Naples, Florida, is known for—and blessed by—its natural beauty, stunning beaches, pleasant climate, great restaurants, world-class golf courses, thriving art scene, and much more. With so much to offer its residents, it’s little wonder that Naples’ housing stock includes thousands of phenomenal custom luxury homes.
If you plan to add to this exquisite collection of luxury houses with a new custom home build, one of the first decisions you’ll need to make is whether you want a modern or traditional style home. With expertise in custom building all luxury home styles, Naples, FL-based Carlson Harris General Contractors knows that some people struggle to make this decision. Both styles offer unique advantages to homeowners, and the choice often comes down to balancing aesthetics, functionality, and lifestyle preferences. Let’s further examine modern luxury homes and compare them with traditional custom homes, which may help nudge you toward a decision if you are undecided.
MODERN LUXURY HOME STYLE BASICS
Modern luxury homes in Naples are typically characterized by minimalistic design features, clean lines, neutral color palettes, open floor plans, and an emphasis on function. They usually feature large windows and glass doors to capture the natural light and showcase waterfront views. Most offer a seamless intersection between indoor living spaces and outdoor amenities like swimming pools, patios, gardens, and outdoor kitchens and living rooms. Given the focus on “modern,” this style also tends to incorporate all the latest high-tech, “smart home” features and emphasizes energy efficiency.
From a pro versus con standpoint, the modern style is perfect for homeowners who appreciate minimalism, sleek surfaces, and open spaces. On the other hand, some people find the modern style too minimalistic, cold, and impersonal and prefer more decorative features and cozy spaces. The cost of building a modern luxury home can be higher or lower than that of a traditional house of a similar size, depending on materials, unique design features, and other factors. However, ongoing maintenance costs are typically much lower than that of a traditional home.
FEATURES OF THE TRADITIONAL LUXURY HOME STYLE
Traditional luxury homes in Naples typically feature plenty of classic architectural details like columns, arches, decorative molding, soaring ceilings, decorative tiling, wainscotting, fireplaces, bold roofing, and other ornate detailing. Traditional luxury homes are usually designed with a closed floor plan with distinct, separate spaces, including formal living and dining rooms. Most homeowners design their traditional homes with warm color palettes using earth tones, rich woods, and stone accents.
The traditional style usually appeals to homeowners interested in fostering an atmosphere of timeless elegance that feels warm and inviting with its rich textures and detailed craftsmanship. Naturally, homeowners interested in a minimalist, open-concept layout are less likely to appreciate the traditional home style. Depending on the architectural details, unique features, and other factors, a traditional luxury home build may cost more than a modern one of similar size, and ongoing home maintenance costs are usually more significant.
CONSIDER A HYBRID STYLE TO COMBINE THE BEST OF BOTH
Homeowners who appreciate design features offered by both styles can combine elements to create a hybrid modern-traditional home design. For example, there’s no reason you cannot incorporate an open-concept layout in a traditional home or a closed-concept one in a modern home. Likewise, you can add classic architectural features to a modern home or eliminate or reduce them in a traditional home, and chosen color schemes can be adjusted to fit the homeowner’s unique style. The key to designing a hybrid luxury home is finding the right balance between the clean lines of modern design and the inclusion of classic architectural elements.
OTHER CONSIDERATIONS IN CHOOSING YOUR DESIGN STYLE
If you’ve already purchased the land for your custom luxury home build in Naples, consider the architectural style of neighboring properties. If there seems to be a mixture of modern and traditional luxury homes, your chosen design will likely meld in well with the neighborhood. However, should the neighborhood have a distinctive modern or traditional focus, you may not want to build an outlier home that doesn’t fit in with the others. Not only can this negatively affect the home’s potential resale value, but it might also do the same to your neighbors, which won’t help your welcome into the area.
Whether modern or traditional, incorporate the highest quality materials into your design to ensure your custom luxury home in Naples long endures the high humidity levels, salt air, UV rays, hurricanes, and other natural degradations. At the very least, insist on moisture-resistant materials, impact-resistant windows, and durable roofing.
Last, your custom luxury home isn’t just a work of art to be admired by visitors and those passing by, it’s your residence where you want to optimize dining, entertaining, lounging, working, and anything else you do regularly at home. Thus, consider all the latest design trends—like gourmet kitchens, home spas, entertainment areas, and outdoor living areas—when developing your luxury home plans to ensure the best in luxurious living.
CONSULT WITH CARLSON HARRIS ABOUT YOUR LUXURY HOME DESIGN IN NAPLES
If you’re struggling to choose between a modern or traditional design for your custom luxury home build in Naples, consult with the custom luxury homebuilders of Carlson Harris. With decades of custom homebuilding experience and a stunning portfolio of our work building modern and traditional Naples-area homes, contact Carlson Harris General Contractors today at 239-352-2460.
