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Luxury property is changing. Today’s affluent buyers are increasingly prioritising convenience, wellbeing and seamless living over grand renovation projects and excessive square footage. As time becomes one of the most valuable commodities for high-net-worth individuals, demand for beautifully designed, move-in-ready homes continues to grow across the prime property market.
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For many ultra-high-net-worth individuals, the role of residential property is changing. Luxury homes are no longer viewed solely as lifestyle purchases or personal expressions of taste. Increasingly, they are being approached as long-term assets within broader wealth, legacy, and portfolio strategies - assets expected to perform not only emotionally, but operationally and financially over time. At Rive Gauche, this shift is becoming increasingly visible in the conversations we are having with private clients, family offices, and advisors internationally.
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Luxury today is no longer defined solely by ownership, scale, or aesthetic expression. Increasingly, it is defined by ease - by how seamlessly a space functions, how intelligently it is delivered, and how completely it reflects the life of the people who inhabit it. Across the private residential and hospitality sectors, expectations have fundamentally shifted. Clients are no longer seeking design in isolation; they are seeking fully realised environments delivered with continuity, discretion, and operational clarity from beginning to end. This is the rise of turnkey living.
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In an increasingly complex global environment, high-net-worth individuals are rethinking how they structure their wealth, residency and long-term planning. Shifting tax regimes, geopolitical uncertainty and evolving mobility trends are all contributing to a more considered, strategic approach to global wealth. Against this backdrop, Lisa Cornwell, Partner, Leader Private Clients and Family Offices, PwC Switzerland, shares her perspectives on how globally mobile families are navigating these changes and positioning themselves for the future.
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Over the past year, significant flows of capital and talent have moved towards Dubai, drawn by its efficiency, climate and favourable tax environment. For many internationally mobile individuals, it has offered an attractive base for both business and lifestyle. Since the recent escalation of tensions involving Iran, demand from the Gulf for prime property in London has accelerated noticeably. What we are seeing is not a reversal of the Dubai trend, but a rebalancing: the addition of London as a complementary base, providing security, continuity and global access.
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Whether in property or fashion, supercars or watches, luxury consumers are edging away from the purely material in favour of something more immersive. Everything is a “journey” now. Buying a Rolex or commissioning a Lamborghini is no longer simply about leaving the showroom with a coveted object, but about the personalised, carefully choreographed experience that precedes it. You no longer just wear Armani or Dior; you can dine in their restaurants. Travel is no longer defined by luggage alone, even if it bears the monogram of Louis Vuitton, but by the curated adventure it accompanies. In the super-prime property world, this evolution has taken on a particular architectural expression: quiet luxury.
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How can you put a price tag on design? When something is inherently subjective - creative, intuitive and guided by taste - how does it translate into measurable return rather than simply appearing as a line item? In today’s prime market, this is no longer a theoretical question. High acquisition costs, rising taxes and significant renovation expenditure - combined with limited short-term capital growth across many prime locations - mean assets are being held for longer. As a result, investors are reassessing the role design plays in protecting and enhancing long-term value.
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In a fractured and uncertain world, ultra-wealthy families are reassessing how to protect, structure and deploy their wealth. For many UHNW families, fortunes have grown faster than the governance frameworks supporting them. London advisers report clients whose multi-billion-pound holdings have multiplied several times over since the pandemic. With assets spread globally across property, private equity, operating companies and collectibles, the need for a stable, centralised “helicopter view” is greater than ever.
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With more leaks than Thames Water - not least the OBR’s accidental preview on the day itself - the November Budget has been sending jitters among the UK’s high-net-worth property owners and prospective investors since late summer. Anticipation of punitive moves for the wealthiest home-owners had already taken its toll on confidence in the prime London market, where house prices fell by 4% in the year up to October – the biggest fall since February 2021 – and values are at their lowest since October 2011. Now there is clarity, at least.
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Close to the scenic shores of Slovenia’s Lake Bled, six villas that combine a classic mansion aesthetic with huge, sweeping glass arches are being touted as the world’s first entirely AI-designed luxury properties. The architects behind the vision have used artificial intelligence to determine everything from understanding the planning, spatial and environment constraints to creating the distinctive geometry of each villa. So is this the end of design as we know it? How can we mere mortals, who are unable to hold more than seven things in our mind at any time, compete with technology that can handle billions of data points at once?
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Despite broader cooling in London's prime property sector, the city’s super prime market remains defiantly resilient. According to the latest Coutts London Prime Property Index, prices in this exclusive tier have risen by 5.1 percent, propelled largely by cash-rich international buyers who view London not just as a place to live, but as a long-term store of value and strategic investment. The Tatler Address Book address why London's most elite postcodes are hotter than ever.
