If Succession has taught us anything, it’s that quiet luxury is IN. But that doesn’t just apply to wardrobes.
When it comes to interior design, opulence has taken a completely new form. Gone are the days when crown moldings, coffered ceilings, and hand-carved fireplaces were the hallmarks of high-end living.
Today, luxury homes embody a modern aesthetic that prioritizes clean lines, minimalist design, and state-of-the-art amenities over the intricate details of the past.
So while we wouldn’t necessarily say million-dollar homes have fully embraced the quiet luxury trend, traditional mansions — with their ornate embellishments and classical architecture — have given way to a more understated yet equally impressive form of elegance.
And today, we’ve rounded up some of the best examples we’ve seen lately of million-dollar homes that have taken a more subdued approach to their interior design, maximizing some of the homes’ standout features to create equally sophisticated spaces.
From sleek urban penthouses to sprawling coastal retreats, these gorgeous homes prove that luxury doesn’t have to be loud to make a statement.
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Statement entrance & staircase
Inside a $36M Bel Air mansion that pairs ultra-modern design with vibrant, luxurious interiors, a double-height foyer gives way to a large great room that offers novelty at every corner as walls of windows reveal the lush outdoor landscape and sunny Cali skies.
A statement front door, a sculptural staircase, and double-height windows create a “wow” effect that needs little embellishment and is punctuated by light fixtures and art.
Muted color palette
This modern, minimalist abode in the outskirts of Las Vegas was designed and built by renowned luxury homebuilder Blue Heron.
The 2022-built luxury residence is lined with expansive pocket sliders to create an indoor-outdoor living experience, making the outdoors part of the living and dining area. The elegant interiors have a muted color scheme perfectly paired with colorful accents and the expansive pool area right outside.
Expensive materials
Spanning an impressive 20,000 square feet, this newly constructed three-story abode in Bel Air — that was once listed for a whopping $50 million — stands as a testament to contemporary design and sophisticated living.
Among its most striking rooms: the grand living room anchored by a quartz fireplace and matching quartz wall fittings that contrast the crisp white walls, with ample yet muted seating bringing the space together.
Powerful contrasts
The same Bel Air mansion doubles down on its powerful black-and-white accents in the lower level, where the wine room perfects this style.
Picture windows
Smart developers know that, sometimes, a house’s outdoor areas can beat the most impressive pieces of art. And this particular Beverly Hills mansion was developed by real estate mogul Adnan Sen, best known for his $75 million listing on Netflix’s hit ‘Selling Sunset’ series — where this house made a brief appearance too.
It then comes as little surprise that the luxurious home has a modern, minimalist-yet-sophisticated design, and airy spaces that open up to its generous outdoor areas.
Plants as art
There were so many things to love about this sophisticated Hollywood home — which even had museum-quality crystals sourced from around the world, placed strategically throughout the residence to energetically enhance the living experience.
But our favorite part? The lush greenery in the minimally decorated living room that makes the entire space pop!
Matte black
Another standout space is the dramatic kitchen draped in matte black wood that conceals most of the appliances, delivering a polished yet impactful look.
Banking on views
Nothing says “million-dollar home” quite like unobstructed ocean views. And this oceanfront house in La Jolla, California offers those in spades, with its large living spaces opening up fully to the ocean.
“Every time the future residents enter this home, they will experience the carefully considered journey and the attention to detail that connects this space to the ocean and the surrounding environment,” says Tyler Jones, CEO and Founder of Blue Heron, the lauded development company behind the project.
Double-height spaces
A record-breaking $40 million house on Miami Beach’s upscale Palm Island knows that sometimes, more is less — more height, that is, and fewer embellishments.
Its imposing, double-height spaces catch the eye from the second you step inside. Natural stone and wood accents add warmth, while black accents add a note of drama and elegance to the space.
High-end finishes
This stand-out chef’s kitchen has been equipped with brilliant book-matched stone slabs, a triple waterfall island, and the finest Miele appliances. Other than adding statement light fixtures (on the minimalist side) and some room-appropriate art, no other decoration was needed to perfect this space.
Warm wood
While traditionally more of a feature that was common in mid-century modern interiors, warm wood finishes and wood paneling are now a staple of luxury interior design.
And, as evidenced in this ultra-luxurious primary bedroom suite — anchored by a stone and wood double-sided fireplace — they have been adapted to create clean and welcoming spaces that radiate warmth.
Soft materials
This star-studded Malibu compound — once home to Olivia Newton-John — has been completely transformed during a two-year redesign aimed to enhance the natural, treehouse-like feel of the property.
And our favorite part of its redesign is this welcoming space with a supersized, plush sunken seating area that softens the modern design and clean lines seen throughout the space.
Rustic chic
An MLB player’s luxe residence in ritzy Newport Beach proves that modern luxury and rustic finishes go together beautifully.
