The difference between style and fashion is quality — Giorgio Armani.

This quote is as relevant to designing and building a new home as it is to the apparel industry. Building a new home requires a considered creative phase. Here, knowledge of the owner’s lifestyle, aspirations, budget, and aesthetic preferences are paramount.

In his quote, Giorgio Armani firstly differentiates the concepts of 'style' and 'fashion', and secondly, provides the sageness that quality is the by-product of style over fashion.

Style expresses how intelligent and thoughtful human beings present and represent themselves, rather than some act of showing off. It is a way of finding accord and alignment and achieving everlasting and sustainable creations or impressions. It's reflective of the best human experience. It's timeless in appeal, attracts value and inspires all of us to better ourselves in how we think and behave.

On the other hand, fashion represents a trend and is very transient and superficial. In the late 60s and 70s, building designers all jumped on the Spanish bandwagon. They mimicked haciendas by adding an assortment of arches with bagged rendered finishes - more akin to a kitsch wedding cake than an accurate depiction of Spanish culture and style. Thankfully, not many of these creations have endured as contemporary examples.

The era was not all bad, especially when you consider the achievements of local architects such as Geoffrey Summerhayes, Iwan Iwanoff and Peter Overman, to name a few. Their works are renowned for their sheer style and longevity and inspiring the architects and designers that followed. The masterworks by the greats such as Frank Lloyd Wright, LeCorbusier, Mies van der Rohe and current-day Starck have all been responsible for a body of work that has inspired for decades. The works are of such significance that they gain classifications that protect them for future generations. The works all have style.

In creating stylish and everlasting buildings, all of these architects used durable and natural materials and design themes that respected minimalism, just as an impressionist artist would. Thus, the observer can imagine and contemplate what is possible and fill in the perceived absent elements, using their own life experiences as cues.

At Collier Homes, we're passionate about the creative phase and regard it as a critical, exciting and integral part of building a new home. We have long standing relationships with leading designers, architects and engineers who can translate your aspirations and functional needs into something stylish and everlasting. We can even commission artists to create unique and original works to complement your new home.

We closely manage the creative phase, so you benefit from years of building experience to ensure that style prevails over fashion!