Archive for the ‘Community’ Category

Practices for Maximizing Natural Light in Luxury Homes

Monday, December 23, 2024
Debbi DiMaggio

Practices for Maximizing Natural Light in Luxury Homes

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Imagine walking into a grand living room where sunlight streams through floor-to-ceiling windows, illuminating every corner and highlighting exquisite architectural details. This natural radiance doesn’t just make a room brighter—it enhances its overall beauty, creating a welcoming and vibrant atmosphere. Beyond aesthetics, natural light positively impacts mood and well-being. Sunlit spaces promote relaxation and comfort, making them ideal for unwinding or entertaining. Additionally, maximizing natural light in luxury homes contributes to energy efficiency by reducing reliance on artificial lighting during the day, which can lower utility costs and benefit the environment. Homes designed with thoughtful windows, skylights, and open layouts often command attention for their ability to blend style with practicality. Incorporating these features makes a property more appealing and highlights its luxurious character. 

Design with Large Windows and Glass Doors

Large windows and glass doors can redefine a home by bringing the outdoors in and flooding spaces with natural light. Floor-to-ceiling windows are an excellent choice for creating a brighter and more inviting environment. They offer uninterrupted views while maximizing daylight, making the home more expansive and luxurious. Bi-fold and sliding glass doors are another practical design choice. These options enhance light flow and create a seamless connection between indoor and outdoor spaces. They’re perfect for opening living areas to gardens, patios, or terraces, providing flexibility and a sense of openness.

High-quality glazing is used for large windows and doors to maintain energy efficiency. Double or triple glazing reduces heat loss in cooler months and minimizes heat gain in warmer seasons, ensuring comfortable interiors throughout the year. This design element enhances home sustainability while preserving its luxurious appeal.

Living Room Cambrian with Window

Maximizing Natural Light in Luxury Homes with Open-Concept Layouts

Open-concept layouts are a practical way to enhance natural light within a home. By removing unnecessary walls or partitions, light can travel freely across rooms, creating a bright and airy atmosphere. This design approach enhances illumination and promotes connection between different spaces, making the home feel more inviting.

To achieve this effect, consider eliminating barriers that block light, such as heavy dividers or bulky furniture arrangements. Replacing solid walls with transparent or partially open elements, like glass panels or shelving, can maintain spatial definition while letting light pass through effortlessly.

Reflective surfaces are another useful addition to an open floor plan. Incorporate materials such as polished stone, mirrors, or glossy finishes on walls and furniture to amplify the natural brightness. These elements bounce light around the room, reducing shadows and brightening corners. An open-concept design is a thoughtful way to create an inviting home that feels spacious and full of light.

Opt for Lighter Color Palettes

Using a lighter color palette is an effective way to enhance the natural light in any home. Painting walls, ceilings, and trim in soft, light tones helps create a brighter and more inviting environment. These colors reflect sunlight rather than absorb it, letting light flow effortlessly throughout the space.

Soft colors like off-white, cream, and pale gray are ideal for walls and ceilings in luxury homes. These shades amplify brightness and provide a neutral backdrop that complements various styles and furnishings. For added warmth, consider pastel tones like pale peach or muted sage, which can brighten the space while adding subtle character.

To elevate the effect, opt for satin or eggshell finishes, as these reflect more light compared to matte options. Pairing lighter walls with white or slightly contrasting trim can create a crisp, clean appearance, highlighting architectural details.

 

Design Choices That Amplify Natural Light

Design choices significantly impact how natural light transforms a space. Low-profile or minimalist furniture can prevent light pathways from being obstructed, helping sunlight travel freely. Reflective surfaces, such as glossy finishes or mirrored decor, enhance brightness by bouncing light across the room, making the space more open and inviting. Likewise, glass furniture or decor pieces contribute to an open and airy ambiance, allowing light to travel unobstructed.