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From the old establishment names to new, cool places to co-work and congregate with likeminded souls, private members’ clubs in London are having a moment. More clubs have sprung up in London in the last four years than in three decades, when the infamous Groucho Club entered the scene in 1985. But what does it take to set up your own private members’ club?
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When Rive Gauche launched in 2015 – a time before Brexit, Covid or TikTok were even in our consciousness - our founder, Nicolas Roux, had worked for Candy & Candy on such super-prime projects as One Hyde Park in London and helped the design studio Jeannet set up in Switzerland. As Rive Gauche celebrates its 10th anniversary, we look back at the journey so far. And its certainly a decade to remember....
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Trends don’t wash with wealthy clients because they spell something widespread. High-net-worth individuals want possessions and experiences that no – or at least few - others have. They want a design that is highly personalised, not prescriptive. But certain themes underpin the shape of luxury design. By calling on our experience of working with wealthy clients all over the world, sprinkled with a spot of future-gazing, here is what we think lies ahead in the coming year.
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We are often asked two questions by prospective clients. “How would you describe your design style?” And “What makes you different to other designers?” Both very valid lines of enquiry from people about to entrust you with their property and their money. And both are questions that make me delve far below the surface of talking about finishes and furnishings and take me to the source of everything: our Frenchness. Read on to find out how Rive Gauche’s Gallic heritage is the secret ingredient in our design
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It may seem a contradiction in terms, but high-end branded residence schemes are leading the way in sustainable living. Can sustainability and branded luxury go hand in hand?
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Labour’s Autumn Budget in October left few of us cracking open the champagne, but it’s not all doom and gloom. We look at what it means for anyone considering investing in residential property in the capital.
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Interior design and architecture are intrinsically linked. One is an extension of the other, and for any space to truly succeed, the two should work hand in hand. When it comes to luxury design, the relationship between the two takes on a whole new level of importance. Luxury spaces demand the highest level of craftsmanship and attention to detail, and the collaboration between architects and interior designers must be seamless to achieve the desired result.
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The boom in five/six-star branded residence schemes globally is testament to the appetite of ultra-high-net-worth buyers for a hotel-style experience in the comfort of their own home. But there is another type of hotel-style living that is even more exclusive than this – and infinitely more personal. Many of our clients have their own staff who already know their every need – so the service aspect is taken care of. For them, the ultimate in luxury is to own an exquisitely-designed property that comes with all those touches that they love about staying in the world’s best hotels, but which is available only to them. There’s no sharing required and no other property exactly like it.
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Completing a project always throws up a range of emotions. Pride at seeing our vision come to fruition and the client’s delight with the finished result. Relief at reaching the end of an intense process that has invariably thrown up all sorts of hurdles over many months. It is also a tangible reminder of just how much is involved in steering a project from its inception to delivery – and of being in control of every element along the way.
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Interior design and architecture are intrinsically linked. One is an extension of the other, and for any space to truly succeed, the two should work hand in hand. When it comes to luxury design, the relationship between the two takes on a whole new level of importance. Luxury spaces demand the highest level of craftsmanship and attention to detail, and the collaboration between architects and interior designers must be seamless to achieve the desired result. So how do we approach the design of a luxury interior space while still respecting the external architecture?
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We can’t help noticing that London’s department stores are playing down their Christmas displays this year - a sign, perhaps, of straightened times. But fear not. If you are seeking some festive wow with statement trees and eye-catching illuminations, then London’s luxury hotels, private members’ clubs, restaurants and the city’s most glamorous railway station have delivered with aplomb.
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2023 brought Rive Gauche two prestigious interior design awards firmly marking our place in the high-end luxury interior design world. The team have achieved an enormous amount this year, delivering exemplary projects internationally that have far surpassed our client’s requirements.
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We all love the convenience of on-demand culture: a life lived by app. From what we eat or wear to how we shop or travel, it simply makes life far easier. But that inevitably means that so much of what we buy is mass-produced and lacks individuality, and when it comes to how we design and furnish our homes, we often want something more personal. That’s where artisans come in, craftspeople who have honed their skill over years – and possibly learnt it from generations before them.
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When you hear of a bespoke design project, what do you envisage? A few statement pieces, maybe, such as a show-stopping chandelier that descends through the centre of a winding multi-storey staircase or a dining table whose single, slab of beautiful stone instantly sparks conversation about where it came from and how it fitted through the door. For end-users, this intricate level of bespoke interior design ensures that every detail in their home resonates with their personalities and passions. It’s somewhere to feel proud of. Somewhere to show off. No feature is overlooked or taken for granted; it has a story to it and a reason for being there.
