Some things never go out of style when it comes to designing a new custom luxury Florida home, and although we at ICI Custom Homes work constantly with innumerable tried-and-true design elements, it’s never a bad idea to re-affirm some of the foundational ones.

Natural materials, sustainable materials and texture are three timeless custom design features that add beauty, comfort and performance to any new custom luxury home.

Here’s a detailed look at each category, no matter where you are on your new luxury custom-home journey.

Key Takeaways

Natural materials like stone, wood, glass, and linen bring warmth, authenticity, and enduring appeal to any custom luxury home.
Sustainable design choices from energy-efficient systems to eco-friendly materials like luxury vinyl tile offer both performance and timeless elegance.
Texture-rich elements such as bamboo, rattan, and natural stone add depth and character, making your custom home feel both stylish and uniquely personal.

Natural materials

The real thing is unmistakeable. Think stone, wood, glass, bamboo, rattan, cotton and linen as examples.

Granite and marble countertops are icons of bathroom and kitchen countertops and also surface — see what we did there? — as floor tiles.

Wood is an integral part of any ICI Customs Homes home. But beyond framing, flooring, cabinetry and baseboards, it can dazzle as decorative ceiling beams, shelving and furniture.

Glass, whose primary material is sand, can contribute much more than those plentiful strong windows that allow Florida sunshine (but not its heat) to flood luxury custom homes with natural light. Glass can be beautifully etched front doors and cabinet doors, mirrored walls, and one-of-a-kind lighting fixtures.

Bamboo and rattan aren’t wood (more on both below), but can serve decorative wood-like functions, plus dazzle as textural accents.

Love classic drapery but in durable, natural fabrics? Cotton and linen (and sometimes silk) curtains provide timeless backdrops and are surprisingly easy to live with and clean.

Sustainable materials

Design features and materials that are environmentally friendly, sustainable and energy efficient are both timeless and luxurious.

ICI Custom Homes homes also are built to our own EQ standards that prioritize the latest construction techniques and materials, plus top-performing mechanical components and systems. Next-generation insulation ensures interior comfort, and Energy Star-rated appliances operate more efficiently.

Design-wise, luxury vinyl tile and plank flooring options are another example of a sustainable material choice.

Texture, texture, texture

That bamboo and rattan mentioned above? They’re triple winners for natural, sustainable and textural design in your custom luxury home. Both materials’ texture and distinctive color add personality and decor to any new custom Florida interiors and exteriors.

Rattan, derived from palms native to southeast Asia, is strong, pliable and shapeable into myriad smaller furnishings such as chairs, stools and multi-functional side tables. It’s a classic design element in Florida and other tropical and subtropical climates.

Bamboo, whose durable, hollow canes can be fashioned into everything from placemats to window shades to furniture, also can be woven into caning for chair backs and cabinet doors.

But, they’re hardly the only options. ICI Custom Homes customers can tap other natural and sustainable materials mentioned above to create timeless and timely design features.

Use smooth river rock as shower flooring. Consider colored glass tiles as kitchen backsplashes. Frame a home office or casual den with cypress paneling or crown molding.

Ready for your new custom luxury home? Talk to ICI Custom Homes here.