A penthouse is not just a home - it is a lifestyle that not everyone can afford

Excursion into history

There are two versions of how penthouses came into being. The first is associated with the military actions of England in the era of absolutism (16th century) and explains the living quarters on the roofs of city houses due to the lack of space to accommodate soldiers.

The second is much more romantic and refers to lovers of closed but luxurious parties. Such parties were organized on the roofs of houses by representatives of the urban bohemians of New York in the 20s of the last century. Exclusive housing arose especially for convenience and variety of entertainment.

In Russia, penthouse apartments appeared in the “dashing” 90s, when private capital appeared. The main difference between “foreign” luxury housing and “ours” is that Russian wealthy people prefer to plan and decorate the premises themselves. What is Penthouse in Russian? The developer can sell the top floor of a high-rise building without internal partitions and finishing. There are precedents when luxury housing was purchased at the stage of laying a foundation pit. In Europe and America, they put up for sale not just houses on the roof, with an interior decorated to the smallest detail, but also furnished ones, equipped with household appliances.

Modern penthouse apartments are unique real estate, which is distinguished by uniqueness and luxury, regardless of what continent they are located on.

Features of townhouses

This type of real estate is a compromise between an apartment and a private house. A townhouse differs from an apartment in that there are no neighbors below or above, only on the sides. It differs from a private house in that the land plot included in the total area of ​​the property is quite small.

Nevertheless, a townhouse is quite economical and at the same time interesting housing in its characteristics. A fairly large family can live in such a house, located on two or three floors. In addition, living on the territory of such a building is safe and peaceful.

What is a penthouse in real estate?

Housing of this type cannot be called a “residential premises”, “apartment” or “house” in the classical sense of the word. What is a penthouse in real estate? This is an exclusive offer for Forbes list clients. Just as there are few of the world's richest people among the 7.5 billion people who make up the planet's population, there are few such housing on the general real estate market.

Unscrupulous realtors sometimes position apartments on several levels on the top floor of a high-rise building as a “penthouse”. This is incorrect and is done solely to “raise” the price and raise the prestige of the offer.

The best penthouses in Moscow can be listed on one hand. There are 6 such proposals - one each in different residential complexes of the capital. They are assessed according to 3 main criteria:

• proximity to the Kremlin;
• species characteristics;
• ratio of living space to terrace area.

The name of the designer who designed the interior of the penthouse and the number of floors of the building are also important. Taking into account all the characteristics, the best Moscow penthouses can be arranged as follows:

1. BarkliVirginHouse
2. Prechistenka, 13
3. Afanasyevsky
4. Maple House
5. Grand Deluxe on Plyushchikha
6. Knightsbridge Private Park

Their cost ranges from $8.3 million (residential complex on Plyushchikha) to $50 million (residential complex on Prechistenka).

Penthouse - what is it?

Penthouse, from the English penthouse - luxury housing. Initially, this word was used to describe a technical attic in apartment buildings and skyscrapers. The attic contained elevator shafts, various engineering communications, including air conditioning equipment, and, more rarely, storage rooms and other utility rooms.

The meaning and translation of “penthouse” historically meant an extension to the technical attic on one side, most often single-sided. It was used for living due to limited access to square meters. Typically, penthouses were located at the back of the upper front side of the building, so walking areas or terraces were provided on one or more sides.

Interesting fact: in medieval times, penthays were an important element in the art of siege. Then it was a temporary building that protected soldiers who were preparing for an enemy attack.

What is Penthouse in real estate today? Architects and realtors use this term when they designate the top floor of any building, regardless of its location relative to the facade. In the modern world, Penthouse is luxury housing: a large apartment occupying the entire top floor, or a building on the roof. Most often the first option. Penthouses are often individualized - each owner creates an atmosphere suitable for himself.

