Living in luxury for every budget
- 25th Sep 21
Forget the damp, dark days of your first student flat, rental homes today offer luxury for every budget if you are a part of the Build to Rent movement.
How to rent in luxury
‘Hotel-style homes’ is not just some catchphrase that has been dreamed up by advertising and marketing agencies. These properties really exist and are more affordable than many people realise. Hotel-style homes refers to the facilities that are available in the developments within the Build to Rent sector. Prices will vary depending on size of the property rented, location, level of services and if fully or partially furnished.
Check in with your concierge
Many developments have hotel-style reception areas. This not only feels like a luxury addition, there are many practical points such as security, someone to collect deliveries or assist with any problems.
On a budget
The boom in the Build to Rent sector is resulting in thousands of boutique new homes becoming available. Whatever your budget, the sector offers more variety of homes than the private rental sector. This allows tenants a wide choice of property from studio flats, through to renting spacious houses with friends, allowing tenants the options of various price points - with the added benefit of feeling safe and secure - no landlord asking you to move on as they need to sell your home.
A holistic approach
Luxury today is much more about a lifestyle than things to acquire. The ethos behind Build to Rent is to offer exclusivity for renters, which meets all of their needs. This can include anything from 24/7 on-site gyms, yoga rooms, five-star spas and swimming pools.
Social spaces
A big part of the luxury experience is creating social spaces to stop people from feeling lonely and giving them the lifestyle that they aspire to. Build to Rent developments offer residents’ lounges, cinema rooms, libraries and even dining spaces, all to curate a sense of community. The demand for this exclusive, yet affordable lifestyle, is such that many developments even have waiting lists.
Tech-savvy
Luxury living now goes hand in hand with technological advancements. Build to Rent is at the forefront of this desire for technology with many tenants able to manage some aspects of their life through a central app. This ease of living allows tenants to quickly report repair issues, contact the concierge and book social spaces such a private screening rooms or co-working spaces.
Outdoor spaces
If lockdown taught us anything, it was that having access to outside space is a luxury that most of us won’t compromise on. Many Build to Rent developments offer extensive outdoor amenities such as rooftop gardens, external courtyards and play areas for children.
Sustainable luxury
Build to rent offers many sustainable features that appeal to modern renters. This will include using contemporary and environmentally-friendly solutions such as integrating innovative and renewable energy with a biomass district heating system that will give residents the benefit of low cost, efficient heating and hot water from a renewable source. Other features may include PV panels, living walls and zinc roofs.
The luxury of choice
A luxury that you can’t touch is one that gives you control over your life. With Build to Rent, you can choose to rent a fully furnished or unfurnished apartment or house, depending on your situation. What is even more important, is having the choice to stay in your rental property for however long you choose. You can put down roots and make a home without worrying the landlord will be selling at any time because Build to Rent specifically serves the rental market.
The luxury of high-quality brands
In every Build to Rent development, you can expect excellent design, fixtures and fittings. High street giant, John Lewis, has even developed a curated furniture collection in the Quintaini development in Wembley Park, with appliances from Samsung. Other developers are working closely with interior designers to create stunning interiors in the individual homes as well as the shared spaces.
Adding a luxe touch
Want to add a few luxury interior touches to your rental? The latest trends to add the wow factor include:
- Tablecloth – no longer an old-fashioned, fussy thing your grandparents have. A key component to making a cool tablescape is having a chic tablecloth. Keep it ultra-modern by clashing as many colours and prints together as possible.
- Gallery walls – add a modern update to a gallery wall with Henri Matisse inspired prints. Unless you can afford the real deal, there are plenty of colourful but muted prints that you can put in a chic frame to offer an excellent alternative.
- Colourful crockery – give your kitchen a bit of a lift with pastel pans in a rainbow of colours. Oprah Winfrey has put her seal of approval to American-based brand Our Place’s Always Pan. It has a good cause behind it too because it was founded by the co-founder of the Malala Fund, Shiza Shahid, to bring people together.
- Designer Ikea – launched in early September, you may have to be quick to get your hands on Zandra Rhodes’ latest Ikea collaboration. Packed with colour and quirky personality, this is a must for maximalist lovers.