The Most Wanted Architectural Home Amenities in L.A.

Today, nearly every bespoke feature you can imagine can be built into your home. From simple fixes like fixtures and paint to custom spaces designed to turn your house into your ultimate entertainment, relaxation, and dream location, your imagination is the limit and we’ve got your guide to the most sought-after architectural features in Los Angeles.

Whether you are a wine enthusiast, love to entertain, or are looking for a designated space to store a growing collection, a wine cellar is a must-have for enhancing the beauty and value of your home. A custom cellar not only brings elements of a winery to your home, it enables you to properly store and display your prized bottles.

The key to any wine cellar is a custom design fit to your personal tastes and a variety of storage options. While you can have pre-set layouts installed in your home, many companies start from scratch, taking into consideration climate, species of wood, stain finishes, paneling, custom doors, cabinets and lighting. A mix of vertical display wine racks with ample lighting to spotlight your favorite or most valued bottles and lockable cabinets to protect your rarest finds enable you to easily organize while ensuring the space doubles as an elegant home design feature.

Home of the silver screen and old Hollywood glamour, L.A. is best known for its love and dedication to the film industry. To get the authentic feel of a true theater within the privacy of your own home, a detached structure dedicated to screening your favorite films is the way to go.

While you can certainly convert a basement or spare bedroom into a home theater, the ultimate shrine to your favorite movies is a detached space where you can install a professional sound system, custom seating, a snack space, and unrivaled projector without disrupting the peace in your home. From hosting a group of friends for a screening to bonding over a family movie night, the possibilities are endless with a private theater in your backyard. With a detached screening room, you’ll be able to enjoy the thrilling sensation of both classic and new blockbusters in true Hollywood fashion without having to leave home.

In a bustling city like L.A., we all crave a little calm and can sometimes struggle to make time for it in our busy schedules. Dedicating a private space in your home to peace and tranquility is the key to help you escape daily stresses and focus on your physical and mental well-being. In designing your meditation room, there is not a specific guide you must follow as finding zen is a personal experience, however there are some elements to take into consideration.

When choosing your space, be sure to pick a room with ample natural light, away from street noise or other distractions. Whether you want to meditate in the morning or at sunset, choose a space that faces the sun for the time of day you would like to meditate. Distractions can also be found in clutter, so a few basic items like a small table, large floor pillows, a yoga mat or a rug are key to making your meditation room a peaceful place. Meditative music, aromatherapy – burning candles and heating essential oils – and personal touches like crystals, chimes, a statue of Buddha or artwork can also make your meditation room feel like part of your home while helping you focus solely on meditation.

For many homeowners in L.A., the pinnacle of luxury means having a relaxing pool space which both boosts the value of the home and creates an enhanced lifestyle for the whole family. However, the task of designing the perfect backyard oasis can be daunting. From size to layout to custom design elements like waterfalls, caves and spa features, countless combinations enable you to truly personalize your pool to help create the sensation of the ultimate getaway.

The most breathtaking pools are often those which are unique and offer elements you cannot find anywhere else. If your backyard overlooks a canyon or stunning view, opt for an infinity pool which offers the visual effect of water with no boundary. If your property lies on a flat, vast space, grass-edge pools allow for your landscape to run seamlessly along the pool edge, creating an innovative and design-forward pool deck.

Bring a piece of the beach or your favorite resort home with a zero-entry pool, an attractive option for those looking to exclude steps and visual disruptions and give your pool a natural feel. Zero-entry pools slope gradually and often include sand and warmer, shallow water at the entry, making it easier for children to swim, and the perfect option for adults to sunbathe without being completely submerged in the water.

For the ultimate foodie and entertainer, splitting time between enjoying company and preparing a meal can be a struggle, so many opt for a catering team or private chef to handle all the heavy lifting. However, the challenge of keeping entertaining and prepping spaces separate remains. Keep your kitchen prep out of your guests’ sight and save the final product as a surprise by incorporating two kitchen spaces into your home.

Many modern homes today feature open concept spaces that blend the kitchen with the dining and living rooms. While this contributes to a home more conducive to family interaction, entertaining, and overall desirable design, it can make hosting guests while food is being prepared problematic. To separate these spaces and define the difference between cooking and serving areas, homeowners have the option of building out a wing of the main kitchen dedicated to the prep work.

Often smaller and less elaborate than your main chef’s kitchen, mini-prep kitchens still feature all the appliances and counter space necessary to prepare a delicious meal for you and your guests while preserving the element of surprise and allowing you to mingle without the distraction in the kitchen. Some choose to use a guest house kitchen as a prep area, which is an ideal option for those who already have access to a guest house but do not wish to build a second kitchen in the main house. Having both kitchens near to one another is the ideal situation, making it easier on the chef when it comes time to serve, however building a second kitchen close to the primary one sometimes isn’t possible. Converting a spare bedroom or office space elsewhere in the home is an option to keep meal prep close, but far enough away so as not to disturb the party!


For more information on luxury homes for sale in Los Angeles, contact Arlene Rutenberg.