Strategically placing art in naturally lit areas can elevate its appeal. Sunlight interacting with these pieces enhances their colors and textures, creating a more dynamic display. Sculptures designed to interact with light, such as those casting dynamic shadows, bring depth and intrigue to the home’s aesthetic.

Strategically arranging furniture and art pieces guarantees uninterrupted light flow throughout the house. However, you should also consider how light highlights them before moving expensive art pieces to your new home to ensure they enhance the space effectively. Besides protecting your art, thoughtful planning also maximizes the overall impact of natural light in your living environment.

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Landscaping to Enhance Light Flow

Overgrown trees and bushes near windows can block sunlight and create shadows inside the house. Regularly trimming and shaping these plants helps maintain clear, unobstructed access for sunlight to brighten indoor spaces.

Maximizing natural light in luxury homes can also be achieved with low-profile landscaping. Opt for shrubs and plants that stay closer to the ground, and avoid planting tall trees or large hedges directly in front of windows. It will increase light and preserve outdoor views, creating a more open and inviting atmosphere.

In the evening, strategic outdoor lighting can extend the benefits of natural light. Pathway lights, uplights on trees, or subtle garden illumination provide a soft glow that enhances the property’s beauty while preventing dark, shadowed areas. This thoughtful combination of trimming, landscaping, and lighting helps create a bright, elegant environment indoors and out. 

Using Technology to Optimize Natural Light

Technology offers innovative solutions for enhancing natural light in homes. Smart home systems track and adjust light levels automatically, ensuring that every room maintains the perfect balance of brightness throughout the day. These systems work seamlessly with other features, adapting to the home’s layout and orientation. Motorized blinds or shades are another effective tool for managing natural light. You can program them to open or close based on the sun’s position, reducing glare and maximizing comfort.

Also, tunable LED lights complement natural light by adjusting color and intensity as needed. These lights transition smoothly from soft morning tones to brighter midday hues, providing consistent illumination regardless of weather or time. Lastly, window glass coatings are an excellent way to control glare while maintaining brightness. They enhance energy efficiency and protect interiors from UV damage.

Conclusion

Maximizing natural light in luxury homes is both art and practical. Homeowners can create bright, spacious, and inviting spaces by incorporating thoughtful design elements like large windows, lighter color palettes, and open layouts. Features such as skylights, reflective surfaces, and smart technology further enhance the light flow, bringing beauty and efficiency into the home. Landscaping and furniture choices also play a role in maintaining brightness while complementing the overall aesthetic. By combining these strategies, homeowners achieve interiors that are functional and radiate sophistication and warmth throughout the day.

 

As A Mom I Could Not Be More Thrilled

Monday, October 4, 2021
Debbi DiMaggio

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12 years ago, during the recession we created HIGHLAND PARTNERS with the desire to build a luxury boutique real estate brokerage with like minded agents dedicated to serving their clients while giving back to the communities in which we serve through education and involvement. We wanted to create a culture of collaboration and a professional environment that never lost sight of what it means to support our clients and peers. Through the years we have had great success, some learning moments and even a new understanding of family. Through the last several years we sought expansion opportunities and studied countless marketing platforms. … Just as the day we started HIGHLAND PARTNERS, sometimes the best opportunities arise when you are not looking. –Heidi Marchesotti

Adam and I, along with our partners Heidi Marchesotti and Mindy Sun are proud and honored to announce our recent merger and partnership with Corcoran Global Living.

After 12 years of countless hours, learning, growing, expanding, with endless passion and dedication into creating our Highland Partners brand we now say good-bye, but welcome the change as we adopt the CGL brand. However, we are still the same 2 offices, same great staff, same passionate agents, same unique culture, and still just one family, only larger.

