Holiday homes are rarely a bargain, but you can get them cheaper or with a touch of luxury. Usually, it’s the premium features that stand out; but sometimes there can be a hidden secret that really turns a good house into an excellent project. Holiday homes can be stunningly beautiful or more reserved, check out these five incredible holiday homes with great, not-so-obvious ideas.
Panorama House, South Korea
Designed by the Moon Hoon architects from Seoul, this luxury house includes some real avant-garde concepts. Having bookshelves aligned with the stairs is original per itself. And then there’s a slide in case you want to go down very fast and in a smooth way. Designed with huge windows, the Panorama House includes other precious ideas like movie screens in unexpected places; a study room under the stairs (with the books easily accessible from both sides of the bookshelves); and the use of the attic as a playground for the four children of the family.
Musha Cay, Bahamas
Musha Cay is the private island of David Copperfield, the renowned illusionist. The resort comprehends five different properties, able to accommodate up to 24 guests. Rooms are filled with antiques and other luxury items; there is also a two-story cinema screen on the beach. Imagine yourself watching a movie on such a large screen, with your feet on the sand, and surrounded by the calm waters of the ocean. It’s no wonder that Sergey Brin, the Google co-founder, and
tech entrepreneur Anne Wojcicki chose Musha Cay as their wedding spot.
Brunswickhill, United Kingdom
The old-style façade, while magnificent and somewhat resembling a traditional medieval family castle of England, might not surprise anyone. But in the garden, there is a small, secret house, almost unidentifiable from the outside, with lots of gorgeous decorative figures. A real forest refuge, in an area of the UK – Selkirkshire, in Scotland – famed for its extensive historical forests.
Treehouse, Colorado
Treehouse is Oprah’s luxury home in the mountains of Colorado. Priced at $14 million, it has all kinds of features one would associate with the biggest TV host and star of America. The most advanced domotics are present, as well as extra details like sensors informing of someone approaching and a permanent, direct connection to the local airport. There is a games room which can turn into a movie room by clicking a button. To get to the top of the hill, Winfrey has a personal tram; eliminating the need to climb.
Beach house, Malibu
Unlike the resort of Copperfield or the luxury home of Oprah, there’s a house in Malibu that doesn’t get any attention from the outside. It’s an old cottage, 1930’s style. Well-preserved, but classic and not original. You wouldn’t look twice.
But on the inside, there’s a totally contemporaneous house. It features glass walls, clean design, and an incredible veranda over the beach, almost going directly into the sea. The property belonged to Judd Apatow and Leslie Mann, who sold it in 2019.