Author: Seeff, 11 November 2016, News
Trend towards wooden décor in luxury areas
Not only has utilising this natural artefact been popular over the centuries due to its practicality, durability and affordability, but also because of its remarkable aesthetic value.
You just have to look at the mysterious feeling that the use of oak created in Medieval Europe or at the magical appearance of the Kizhi wooden churches in Russia to understand why people are still using wood as structural and aesthetic materials and artistic mediums today.
Even in buildings made of other materials, wood will often still be found as a supporting material, especially in roof construction, in interior doors and their frames, and as exterior cladding.
With over 5000 different woods to choose from – some ideal for insulation, some for acoustics, grain, colour, appearance, and others for structural frames, walls, floors, ceilings and furniture – there is certainly something for each individual’s taste.
Over the past couple of years the trend of using wood in especially high-end homes and purchasing very old refurbished homes with wooden elements like in the East of Pretoria, Sandton and coastal towns like Hout Bay and Arniston has made a comeback.
Seeff’s agents who operate in these areas agree that in general most of these homes attract a lot of attention, are extremely sought after, fall in higher price ranges than other homes and are often considered as the epitome of class and sophistication.
Gerhard van der Linde, Seeff’s Managing Director in Pta East says that the wooden trend here is seen in many of the older, top-end suburbs like Waterkloof and Waterkloof Ridge where homes can comfortably fetch prices of up to R20 million.
“Buyers are attracted to wooden features because these homes are regarded as timeless classics. We are not only seeing wooden window frames and doors, but also wooden cupboards and staircases that are mostly hand crafted and custom made to fit each property specifically. This in turn has an influence on the prices of these properties, but high net worth buyers don’t mind paying a premium for a property with warmth, class, elegance and character”.
Charles Vining, Seeff’s Managing Director in Sandton says in Sandton and Fourways they have several older homes with beautiful solid wooden fittings in their natural colour or wood that has been painted. “While some like the dramatic look of natural colours others may find it a bit too dark for modern day and prefer wooden doors, window frames and shutters that are painted white or grey.
There is a strong demand in top-end homes for wooden floors. Engineered wood is first choice, but good quality laminate is also popular. An open wooden beamed ceiling is a very big trend and is definitely on the wish list of many top end buyers. The demand for wooden window frames has waned due to high maintenance issues, but feature wooden garage doors and gates are still sought after. Good quality, weatherproof, timber decking is also very popular.
One of the homes that we have for sale also includes Zambian Rosewood flooring, Merbau wood and Indian doors imported from a Maharaj Palace. The floors of solid Zambian rosewood are all imported and there is also a fully fitted study with imported Merbau wood”.
Vining concludes by saying that some of the homes that are for sale in Sandton even have solid Iroko wood imported from West Africa.
Seeff Hout Bay also boasts with a top-end home using wooden features. Seeff agent Ingred Blicher Hansen who is marketing a home in the exclusive Baviaanskloof estate, says one of the elements in the Architectural Design guideline manual for this estate was to blend aesthetically with the natural surroundings which made using wood elements in homes here both internally and externally a natural choice.
“Wood cladding, window dressing using sliding wooden shutters, natural timber decks and solid hardwood flooring achieve warmth and softness to what is predominantly a very modern style otherwise,” she concludes.
Wooden trends are not only limited to homes in or near the big metros however and are also seen in smaller towns in the Overberg like Bredasdorp and Arniston, says Elaine Beyers, a Seeff agent in this area.
“Properties with wooden features in these towns are mostly older homes (as old as 180 years) with beautiful wooden floors and original wooden windows. Balau wood is used extensively in many of the balconies and relevant structures in many cases. Although people are moving away from wooden décor in especially a town like Arniston because of its climate you can still find buyers who don’t mind the intensive maintenance that goes with wood because it is so beautiful”.
Seeff has various homes with wooden elements for sale. Visit www.seeff.com and enter web references: 402659, 398847, 374257, 405427 and 288397 for more information.