Penthouses are considered elite because they occupy a larger area compared to standard apartments and allow you to create a winter and summer garden, a swimming pool, and a helipad right in your home. In addition, they are usually located in prestigious areas of the city - for example, in the center, in skyscrapers.

Advantages and disadvantages of penthouses

The advantages of penthouses make up a decent list. This:

• Living space. Houses of this type are distinguished by a large area, high ceilings, panoramic windows, and some rooms have a transparent roof.
• The space of your own local area (roof area).
• The opportunity to have your own “estate” in the center of the metropolis with a swimming pool, gazebos, garden, golf course, tennis. The arrangement of the territory is entirely the prerogative of the owner.
• The opportunity to breathe clean air in the center of a large metropolis. At roof height, gas pollution drops significantly.
• Isolation from neighbors and strangers. Having your own elevator allows you not to run into neighbors even on the way home. Personal parking eliminates competition for space in a shared garage. The owner of luxury housing is free to do what he wants at any time of the day.
• Exclusive personal panorama. A beautiful view from a window or your own garden in any direction is a necessary component of the penthouse interior.
• Kudos. The presence of a penthouse speaks volumes about the social status of the owner more eloquently than any ratings.

Flaws. For those who are destined for such real estate, there are no flaws in the house on the roof. For the general public, the disadvantage is the high price. In Moscow, one meter in an elite house can be offered for $25,000. The price is given as an example and is the highest. However, the lowest price does not fall below $5,000.

In Russia, the disadvantages include climatic features - cold snowy winters, strong winds. These conditions make their own adjustments to the design of a penthouse home, forcing designers to make it more closed and to compensate for the lack of sunlight with artificial lighting.

Advantages of townhouses

A townhouse can be compared to both an apartment and a private house. As a rule, the cost of this property is approximately the same as what you would have to pay for an apartment in a high-rise building. So, what are the advantages of this type of real estate:

• Affordable price.
• Safety. As a rule, the developer fences the area, and there is a security guard at the entrance to the closed area.
• Personal parking. In apartment buildings, you have to spend a considerable amount of time in order to find a parking space. And living in a townhouse, you can leave your car on the property or in your own garage without unnecessary worries.
• Your own piece of land that you can use at your own discretion. If you want, install a swing, or if you want, organize a mini-garden.

The advantages are quite significant, so it is worth paying attention to this type of real estate. It is ideal for those who have always dreamed of owning a private home, but have never been able to save the required amount.

Layout

Basically, the heart of a luxurious penthouse is a spacious studio-type living room. In such an environment you can welcome guests and relax for your own pleasure. Tall floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking an attractive part of the city will make the interior more luxurious. You can organize separate areas reserved for a study, kitchen, dining room, and cozy bedroom. There is also room here for a spacious bathroom.

Each owner decides for himself how best to divide the existing territory: with the help of different finishing materials, beautiful partitions (for example, glass) or suitable pieces of furniture (a good-quality bar counter or a large sofa in a corner structure is suitable for dividing).

There are also two-story (duplex) penthouses, which are connected by a staircase. Sometimes a separate elevator is installed here to move from floor to floor. Most often, on the first level, the owners organize an area for meeting guests with a spacious hall, kitchen and dining room. The second level of the home is made more “personal” - there is enough space for a sleeping area and a study.

In the case of a penthouse, a terrace is a prerequisite, but each owner manages this space himself. Here you can set up a garden, put benches with tables for relaxing with friends in the fresh air.

If the area allows, it will be possible to organize a wonderful recreation area with a swimming pool.

When working on the layout of such a luxury home, it is important to have a detailed plan for further actions on hand. You should prepare the project for the future planning of the penthouse very carefully; you can contact specialists who will help in this matter. Only after this can you begin to directly repair expensive housing.

Interior Design Ideas

As mentioned above, one of the significant advantages of penthouses is that they can implement a variety of design ideas, since there are no special restrictions. The owners can decorate their rich home in a variety of stylistic directions. Let's look at some successful and attractive examples.