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International buyers are back in London, and they’re fuelling the £5m+ sales market in prime areas such as Chelsea, Kensington and Knightsbridge. They are also driving demand for turnkey property in the capital: new-build or newly redeveloped ‘best in class’ residences that are beautifully interior designed, fully-furnished and ready to move into. Why turnkey? Because wealthy buyers have the financial nous and funds to take on a renovation or redevelopment project to resell, rent out or live in themselves, but they may not be UK-based and almost certainly lack the time and knowledge needed to navigate a complex project.
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Neutral gets a bad rep. It’s the gear you’re in when you’re going nowhere. It’s not having an opinion. In design, it’s synonymous with bland and boring. But that doesn’t have to be the case! We need to flip our view of neutral on its head and see how neutrals are permanently in style for a reason, as they help to hold your entire interior design together.
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Amid the global uncertainty, the branded residences sector continues to thrive globally and the Middle East is the region to watch now, having seen an 86% increase in branded schemes in the last five years. So what drives high-net-worth buyers to a development such as Four Seasons Bahrain Bay? For Rive Gauche, it’s about incorporating that first-class functionality with exquisite design. These are resort homes that can afford to be something extra-special. Our latest article explores why high-net-worths can't resist that magical Four Seasons factor.
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Since our last update, 2022 has thrown up all manner of unforeseen global events. For many, it has been yet another year of uncertainty and destabilisation. But with currencies in flux, Americans and other dollar-rich buyers are seizing the best opportunity in many years to buy prime London and European property. For the world’s wealthiest individuals, the need and desire to invest in property in gold-standard locations is a reliable safety net amid worldwide chaos. We at Rive Gauche work with many of these individuals from pre-acquisition advice right through to renovation, and we are seeing just how confident investors feel about creating palatial homes that will give them great pleasure in years to come.
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When there was little else to distract us for a while, the first year or so of the pandemic saw people experiment with all sorts of home improvements. And if it is your home, rather than an investment acquired purely with the purpose of adding value, then why not? For some of our clients, designing – or re-designing – their homes is a very personal expression of who they are and how they live. Their architectural and design tastes vary wildly, but they enjoy the opportunity to indulge their design fantasies and build the house of their dreams. So which renovations will actually stand the test of time?
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At Rive Gauche, we are continuing to see significant interest from clients seeking to acquire and develop super-prime properties. But we are also seeing a new source of interest – and that’s from people whose projects are plagued by delays, and they need help. For most people tackling a development project, there is a perfect storm at play. Brexit, Covid and the Ukraine war have each compounded issues of chronic shortages of materials and labour, and delays in delivery.
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Famed for ground-breaking innovation, blessed by sun and sea, and propelled by an influx of young, global digital nomads, Dubai is ahead of the curve in the design world. It’s not all about being the biggest and blingiest, though. The Emirate has become a major player on the world stage – a hub that’s attracting wealthy individuals to do business, with a climate, lifestyle and sought-after schools that make people want to raise their families there too. We look at the latest ways the enterprising emirate is making waves, from sustainability to island sanctuaries.
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As any property investor knows, uncertainty is never good for business. It may throw up some good buying opportunities – but such turbulence in the market and nervous end-buyers are never the best recipe for a good night’s sleep when you are investing heavily in a project. There is a way, however, for anyone who is considering developing a property to minimise the fear of the unknown – and that’s to do a feasibility study. What are feasibility studies and why are they crucial for any property investment project?
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In these early weeks of 2022, there’s a new sense of positivity in the air. Central London’s restaurants, theatres and streets are busy again. After two years of what has felt like stalemate for so many people in so many ways, we are all keen now to just get on with our lives. Lockdowns, we hope, will soon be a distant memory. At Rive Gauche, we are busier than ever with everything from luxury penthouses to boutique hotels and branded residences. Our wide range of super-prime projects worldwide is an ever-expanding showcase of what we do best: taking the utmost care in designing some of the world’s greatest hotels and homes, from start to finish.
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Wellness had already become the buzzword in luxury property design before Covid entered our lives – especially in new developments. It meant having a beautiful swimming pool, a sauna and maybe some spa treatment rooms for residents’ use only: pampering luxuries that make us feel healthier and happier. Now, after nearly two years in which talk of pandemic has dominated our lives, wellness in our homes has become about so much more, from the very fabric of the building to the air that flows within it.
