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HIGH-END HOMES

SHOWCASING THE FINEST SCANDINAVIAN DESIGN AND STYLE

INTERVIEW WITH ANN SAND

When you opened the High-End Homes showroom in Puerto Banús, what was the idea behind the concept? I have worked with leading design brands in Scandinavia my whole life. When I moved to Marbella, it was only natural for me to want to take that work to the next level. Scandinavian design is popular around the world, but many of the brands are less well-known than they deserve to be. I wanted to create a space where I could showcase what I think are some of the top brands, and show people what Scandinavian design is at its absolute best. Ultimately, I wanted High-End Homes’ showroom to become a place where I could share my love and enthusiasm for Scandinavian design with others – a place for people to admire and become inspired by all the beautifully designed pieces I love so much, and to experience it for themselves. And so I created a place where people can drop in just to look, or to buy anything from a coffee table book to a one-of-a-kind piece of art. But it’s also an inspiring place to visit for real estate developers, investors or our private consulting clients who want help decorating their homes, where they get an opportunity to immerse themselves in the style, and “try it on”, so to speak.

You work with some interesting and prestigious brands. How do you choose your brands? I used to be general manager at Illums Bolighus in Oslo, a respected high-end lifestyle brand store in Norway. In that job, I got to know the top Scandinavian design brands very well; the competitive market, the storytelling behind, the manufacturing, the key selling points… I got to know each brand in depth.

So, when I opened High-End Homes, and had the final say myself, I picked the best of the best, including my own absolute favourite brands, based on everything I knew about the quality, aesthetics and unique personality of each brand. When I approached these brands, the concept was very well received. We now represent more than 40 brands, and have exclusive rights for some of my favourites such as Pent Fitness, Vipp, Muuto, etc. In addition to Nordic roots, I am also influenced by the time I spent living in Bali, and so I have added a few tropical brands and accessories to the mix – especially for outdoor areas. I love how that adds some heat to the often cool, Nordic style.

You offer various options to your clients when they come for a consultation. Tell us more. We work with private clients, interior designers, brokers and developers, and they come to us with very different needs and expectations. However, we see that the key point of differentiation is not the size of the project or even the client’s own experience, but the level of involvement they are looking for. Some people want a creative sparring partner who can offer advice, help pick out key pieces to set the tone, and assist with the practicalities. Others want us to take the reins completely, and let us handle every aspect of the decorating, from lighting and furniture down to picking out linens and tableware. And some ask us to come up with a complete interior design concept for multiple units.

We know that many of our clients are only here in Marbella for part of the year, as well. Therefore, it is important for us to build trust with the clients, so they know they can rely on us to complete our work and deal with the logistics smoothly, without the clients even being in the country. And when they get here, they can just lean back and enjoy their holidays. Based on this experience, we offer three options... • Lean Back: We take care of everything on behalf of our clients. • Hand on the Wheel: We make decisions together with the client throughout the project. • Hourly Consulting: The client is in charge, but we offer our help as needed. Which option is right, depends on the client’s own wishes more than anything else.

As a Norwegian who has lived in Bali, what brought you to Marbella? We love Bali, and Bali will always be in our hearts and lives. We import sophisticated bespoke outdoor furniture from Bali, and other exotic, tropical decor pieces. We are very well connected to the island. We love tropical living, so Marbella seemed like the perfect middle ground between Bali and Norway. Marbella offers many elements we like about Bali, but being in Europe allows us to visit family and friends without 22 hours of traveling. Marbella is very international, adventurous and ambitious, and so are we.

Tell us more about your philosophy when it comes to interior design. I love refined and sexy interior design. I aim for it to represent intellectuality and “hygge.” The pieces we choose are quality items and are made to last,

and we do not support cheap mass production with a short lifespan. Hence our company name, High-End Homes. Some iconic brands have a history of keeping their value or even increasing in value. We want the client to feel successful, present and young at heart when entering a home done by us. The house does not get dated with our interior style, and the experience is warm and sophisticated. We like to secure the investment of lifetime items or for future second-hand icons. Clients looking to complement a great property purchase with equally great interiors and style are the right match for us. All of our projects are individually made as people are different. We have some signature pieces, and art is essential to set the theme’s vibe. And, last but not least, we are all about having fun while doing it.

In conclusion... In these times we are in, technology is becoming more and more important. We are happy to assist clients through video, and there are also great tools that can help visualise a concept quickly before committing to a bigger project.

High-End Homes 218 Calle Jesús Puente, Marbella Tel. (+34) 639 235 628 ann@high-endhomes.com www.high-endhomes.com