtesy Siematic, America’s Test Kitchen
In addition to their distinguished, luxury appliances and product collections, well-established kitchen brands such as Gaggenau, SieMatic and Thermador are finding creative ways to stay fresh and innovative across the contemporary landscape.

“Sometimes to move forward, it’s good to look back,” says Natascha Kruusi, head of marketing for the luxury lifestyle brand Gaggenau. “Three hundred and thirty three years marks more than just the beginning of Gaggenau; it epitomizes the journey into both the past and the future.” Looking back is exactly what the German-originated brand did with the creation of Restaurant 1683, a New York City-based, pop-up restaurant with a carefully crafted setting focused on evoking the company’s roots.

Headed by Three Michelin Star Chef Daniel Humm and Restaurateur Will Guidara of Eleven Madison Park, the short-lived, but impactful Restaurant 1683 transported guests to Germany’s Black Forest. Bringing together innovative technology, immersive décor and fine cuisine, Restaurant 1683 was an all-encompassing, multi-sensory epicurean experience. “The mood was mystical. With the re-creation of the Black Forest, the space became a surreal oasis from the bustle of the outside urban streets,” Kruusi says. “You could hear the forging of nails, the sound of the water from the waterfall, smell the scent of real trees and moss, and, of course, the aroma of the beautiful food.”

For four nights, the pop-up restaurant hosted 44 guests, beginning with a cocktail reception that moved into a lively dining area, all designed by architect Hendrik Muller, who has also created Gaggenau showrooms. With its latest products gracing the open kitchens set among a story-telling, engineered setting, Gaggenau married its history with its contemporary face.

“Gaggenau is a luxury brand like no other, thanks to its unique and long heritage,” Kruusi says. “Time only can build such savoir-faire, exposing the maturity of engineering and a vision that has evolved and revealed itself over centuries.” Restaurant 1683 is the first event of a three-year initiative to host surprise, invite-only events to occur over the country.

“By bringing together timeless design and craftsmanship with exclusive culinary culture, we have created the ultimate, luxurious brand experience,” Kruusi says.

Photos courtesy Gaggenau

Another famed German kitchen manufacturer, SieMatic, designs highly functional kitchen cabinets and storage solutions, and stays fresh through symbiotic partnerships. The company fosters visibility on multiple platforms; with representation at the popular showroom PIRCH SoHo, NYC as well as on the hit TV show America’s Test Kitchen.

“PIRCH is changing the face of retail, with a truly immersive experience with the industry’s leading luxury brands,” says Hans Henkes, president and CEO of SieMatic Möbelwerke USA. “SieMatic’s inclusion in the PIRCH flagship showroom gives our target buyer the opportunity to fully engage with our products and visualize them in their homes,” Henkes says.

The user-friendly showroom is an ideal spot for kitchen brands to offer customers an interactive approach to home shopping, and fits SieMatic’s shift from product releases to its kitchen style categories. Each style collection — Classic, Pure and Urban — is featured at the showroom. Additionally, SieMatic’s presence on America’s Test Kitchen, the highest-rated instructional cooking show on television, allows more than 2 million viewers each week to witness transitional SieMatic designs as a backdrop to chefs challenging classic recipes.

Photos courtesy Siematic, Pirch SOHO

To celebrate its 100th anniversary last year, iconic luxury American appliance brand Thermador implemented a countrywide Kitchen Design Challenge, looking for the most inspiring kitchens featuring its products.

“For a century, Thermador has been devoted to creating innovative appliances that provide ultimate performance for culinary enthusiasts — and we have been an integral part of how the design and function of the kitchen has evolved over the decades,” says Zack Elkin, director of brand management. “Our commitment to the Kitchen Design Challenge enables us to celebrate the talented designers who utilize Thermador to bring the heart of the home to life for their clients with unique, personalized details — and inspired us by breaking convention and re-thinking what is possible for the kitchen.”

While Thermador Kitchen Design Challenges have taken place in the past, the centennial contest was larger than ever, in order to honor the brand’s 100-year history of shaping the home kitchen. This history includes the invention of the first wall oven and cooktop in 1947 as well as the introduction of stainless steel into kitchen. While Thermador continues to produce innovative appliances, the company wants to praise those who incorporate their products through motivating design.