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With the summer holidays behind us, and a return to something like normality, our sights at Rive Gauche are now firmly fixed on the diverse range of global projects we have underway and soon to launch. The pandemic has given us all time to reflect – and for many of our clients, that means a renewed appetite to re-design and upgrade their homes. For others, it has lead them to become innovators in the hotel sphere, or to seek out new investment opportunities. And they all know they can depend on Rive Gauche to guide them through every aspect by providing them with an end-to-end service, from advisory to design to delivery.
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Some call it cuddly capitalism. Others know it as ESG (environmental, social and governance), a more altruistic approach to making money that’s filtering down into many areas of corporate life. But it seems the super-rich really are starting to think about the impact on the environment in the way they live and invest. Three-quarters of the world’s UHNWIs – that’s those with a net worth of over US$30m – say they want their investments to have a positive environmental outcome, according to Knight Frank’s Wealth Report. And those who source and sell property to some of these high-spenders in London and overseas are starting to see that in practice.
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Double-jabbed Europeans, with their vaccine passports in hand, are heading to the beach this summer. Americans are preparing to travel again, with the international travel ban due to be lift. And though it’s a little trickier for British travellers to travel back from France currently due to a 10-day quarantine requirement once back in the UK – it’s never too soon to start planning next year’s holiday. So whether it’s in real life, or a virtual trip you take to the Cote d’Azur this summer, Rive Gauche London’s Nicolas Roux guides you to the places you need to know.
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‘Penthouse’ is a word splashed around more liberally than a Formula 1 winner’s fizz. But it doesn’t always mean what you think. One super-prime Central London scheme a few years ago boasted ground floor “penthouses” because of their palatial proportions. So if it’s not simply the biggest and best property at the top of the tree, what determines how a penthouse is priced? And how does a buyer know if it’s really worth the vertigo-inducing price tag?
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France has long been the top market for property purchases and rentals. Certain regions offer a unique double rental market for summer holidays and long winter lets, meaning France offers opportunities and rental yields which exceed many other parts of the world. Renovation properties remain a popular property investment. Rive Gauche caught up with Enness Global Mortgages to discuss our top tips for property development in France.
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While travel to France has been all but impossible for much of the past year, France has been coming to us instead, largely thanks to Netflix. TV series that were a niche must-watch, pre-pandemic, among a small number of British francophiles have become cult hits enjoyed by millions. The appeal of France, and the French, is second nature to us at Rive Gauche London and in this latest article we discuss how we bring the French touch to luxury projects.
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We're very proud that Condé Nast has chosen our Founder, Nicolas Roux, as the first HNW property investment advisor in the Private Client Advisers section of the Tatler Address Book. The Tatler address book is described as the ‘trusted network of influential private client experts, all at the pinnacle of their profession.
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The first branded residence was created in a New York hotel in the 1920s and in recent years the number of hotel-based branded residences has grown apace. But so too have other types of branded residence. In this article, we’ll look at what’s behind this phenomenon, the benefits these properties can bring, and particular considerations that go into creating them, especially in the light of the current pandemic.
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At Rive Gauche, our property investment clients are international high-net-worth individuals and are often entrepreneurs running multiple businesses around the world. They aren’t short of drive or a savvy eye for an investment, but they are short of time and knowledge of local property markets. This is where a turnkey investment service works so well. Here’s what you need to know before embarking upon a turnkey project.
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The past year has torn up the rulebook on so many aspects of life, and the luxury property market is certainly no exception. For anyone seeking to invest in London or Europe, taking a moment to assess the impact of the pandemic is vital in planning how to move ahead. Here are five reasons why now is a good time to consider a turnkey investment property in London or Europe.
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Every exceptional residence begins with meticulous planning. From understanding the costs involved and realistically assessing the timescale, to appreciating the scale of project. Read on for our guide to maximising the value of your property investment.
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The term ‘interior designer’ is a catch-all term that can blur the boundaries in terms of the size of a firm, its expertise and capability. As developers, it is vital you dig into the capabilities of any prospective design partner before you appoint them – here’s our guide to what to consider when looking for an interior designer.
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Discover the story of Rive Gauche, our design philosophy and how the company has evolved since its inception – into a luxury design studio delivering an end-to-end property service for some of the world’s most discerning clientele.
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For many of our clients, construction sites were closed due to recent COVID 19 pandemic. Whilst you have little control over the site closure, there are a number of factors you need to consider before closing your site. Here are 5 tips to protect your investment and help you to make the best restart to your project.
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