A Woman’s Home

What women want in a home, and what Vista Lago provides

Article by Vivion O’Kelly Photos courtesy of BRIGHT

The mere fact of presenting a feature on what women want in a home may be construed by some readers as misogynistic. This, we insist, is not our intention. According to numerous surveys carried out over recent years, as well as questions asked by our own potential purchasers, men and women tend to value houses differently.

Owning a great home for a man is a “sign of accomplishment that defines success, and he’s more concerned with location and outward-facing issues”, whereas for a woman, “the inside of the home is important, and how it will engage and serve whatever family means to her”.

We take a closer look at what women want in a home, with special emphasis on the award-winning Vista Lago luxury development in Marbella, whose construction process is now underway.

Amenities

Regardless of what they actually want in the home, they want it to be close to amenities. Whether it should be so or not, women visit child care, health clinics and schools much more than men do. Vista Lago is close to a plethora of amenities, on the doorstep in Real de La Quinta and in under 20 minutes there are 7 international schools and all the facilities of San Pedro, Puerto Banus and Marbella.

Security

While Spain is one of the safest countries in Europe, it is women who face the threat of assault far more than men. This makes the safety and security of the area they live in of the utmost importance. Vista Lago is a gated, secure community within another gated, secure community (Real de la Quinta), where the question of anyone’s safety does not even arise.

Privacy

Privacy is a two-edged amenity: you want enough of it to feel comfortable at all times, but not so much of it that

Kitchen

Unsurprisingly, more women than men (39% against 29%) rank a thoroughly modern kitchen as a must-have in a new home. In each Vista Lago villa, where each is different and individual taste is catered to, the kitchens have been designed to be an essential part of the living space. Not just a sop to the concept of open plan, but genuinely open to plan as one pleases, with every convenience available to choose from. Close to the dining area, close to the herb garden outside, even close enough to the pool and terrace for a quick dip while the sauces are simmering.

you feel cut off from your neighbours. In this respect, the UDesign architects and urban planners have gone to great lengths to ensure total privacy, both visually and audibly, for residents of every Vista Lago villa, while at the same time designing the development in such a way that one can easily drop in on one’s neighbours if one chooses. With only 18 villas making up the entire development, mutually agreed contact between neighbours can quickly develop into friendship, without having to chat over the garden wall.

Bedrooms

Women prefer three and four-bedroom homes, while men lean towards two and three-bedroom homes. Again, women generally appreciate the bedroom more than the garage, for example, and the Vista Lago bedrooms reflect this appreciation. Superbly designed, beautifully illuminated and with exceptional interior design features that still allow for a personal touch, each ensuite bedroom is a true delight for both men and women. But especially women.

Sociability

By nature or nurture, a home that is designed to facilitate relationships and engagement is Mama’s home. She is the star of the show, and although many men might be loathe to admit it, she decides almost everything that happens in the home. She is the boss.

Good architecture and good interior design will take this into account, as the designers of Vista Lago have done. Free and easy flow between essential spaces, comfortable positioning of essential areas, furniture and decoration geared towards facility of communication: it’s all been taken care of in each of the 18 villas that make Vista Lago exceptional.

Lighting

Ever notice who decides what curtains to open and close? Or who decides what lampstands to buy? Or who, all too often, voices criticism at the designers over where the main lighting points have been positioned? Yes, she does. Such a problem does not exist in Vista Lago, where the illumination of each villa has been designed with the greatest care and consideration, using the very latest technology and the most creative use of lighting design.

Detail And Finish

Women appreciate better, as they settle into a new home, all those small but important details like the quality of finish in floors, carpeting, tiles, woodwork and all the other elements that make a home more livable in and loveable.

The quality of materials is one of the things that makes Vista Lago so luxurious. The quality of our lives is directly affected by the raw materials we live with every day. Getting them right is of vital importance to our well-being.

When the entire family come calling at the same time, this much we know:

The home is the place one comes to escape from the outside world, but what if there was a hidden sanctuary that allowed the homeowner to escape from the home itself? What if a natural stone wall in this high-end villa was really a secret door?

This idea snowballed and was thus the driving force behind interior designer and founder of OMEO - Olivia O’s - creation of a truly unique interior and a highlight of the company’s projects: a camouflaged stone door that leads to a hidden, highly luxurious and versatile area.

The client wanted to utilize the extra space in this project, so Olivia made sure to fit in as many elements as possible while staying true to a bold style – including a grand gym, spa with a bar and a lounge area, finished with a ceiling comprised of gentle lighting – imitating a starry sky. The space also doubles as a panic room or a ‘giant vault’ to store valuables in.

An abundance of natural light as well as natural colours and materials are evident throughout the rest of this client’s home – including copious amounts of Rustic Wood, Linen Fabrics and Antique Brass. However this secret space by OMEO screams a bold and edgy style with its all-black colour scheme as well as Granite and Copper accents. Olivia

O. explains: “I wanted to create a space that was in contrast to the rest of the house. So you enter into another world”.

Every element besides the gym equipment is made bespoke using only the highest quality of materials to reinforce a luxurious finish throughout – including Porcelain tiles, Granite, Caliza (Limestone) and Copper Mosaics. There was no natural light in this secret space, thus creating a space that had so much to offer with unique light sources was necessary to deter from the lack of windows.

“I find it interesting when a space ishidden in plain sight, especially when the house is used to host many social events. Also it gives for a fascinating feature with the hidden door”. This hidden interior was one of many that Olivia has completed as part of her “secret space” collection so far. However, there are many more original and secret interiors coming soon in her homes all over Marbella this year. Stay tuned! @omeodesign