From Inman News:

Corcoran Group affiliate Corcoran Global Living announced a new merger with luxury brokerage Highland Partners, bringing its Bay Area office count to 22

Las Vegas-based Corcoran Group affiliate Corcoran Global Living has hit the jackpot with its latest expansion efforts in the San Francisco Bay Area. CGL announced on Thursday a new partnership with Highland Partners, a 12-year-old luxury boutique brokerage that serves buyers and sellers in the East Bay. “By uniting the top brokerages, top independent teams, and top professionals in the industry, we’re setting a new bar for service and excellence,” CGL Founder and CEO Michael Mahon said in a prepared statement, adding that CGL shares “a truly aligned vision to create and support a culture of growth and collaboration” with the brokerage leaders.

We could not be more excited to have merged with this fantastic brand to expand our footprint throughout California to better serve our agents and our clients. We welcome our new partners, CORCORAN GLOBAL LIVING to the family!

We are Locally Owned. We are Community Driven. We are Client Focused. And today with our new Partners, We are Corcoran Global Living!

And as a mom,

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I could not be more thrilled to have our son Chase DiMaggio Betta on our team, the DiMaggio & Betta Group as well as being a part of this new merger and exciting next chapter.

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Dinner on Sunset Blvd

Saturday, September 14, 2019
Debbi DiMaggio

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A different journey, the same destination.

Viva la Vida!

Live, Love ❤️Embrace Life!

Living Life, that’s  what my new friend and I are doing.

I had just finished my sweat at Shape House and was driving through West Hollywood in search of a salad and a glass of Chardonnay.

At first I thought Sur, Pump or Cecconi’s or Tortilla Republic, all within walking distance of Shape House, but I was still reaping the benefits of my treatment… the sweating continued, sans make up, and crazy hair. As I drove up N Robertson and turned right onto the lively and beat pumping Santa Monica Blvd, Trader Joe’s sounded like a good idea but I turned prematurely, one block too soon.

Tender Greens was on the corner, I’ll park there, I thought. No parking to be found. Heading towards Sunset I figured I’d hit up Tender Greens next to the Hills Penthouse, my former Members Only Club, and SoulCycle. It was a busy LA summer night… still no parking ‍♀️.

Sunset Plaza! Voila! Free, available and easy, so I parked.

Chin Chin’s Chinese Chicken Salad and a glass of Chardonnay, perfect. I’ll sit outside and watch the people and cars go by. But something propelled me to continue on to another favorite little spot. Whether it’s the perfect location, the energy, or the cheerful yellow awning, my legs propelled me further.

I arrived at the hostess stand that sits on the sidewalk in front of the restaurant. Briefly I waited and thought.

Experiencing the same elation just as I do when strolling the quaint cafes along Nice’s Promenade or the narrow cobblestone streets of Saint Tropez.

Le Petit Four has that ability. It transports me right back to the South of France each and every time. It’s no wonder I’m always drawn back.

But for a split second I almost change my mind. The restaurant was packed, bustling with people and lively conversation. Where will I be seated? I can’t sit under a heat lamp I’ll die! I thought to myself panicking, slightly. But before I could change my mind a beautiful girl with a big smile donning a white Afro invited me to follow her; still nervous about the table that would be mine for the evening.

There were 4 tables nestled close together, side by side. She didn’t just seat me at the easiest table in the corner or off to the side, alone. No. She sat me one in from the end with a perfect view of the entire outdoor patio. It was perfect. Even better, within 3 minutes of taking my seat, adjusting myself and locating a place for my handbag. Note: One must never place a handbag on the floor or the ground. It was at the Wynn Las Vegas when I learned of this superstition. I asked the waitress why the woman at the other table was given a foot stool and not I. She explained I was sitting at a booth and had a place to put my handbag. She did not. She went on to explain how it is an Asian belief that one must never place their handbag on the floor as it is bad luck. I’ve never placed my handbag on the floor since, and share this with everyone I dine out with. Who wants to be bestowed with bad luck?! Not I.