“These trade professionals are a big part of why Thermador is a leader in luxury kitchens, and their designs have inspired us to continually innovate and bring forth appliances that challenge the status quo,” says Beatriz Sandoval, director of brand marketing.

The design challenge encouraged Thermador integration from budding talent to seasoned designers. With over $110,000 in prizes, regional winners (who will be announced this summer) will be invited to an upcoming gala where they will be up for high-value national awards. The top award categories include Best Use of  Thermador Refrigeration, Contemporary/Modern design, Traditional/Transitional and Designer’s Choice.

Photos courtesy Thermador

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On Location: Kohanaiki

BIG ISLAND’S LATEST PRIVATE LUXURY DEVELOPMENT IN NEARLY A DECADE IS MAKING ITS MARK ON THE HAWAIIAN LANDSCAPE AND THE RESIDENTIAL MARKET.

By Samantha Myers
This is an extended version of an article originally in Unique Homes Ultimate 2017Click here to view the print version. Also check out our breaking story on Kohanaiki’s clubhouse from February 2017.

There’s nothing like stepping out of a pressurized plane cabin into Big Island’s pacific breeze. But Kohanaiki — a private club community only two miles from Kona International Airport — takes that refreshment a step further. Handed lava rock-filtered water and a chilled towelette in a private shuttle, we headed to the source of this impeccable service — a place both breathtaking, and where you can catch your breath.

Like most homesites on Kohanaiki, our 3-bedroom hale offered an inland backdrop of Hualālai’s mountains and views extending to the pristine coastline. A tour of the 450-acre property via electric golf carts, the main form of transportation on property, and a walk-through of the brand-new, 67,000-square-foot clubhouse provided a true understanding of life here.

“The Kohala Coast of Big Island is famous for its year-round sunny, tropical vacation weather,” says James Lynch, sales executive for Kohanaiki Realty, LLC. “It’s a perfect environment for indoor-outdoor living.” Kohanaiki’s distinct architectural style, a contemporary interpretation of traditional Hawaiian design, was developed by a handful of esteemed architects. The sleek, atmospheric outdoor-orientated architecture is not only a selling point for its available homesites, but is also a paradise-like setting for its amenities.
With our freshly caught cuisine enjoyed at the signature open-wall sushi bar and chophouse Kōnane, and beach dining with seating that spills onto the white-sand beach, the open-air became our dining room.”This is a setting where shoes are optional, as life can be lived here pure and natural,” Lynch adds.

A tour around the Rees Jones-designed golf course offers ideal vantage points of the carefully planned and preserved landscape — where smooth greens interlace with black volcanic rock, environmentally protected anchialine ponds, ancient sites and six masterful oceanfront holes for golfers. You gain an appreciation of the land and what Kohanaiki has done to both preserve and accentuate its features while at the same time providing a comfortable lifestyle for its members.

“Kohanaiki appeals to people with a taste for adventure, an appreciation for the finer things in life, and a desire for a laid-back environment,” says President and CEO Joe Root. If you’re craving indoor activity on a rainy day, you’ll have to imagine the rain. But the clubhouse offers a fitness center, movie theater, bowling alley, bar and secret cigar lounge among other hidden treasures.

The shores are some of the best snorkeling and surfing spots on the island, and our time with the “A-Team” — expert ocean sport guides — set us up with snorkels and paddleboards instructing us to the best spots to see marine life. We didn’t have to stray far before we were swimming alongside schools of bright fish and watching a sea turtle dance around the reef. The next day, our charter on Kohanaiki’s yacht, the Kaikea, let us swim alongside thirty-plus dolphins and gave us front-row seats to a humpback whale show while enjoying breakfast on the boat.

 
In between water sports, we were able to visit the spa, which offers an extensive menu of treatments. We opted for a couple’s spa treatment in a heavenly private courtyard — the “Botany of Bliss” — which included a soak in a custom-blended herbal outdoor bath for two, followed by individual La’i massages.
The comfort provided by the spa and locker rooms was even unexpectedly rivaled by the golf “comfort stations” located throughout the property. These stations provide an air-conditioned retreat during a round of golf or a tennis match, and are fully stocked with any type of snack or treat imaginable, as well as frozen mai tai machines and cold wine and beer. One may find themselves spending more time here than out on the course.

