Engel & VölkersEngel & Völkers

Lifestyle

A beautifully designed tiny house featuring a modern kitchen with wooden countertops, open shelving, and industrial pendant lighting. The open-concept layout leads to a cozy living area with large windows, creating a bright and inviting atmosphere.

Minimalist living: What is it like to live in a tiny house?

Tiny houses, also known as micro or mini houses, represent a new living trend from the USA and have been enjoying increasing popularity since the financial crisis of 2007. Typically, the living space is less than 40 square metres - often considerably less. Not only the usable area is of modest dimensions, but also the minimalist and functional interior design. In addition, many tiny houses have a chassis and are mobile, making them suitable for a flexible and location-independent lifestyle.

  • 4 min read
  • 02.11.2020
Visit Minimalist living: What is it like to live in a tiny house?
Traditional white country house with brown tiled roof, featuring symmetrical dormer windows, multi-pane windows with green shutters, and a spacious, well-maintained lawn surrounded by ornamental shrubs. The property is framed by mature trees under a bright blue summer sky.

Quiz: city life vs village life – discover your true home

Humans are born dreamers. Put us in the city and we'll dream of a simpler life in the country. Put us in the country and we'll dream of the bright lights and attractions of an urban environment. But when you're buying a property, you don't want to gamble on a whim.

  • 4 min read
  • 22.07.2019
Visit Quiz: city life vs village life – discover your true home
Close-up view of a circular security camera lens with a black outer ring and reflective glass surface mounted on a metallic wall. The camera's fisheye lens creates a distinctive circular reflection pattern.

Smarthome cameras: What you need to know about smart video surveillance

A good video surveillance system with several smart home cameras ensures more security for your property. Be it the garden gate, the front door or the interior, smart cameras allow you to keep a close eye on your apartment or house via your smartphone, even when you're out and about. If there is no time for this, the smart cameras save the video recordings, which are then available on memory card, cloud or mobile phone when needed. A large selection of smart home cameras is available from various manufacturers. For this reason, it is important to know what to look for in a smart home camera and what it is intended for.

  • 9 min read
  • 17.03.2022
Visit Smarthome cameras: What you need to know about smart video surveillance
smartphone and smart lock

The best smart locks: Security and convenience

House or apartment doors can be conveniently opened and locked electronically with the innovative smart locks. Anyone who has ever stood at the front door with full shopping bags looking for the front door key knows what advantages this can have. 

  • 11 min read
  • 17.02.2022
Visit The best smart locks: Security and convenience
Modern contemporary house with illuminated windows and warm interior lighting surrounded by snow-covered garden with bare winter trees, sculpted topiary bushes, stone steps, and twilight blue sky

Winterizing your home: essential prep before leaving for the winter

From visiting stunning ski resorts and ice hotels to relaxing in your second home in the sun, winter is an amazing time to take a break. However, the weather also makes it a challenging time to leave your property vacant. That’s why it’s worth taking the time to make a checklist and winterize your house effectively, so you come home to a property in perfect condition.

  • 3 min read
  • 11.12.2018
Visit Winterizing your home: essential prep before leaving for the winter
Scenic view of Eden Rock hotel built into coastal cliffs, featuring red-roofed villas cascading down to a private dock with boats, overlooking turquoise Caribbean waters.

Rocking St. Barths

It was love at first sight when, a good twenty years ago, David Matthews discovered the legendary Eden Rock Hotel on its striking perch from his vantage point on a yacht in St. Jean Bay. The hotel above the distinctive rock was one of the 100 best hotels in the world until Hurricane Irma almost completely destroyed the establishment in 2017. In the meantime, however, the hotel has been extensively renovated and reopened and has lost none of its original splendour. The English entrepreneur on the bold vision that transformed his establishment into one of the best on this most glamorous of Caribbean islands.

  • 9 min read
  • 28.02.2020
Visit Rocking St. Barths
Elegant Italian villa with classical architecture featuring arched loggia, formal Renaissance gardens with manicured hedgerows, decorative urns, rectangular reflecting pool, and mature pine trees under blue sky

Villa, chalet, mansion: what’s the difference?

When perusing our property listings, you’ll see many terms used to describe stately homes, including villa, chalet and mansion. While all are quite luxurious, there are distinct differences between the three types of property. If you’ve always wondered what is the difference between a mansion and chalet, find out below.

  • 4 min read
  • 27.03.2019
Visit Villa, chalet, mansion: what’s the difference?
Sunlit bedroom with large windows, sheer curtains, and a gray upholstered bed with white linens. Wooden floors and a bench add warmth.

Beds under windows: a design do or don't?

When designing a bedroom, your bed is undoubtedly the most important element. In some spaces, placement might seem obvious, while in others, you may have to give particular consideration to the room's features. Where to put a bed in combination with a window is a much-discussed interior design question. To get it right, you'll need to balance your design desires, temperature considerations and the natural light.

  • 4 min read
  • 10.05.2019
Visit Beds under windows: a design do or don't?
Bright dining room with a white table, wood chairs, and a modern light fixture. Sliding glass doors open to a patio with a wood table and chairs.

Seven essential tips for mixing modern and antique furniture

Looking to lend a visually intriguing sense of balance to your home interior? Try blending contemporary designs with antique pieces. This approach adds a unique contrast to any room, with varying textures, shapes and styles. Here are a few tips for mixing modern and antique furniture with carefully curated panache.

  • 4 min read
Visit Seven essential tips for mixing modern and antique furniture
Rendering of a modern master bedroom in gray-green tones with adjoining dressing room

Five mistakes to avoid in your new bedroom design

Whether as an oasis of calm, a sea of tranquillity, or a facilitator of a good night’s sleep, bedrooms play a major part in our lives – in fact, we all spend around a third of our lives there. However, they are often undervalued during home renovations and can be overlooked in favour of redecorating the living space or kitchen. To help you avoid this, here are the five most common interior design mistakes when redesigning a bedroom.

  • 3 min read
  • 09.07.2018
Visit Five mistakes to avoid in your new bedroom design
Attic bedroom with a bed, wooden beams, and large windows overlooking trees. Bookshelves line the wall.

5 easy-to-implement tips to protect an attic apartment from excessive heat in summer

Living and perhaps even working in an attic apartment, formerly also known as a mansard, constitutes a special lifestyle for many reasons. A view of the green treetops in your garden or the sea of city lights at night - for many people, this sounds like a dream come true. It can be, but for all its beauty, this style of living also has its pitfalls.

  • 5 min read
  • 30.06.2021
Visit 5 easy-to-implement tips to protect an attic apartment from excessive heat in summer

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Engel & Völkers Germany

Vancouverstraße 2a

20457 Hamburg, Germany

Tel: +49 40 361310