Vocabs Flashcards
Al Fresco Dining
Outdoor dining. In the context of luxury homes, this often means
dining on an open-air veranda, courtyard, terrace, or balcony.
With Austin luxury homes, this may also include dining alongside Lakes Austin and Travis or while enjoying hill country views.
Alcove
An architectural term for a recess in a room, usually screened off by pillars, balustrades, or drapery
Appliance Garage
Kitchen compartment or cabinet designed for housing frequently-used small electric appliances, such as coffee makers, juicers, and toaster ovens.
Backsplash
An upright surface or border in a kitchen, typically made of natural stone tile, that protects the wall behind a sink or stove. Also can be intricately designed in a mural-style.
Balustrada
A rail and the row of balusters or posts that support it, as along the front of a gallery
Bar sink
A small sink located on a wet bar
Baseboard
A molding that conceals the joint between an interior wall and the floor, often increasing in size in luxury homes
Beveled glass
Plate glass that has its perimeter ground and polished at an angle
Beverage centers
Once tied down to a solitary refrigerator in the kitchen, beverage centers now make appearances all over the house: gamerooms, master bedrooms, family rooms.
With espresso machines, wine chillers, and mini-refrigerators all a short walk away, drinking a beverage has never been so luxurious.
Boat dock
A structure designed to secure a boat in the water. In Austin, this would be securing a boat in Lake Austin or Lake Travis.
Some homes on the lakes may offer a boat dock for one boat, or up to several slips for multiple boats.
Boat lift
A structure designed to secure a boat above water, for protection from corrosion and from winds or waves knocking it against its dock. An electric lift allows for quick lifting and lowering into the water for ease of use.
Brick oven
A masonry oven, colloquially known as a brick oven or stone oven, is an oven consisting of a baking chamber made of fireproof brick and is most often used in homes to make pizza
Butler pantry
Historically, a butler’s pantry was a small room between the formal dining room and the kitchen where the family silver and formal china were stored.
The butler often slept here, as it was his job to guard the silver. Today, the space has evolved into a wet bar and prep area, as well as a display area for design elements and decorative items.
Cabana
A lightweight shelter typically with an open side facing a swimming pool, sometimes with a wet bar or small living space
Cantilever
A projecting structure, such as a beam, that is supported at one end and carries a load at the other end or along its length
Carriage house
Historically a building for housing a horse-drawn carriage, now typically a building that has been converted into a separate living or dwelling area or garage.
Catering kitchen
Hosting large events on a regular basis requires ample space for food preparation and servers away from the eyesight of guests, yet still close to the action of the party.
Catering kitchens provide that amenity for those elegant hosts who know how to throw the best parties.
Ceiling mount rain head
A large shower head mounted to a ceiling with a downward-facing flow
Chalet
A wooden dwelling with a sloping roof and widely overhanging eaves, common in Switzerland and other Alpine regions
Circular driveway
A driveway forming a large circle in front of a house
Classic
The artistic style of ancient Greece with an emphasis on proportion and harmony
Closet
What is luxury about closets?
How about a two-story closet or his and hers closets with hundreds of square feet for each?
Floor to ceiling mirrors, dressing areas, laundry facilities, staircases to less-utilized items, a built-in coffee bar, shoe boxes for hundreds of pairs … you name it, luxury closets are in an entirely different category from run-of-the-mill closet space.
Cobblestone Walkway
A sidewalk or path made up of round, flat stones held together with mortar
Coffee bar
An alcove in a kitchen or living room with a coffee pot, a small sink, and storage for coffee utensils