Originally designed by Randall Coombs Architects and reimagined by Scottsdale-based DeCesare Design Group, this residence’s polished interiors feature rich solid oak hardwood floors (carefully milled from 125-year-old reclaimed barnwood), expansive 17-foot and 15-foot sliding door systems that open to the outdoor areas, and plenty of other high-end finishes.
Vaulted ceilings
Continuing on the rustic chic trend, this farmhouse-inspired living room inside a $15 million Los Angeles house brings on the drama with its vaulted wood ceilings and statement light fixtures.
Credit for the beautiful interiors go to Montalba Architects (the visionaries behind Nobu Hotels and Soho House), whose picture-perfect design completely revitalized the 1981-built home.
White and bright
In the affluent Washington DC suburb of Oakton, a newly built house blends contemporary European architecture with ultra-luxurious finishes, and the end result is a strikingly modern home with a clean, eye-grabbing design — both inside and out.
With a distinct modern look, the main floor features 10-foot ceilings throughout, with soft Ivory Italian Iris tile and a dual-sided, white fireplace that acts as the centerpiece.
Subdued gold finishes
This distinctly elegant $16.5 million home in Naples’ ultra-exclusive Aqualane Shores boasts nearly 5,500 sq ft of modern elegance, a dream kitchen, and a pool with a view.
It also brings back a staple of luxury interiors: gold finishes. But does so in a more sophisticated, subdued manner, with the gold accents merely adding a note of elegance rather than overpowering the bright, modern aesthetics.
Bold geometric ceilings
One style we’ve seen replacing the more traditional coffered ceilings are bold triangular, hexagonal, and circular motifs that add a unique visual flair.
Beyond the eye-grabbing ceiling, we love how the open layout of this space is filled with natural light that flows seamlessly from the custom windows.
Toned-down coffered ceilings
That’s not to say coffered ceilings are out; we’ve seen some wonderful modern adaptations of the traditional trend, with the first example that comes to mind being the ones in former Rams champ Jalen Ramsey’s house in Los Angeles, pictured here.
Style and function
High-end homes maximize the potential of every space, and this particular $18 million Miami Beach house (surrounded by water) offers a work space with a killer view — that’s bound to kickstart creativity and productivity.
Following a comprehensive 4-year renovation completed in 2023, the residence showcases elegant interiors designed by former Ralph Lauren exec, Deborah Wecselman.
A focus on scale
Sometimes, it’s the architecture that does all the talking. Designed by renowned Southern California architect John Byers, this unique home was owned by Alan Kay, the father of personal computing, and his novelist wife, writer Bonnie MacBird.
And it’s easy to see why it served as the couple’s home for over 35 years. The soaring, two-level spaces feature vaulted, beamed wood ceilings and need very little decoration beyond some strategically placed lighting.
Double-height windows
A $25 million penthouse at the Madison House in New York City spans over 5,000 square feet amidst iconic Midtown skyscrapers with views that feel like you can reach out and touch the Empire State Building.
To take in said views, it has a great room with soaring 23-foot double-height ceilings that basically turn the NYC skyline into decor.
Playing with textures
Another showstopping penthouse, this time a three-level “Crown Penthouse” set atop Tribeca’s newly converted Clock Tower building, plays with different textures and fabrics to soften the grand living room and make it more inviting.
The expert design team at Interior Marketing Group furnished the $24,450,000 home with muted blush tones and natural greens and taupes for an elegant and soft appeal.
Flowing curves
This architecturally distinct Malibu house has a striking multi-level atrium of vaulted wood ceilings, which facilitates a natural airflow of ocean breezes throughout the home. It also creates an amazing “wow” effect, which pairs nicely with its out-of-the-ordinary architecture.
Eye-grabbing art
Art has long been the best way to add style and sophistication to a home.
Nowadays though, large, intricate paintings and dramatic pieces have been replaced with fun and vibrant art meant to highlight the space around them — as evidenced by this pricey sculpture that sets the tone for the luxury we’re about to see inside 10x Rule-writer & influencer Grant Cardone’s house — listed for a hefty $42 million.
Art gallery spaces
Taking it one step further, this $20 million Beverly Hills house has an entire art gallery space — spanning 1,000 square feet! Rightfully dubbed the Gallery Estate, the Beverly Hills listing bakes in a year-long concierge art service in its asking price, clearly catering to art-loving potential buyers.
Crisp white interiors
Touted as a modern coastal masterpiece, this $21 million Tampa house sits on one of the largest bayfront parcels in the area, offering 110 feet of bay frontage and unparalleled views of Tampa Bay.
It also boasts crisp white interiors — including a white stone fireplace — that give it an expensive and sophisticated look.
Indoor-outdoor living
A trademark for year-round sunny states like California or Florida, indoor-outdoor living is the ultimate home design choice for pricey properties with 7 or 8-figure asking prices. And as we can see in this impeccably designed Pacific Palisades mansion, the style is worth every penny, creating vibrant, expensive-looking interiors.
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