With increasing numbers of homeowners adding a home lift to the top of their wish lists, Lifton explains why it is the brand that architects are turning to time and again to meet client expectations

The rise of the home lift
There are three main reasons why homeowners specify domestic lifts. The obvious motivation is when one of the household has mobility or health issues. Market-leader Lifton Home Lifts has a model that can fit a wheelchair with ease, or indeed, fit two people to enable a carer to travel with someone needing support.

Another reason that home lift installations are on the increase is people wishing to enhance their home through ease of access between floors – be it from a basement garage to a kitchen, or from a landing to a top floor room, or simply providing another route to the upper level. As there is now evidence that a thoughtfully installed home lift increases the value of a home, clients are recognising that a lift can be both practical and luxurious.

The third and increasingly common reason for choosing a lift is planning ahead for a future of living independently at home in later life. By making future changes now, clients are ensuring peace of mind that their homes will be still be suitable as they age.

Designed with the architect in mind
The idea of adding a lift to a project may cause some architects to fear compromises in style or floor plan, particularly in light of the ugly, cumbersome and unaccommodating lifts of the past. Thankfully there has been a revolution in the design and technology of the home lift, and the new generation has been designed with architect’s concerns firmly in mind. Lifton Home Lifts specifically address the needs of architects.

A stylish addition
One of the main considerations of any architecture project is the look and feel of the completed building. This is why the new generation of high-tech home lifts coming to market give as much thought to the outward appearance and styling of the lift as the function and technology used.

Unlike stairlifts, which can be unattractive and unwieldy, or the old bulky mobility lifts, which made the architect’s job more difficult, the appearance of Lifton’s new style of home lift is sleek, elegant and contemporary. Gone are the days of needing to hide or disguise the contraption while still keeping it accessible.

The minimalist capsule style is designed specifically to ensure the lift blends naturally with any architectural style, be it contemporary, classical or ultra-modern. Lifton domestic lifts can take pride of place in a project, adding a feature that is both functional and beautiful. This gives more design flexibility to the architect.

Made to the highest specification with attractive downlights and transparent casing, Lifton lifts are light, airy, and give occupants panoramic views as they move between floors. In addition, when the lift is not in the room, clever design allows the space it leaves be used, so no floor area is lost.

Flexible location
Another architect-driven design feature of the new generation of home lift is how they can be installed almost anywhere in the home. This puts the architect in control of where the lift is located, and whether it is a key showpiece or a more discreet feature.

The innovative design of Lifton lifts means they are self-supporting with two vertical rails. As such, they have a surprisingly small footprint and can plug into a standard mains socket. They can also be located in most parts of a building, including corners, cupboards, stairwells or through a galleried landings. They can even be put it in pride of place by the front door or in the centre of the house.

Furthermore, a Lifton home lift uses only a small amount of power and is very quiet, so an architect can confidently position it where it best suits the design, knowing that it will be practical for the client.

Simple installation
It is easy to assume that adding a home lift to an architectural project will complicate the planning and scheduling of the build. This is another part of the design process that Lifton Home Lifts has addressed. By ensuring that its state-of-the-art domestic lifts are as simple as possible to install, they do not interfere with the smooth running of the build.

The modular design of a Lifton home lift enables installation to take as little as one day, meaning that it can fitted with ease around the rest of the building programme. The only work that is needed by a professional builder is a small opening in the ceiling for the lift to pass between floors. The lifts do not require hydraulics or supporting walls. Once the lift is installed, it plugs straight into a domestic power socket and it is ready to go.

Contact Details
For more information please visit the Lifton Home Lifts website.