As I was saying, within 3 minutes this lovely lady was seated next to me by the owner and the hostess, everyone knew her, they all exchanged pleasantries in French. It was at that very moment I knew why my journey transpired the way it had that evening.

Coincidences don’t exist. Perhaps divine intervention or accidentally with purpose. Or just meant to be. I know one thing for sure, you’ve got to get out and see what life has in store for you, it’s not going to come to you.

We exchanged names and a hello and each went on to order a dry white wine, Sancerre. As it would happen we were on the same page. Open to conversation we told the owner to cancel our individual orders and that we would be sharing a bottle.

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In the end I wasn’t alone. I was graced with the most wonderful, kind, friendly, inspirational woman who embraced a similar outlook on life. Also a loving Mom who believe kids are everything as is Family.

Cathy came here 18 months ago from Paris with her 93 year old mother, her sister, her 9 year old nephew and 26 year old son. She always had this idea, a dream, and is now living it. Within 2 months she received a Visa and is now living and enjoying her American Dream.

Professionally trained in France at the Culinary Institute, and now in LA, together Cathy and her son opened a tea shop with delicious pastries and more, right here in the heart of West Hollywood on Sunset Blvd. She is living her next chapter as am I. Dreams do come true. And life is extraordinary when you go out and live it.

To visit Cathy and her son Anthony go to Le Salon de The

Photos: Le Salon de The

designed to sell

Saturday, June 22, 2019
Debbi DiMaggio

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When you have been doing something for over 30 years that thing you do becomes second nature. For me designing homes is one of those things. Each time we take a new listing there is work to be done. Of course it varies from home to home. And once in awhile a client chooses to sell cleaned and vacant. Usually that only occurs when a home is too far gone and the investment out ways the return.

Let’s break in down.

Obtaining inspections is the first step. It’s not unlike what happens when we get a check up at the doctors office with the addition of further testing and bloodwork. We do the same for a house. Adam and I will book appointments for the following inspections: Termite, Comprehensive Home (checking all systems), Sewer Lateral, Foundation (if recommenced by the home inspector), Roof including Furnace and Electrical if those systems are outdated and require a bid to fix, update or replace. In the Piedmont East Bay these reports will be passed on to the Buyer and paid for up front by the Seller. Area standards vary from area to area, city to city. In Los Angeles where we also work, Buyers pay for any and all inspections the deem necessary, but do not preform such inspections until after they are in contract.

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The second step is the design aspect. This is my favorite part. I enjoy the creativity and the process from bringing a home from lived in to staged to sell. I manage each aspect. First we obtain bids: Staging, Painting and note any repairs, as well as Garden Clean Up, Window Washing, Floor Refinishing or Carpet Replacement and Lighting Updates. Sometimes we update kitchen and bath countertops. Once we have produced all the bids we pass them on to the seller to decide how much or how little they would like to invest. Most of the times our Sellers see the benefit and agree to making the investment. After all they will reap the rewards of a higher sale.

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Having just returned from a listing consultation in the very neighborhood I grew up, and the same neighborhood we raised our children, I realized that we had sold quite a few within a few blocks of one another. As we chatted with the Sellers we reminisced about all the old neighbors. In Piedmont homes are referred to by name, the name of the original homeowner. Even though a home could have had 3 different homeowners since the original homeowner or the one that just stuck in our minds during our childhood.

Here are just a few homes we sold in the neighborhood and brought from Lived In to Staged To Sell.

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80 Cambrian ( Remodeled the home and Leased it. ) Sue Tornlof, PHS

308 Sea View Avenue

7 St James Piedmont

148 Sandringham Road

180 Sandringham Road

199 St James Drive

148 Estates Drive

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If you are interested in a complimentary analysis and design consultation please do not hesitate to call. Adam and I are happy to stop by.

 

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Piedmont, a wonderful place to call home

Saturday, March 30, 2019
Debbi DiMaggio

Click And Listen. 19 Hardwick Avenue, Piedmont, CA

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