One of the most popular styles in the design of penthouses is high-tech. This is a modern direction, which is dominated by strict geometric lines and materials such as glass, plastic and metal. In this vein, you can decorate a spacious home on 2 levels, resorting to black and white furniture combinations, and in decoration sticking only to snow-white shades.

Zoning designs will look brighter and more modern if you complement them with both large and small mirrors.

In a penthouse setting, such a restrained but popular style as minimalism also looks good. In a large room, against the backdrop of tall floor-to-ceiling windows, you can place cream upholstered furniture with leather trim and complement it with a glass coffee table. A cozy seating area will look great paired with white walls, caramel-colored tiled floors and a fluffy beige rug. There shouldn’t be a lot of decorations here—a carpet and living plants will suffice.

Minimalism involves using only the most necessary interior details.

Nowadays, brutal and rough loft has become one of the most popular styles. The penthouse can be decorated in this way. In this case, for finishing you can choose either plain light materials or stone or brickwork. Wood will look good on the floor. It is advisable to select furniture of strict and restrained shapes, without decorations or curved lines. In the loft style, dark metal structures (for example, a small table with black iron legs) look harmonious.

The Art Nouveau style looks interesting and fresh in the interior. It would be suitable for a penthouse. This is a stylistic direction in which glossy surfaces and materials of natural origin predominate. There are usually beautiful curved shapes of furniture and decor, rounded facades, and asymmetry. There should be no sharp corners in the interior. A penthouse designed in this style will look like a real work of art with many original and bright details of beautiful shapes against the background of a plain finish.

To create a harmonious and beautiful penthouse interior, it is best to contact experienced designers who know their business. Professionals can easily make the atmosphere in such a home truly luxurious.

Difference from cottage

A townhouse has many differences from a cottage. It is important to understand the features of each structure in order to make the right choice. The main distinguishing features are shown in the table.

Cottage

Since a townhouse is more spacious, it allows you to implement different design ideas.

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Comparison

So the main difference is the location. If a penthouse is an extension that is located on the top floor of a building, then a townhouse is a cottage standing on the ground. The entrance to the “fashionable attic” is always inside, while the “town house” can be entered directly from the street.

The price of penthouses is very high, there may be such delights as a swimming pool, a helicopter landing area, an observation deck and much more. A townhouse, which costs much less, is at best equipped with a parking area or a garage.

What to look for when choosing a townhouse, recommendations from our editors

In addition to the stairs, there are several more details that you need to pay attention to when choosing a townhouse:

1. Layout - the first floor in townhouses provides for the location of a kitchen-dining room, living room, bathroom, technical rooms and hallway. It is most convenient if the living room is oriented towards the backyard, and the other rooms - towards the main entrance.
2. The presence of a third floor is, of course, a huge plus, as it might seem at first glance. But often it accounts for most of the usable space, which is not fully used. It is better to prefer the basement to the third floor. At least you can place a boiler room or a workshop there.
3. The lack of windows on two walls is another problem, which is solved by the open layout of the first floor and the absence of partitions to increase space and light flow.
4. Parking location is one of the most important issues to consider. It is best if it is located in the front garden, but only if a pitched roof is not provided. Otherwise, there is a possibility of snow falling in winter. A townhouse with outdoor parking will cost less than with a garage, by about 15%. A location in front of the front entrance is a good placement, but awnings will block access to sunlight.

Panoramic view

Since this type of property belongs to the urban segment and at the same time is designed to provide maximum convenience and comfort for residents, a panoramic view is a must. The spacious area and luxurious views opening through the windows are what make such housing respectable and solid.

Therefore, you should foresee in advance where the windows are directed. The fact is that apartments of this class do not always occupy the entire upper floors. In any case, windows may not be provided on all sides. For example, there might be a north-facing penthouse that lacks access to light on the south side, and vice versa. At the same time, do not forget about the roof, which can even be made of glass.

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