When you consider great artists’ sources of inspiration throughout history, you’re unlikely to think of dentistry as one of them. In fact, it was Doctor Chatagnier, a dentist in France, who inspired Pablo Picasso to venture into the world of jewelry. In 1948, the Spanish artist was living in the commune of Vallauris, and was … Continue reading “Sparkling Masterpieces: The Work of Jewelry Artists to Watch Out For”
More precious than the gold in Fort Knox, America’s national parks have been its true national treasure since President Ulysses S. Grant established Yellowstone National Park in 1872. Forty-four years later, on August 25, 1916, President Woodrow Wilson signed the act creating the National Park Service. Today there are 60 national parks throughout the United … Continue reading “The Great Indoors: 5 Homes and Their National Parks”
Whether it’s a festival enjoyed from a tuk tuk in Bangkok (pictured above) or a music performance held in inflatable orbs in Oklahoma, event providers are proving they can come up with increasingly inventive ways to host socially distanced concerts. “When the pandemic hit, we knew we had to do what we could to support … Continue reading “How Socially Distanced Concerts are Securing Live Entertainment’s Future”
Can there be greater luxury than flying by private jet? The experience itself transcends what has become a drab exercise in navigating the madding crowd: long, long check-in and security lines, crammed terminals, congested jetways and the like. Add the customary flight delays and the current tangle of Covid-19-related travel restrictions and health countermeasures, and … Continue reading “Aviation Estates: 5 Homes with Private Jet Access”
Not everyone can live at the beach, in the country, on the mountainside—or chooses to: Some must reside in world capitals and walk the corridors of power. With a nod to the US presidential election season, Luxury Defined showcases a collection of premier properties in world capitals, situated near the official residences of heads of … Continue reading “8 Homes Near State Capitols, Parliaments, and Presidential Palaces”
Whether you’re buying wine from an auction house, a store, or direct from the producer, there’s always a chance that the wine you’ve just spent money on could be undrinkable. “Cork taint is an issue that affects wine corks from all quality profiles, wines from $40 to $40,000 per bottle,” says Chris Munro, Christie’s Head … Continue reading “3 Reasons Why Wine Corks Are Making a Welcome Comeback”
Home renovations have increased by 50 percent since 2010, according to a report from the Harvard Joint Center for Housing Studies—ensuring that the U.S. market for home improvement now worth over $400 billion annually. And 2020’s major shifts in the way we live, work, and learn seem to have intensified the desire to redesign our … Continue reading “Right at Home: 4 Expert Tips for Setting Up a Homeschool Space”
COVID-19 has not only changed the way we live, but looks set to change where we live too. Case in point: online searches for houses in suburban areas rose by 13 percent in May. As Robert Dietz, chief economist for the National Association of Home Builders, said in a recent report: “The flight to the … Continue reading “Quality of Life: Can Urban Renewal Combine the Best of the City and Suburbs?”
The current health crisis has placed a renewed focus on nutritional well-being and where our food comes from. “Re-engaging with how our food is raised, harvested, transported and then sold to us can be eye-opening,” says Lynne Curry, an Oregon-based professional food writer and mindful-eating advocate. “Now is our opportunity to reclaim what we value … Continue reading “Mindful Food: How to Go Foraging for Plants in Your Backyard”
Perhaps the best part of getting away from it all is being able to bring some of it with you. In this Luxury Defined collection, we explore six exclusive properties for those who value privacy, and, during these challenging times, a natural socially distant lifestyle above all else. Choose from your own private peninsula on the … Continue reading “6 Luxurious Homes in Private Locations”
As COVID-19 restrictions are lifted and the construction industry gears up once again, governments worldwide have been called on to prioritize a green economic recovery—one that combines fiscal growth along with energy efficiency and reduced emissions. Adaptive reuse, the process of retrofitting an existing building with the latest environmental technologies, while conserving resources and historic … Continue reading “Adaptive Reuse: Is Retrofitting the Future of Architecture?”
If you’re considering buying art, the next piece you purchase may already be in your pocket. Providing, of course, you have an Instagram account on your smartphone. Search #Artist and you’ll have access to a mind-boggling 186 million posts, with something in every genre, from painted landscapes and portraits, to political illustrations and still lifes. … Continue reading “Buying Art: How to Find Up-and-Coming Artists”