While luxurious relaxation prevails in any corner of the property, our tour with Joe around Kohanaiki showed us details that one may not notice upon first glance, or on their own explorations. This included the wide-range of art celebrating the Hawaiian heritage and the history of Kohanaiki’s property. The collection includes over 200 art pieces, including prints, paintings and artifacts. “The clubhouse features one of the most robust and extensive collections of authentic, museum-quality art pieces on the island,” says Root. “It was important to give the clubhouse a sense of place through this robust collection of artwork. We have been collecting any of these pieces over the past decade, and are pleased with how they seem to weave in seamlessly with the design of the clubhouse and help to give it the character and historical context that make it so much more than just a building.”

A visit to the wine tasting room revealed a collection of rare vintage wines — 50 years worth of Château Mouton Rothschild — among some of the resident’s wine lockers, which are located throughout the property, especially around the eating spots. Residents can have a bottle of wine handy at any given moment. Kohanaiki has made it a priority to bring wine to their residents, a drink not as common on an island location due to costs of importation. While we were visiting, we attended a beachside wine dinner collaboration between Kohanaiki and Kosta Browne Winery, from California. Enjoyed with other members, the four-course meal featured pairings with 2013 and 2014 Russian River Valley Pinor Noirs (and others) alongside a delicious, delicate menu including crispy seared snapper and a dish of duck breast, confit and Colorado lamb. For dessert, it was a Tahitian vanilla bean crème brûlée enjoyed with a remarkable 40-year-old Tawny Port.

“Our membership is the best part of Kohanaiki,” says Root. “We have attracted an incredible group of well-traveled, sophisticated and successful people who have chosen Kohanaiki as their place to disconnect and just have fun with their friends and family.” With a $150,000 entrance fee and $25,000 annual membership fee, Kohanaiki is at the forefront of full-service luxurious living.

“In most cases these homes are our members second or even third homes. We try and make multiple home-ownership as easy as possible with our residential services program,” says General Manager George Punoose. “We take care of your entire pre-arrival, stay and post-departure experience by attending to all aspects of your home — housekeeping, landscaping, pool care and even grocery shopping.” Our visit to Kohanaiki was a testament to this service — upon our arrival, the fridge and pantry were fully stocked with over a week’s worth of groceries, the home was lit up and an iPad was connected to a sound system playing the ideal relaxing vacation music you’d want to hear upon arriving in paradise.

Just some of the many residential options at Kohanaiki.

The property puts being social and incorporating family as primary ideals for their membership. “We are a family friendly resort and we’ve attracted families small and large, with parents and grandparents seeing this place as something their family will enjoy for generations,” says Root. “Kohanaiki uses vertical memberships that enable siblings, children and grandparents to be full members of the club. Whatever we can do to make it easier for families to come together is a good thing.”

The philosophies of Kohanaiki, instituted by a stellar team, have been reciprocated by the public. Kohanaiki is one of the hottest new luxury residential spots to own property on, not only on Hawaii, but anywhere — and they have the celebrity clientele and sales to prove it. “The recent grand opening of the new clubhouse was a key milestone validating Kohanaiki as the premier private, gated community in the Hawaiian Islands, resulting in record-breaking sales of over $60 million over the past 60 days,” says Lynch.

“Our members are a sophisticated set that have traveled and experienced the finest things in life,” says Punoose. “Our goal here is to still exceed their high expectations.” Here, at Kohanaiki, attention to detail is not sufficient. Instead, a staff that masters the details awaits Kohanaiki’s fortunate members who retreat in this otherworldly community.

Kohanaiki offers two ownership options: custom homesites where you can purchase a plot of land and build your own home, or choose a home from a full-range of turnkey and fully furnished developer-built homes in various sizes, styles and configurations. Kohanaiki also offers fee-simple real estate ownership. Fee-simple means that the real estate is owned forever in perpetuity and can be passed down from generation to generation. Less than 5% of all the land in the Hawaiian Islands is available for fee simple ownership, therefore, Kohanaiki represents a rare opportunity for families to own in a world-class oceanfront community here in the islands and build long-term legacy wealth.

To find out more, visit kohanaiki.com.

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