What does $2 million get you?

Recently, I was fortunate enough to attend an "Architectural tour" for local designers in downtown Boston.  Now, when you hear Architectural tour, what do you think?  I was expecting a walking tour pointing out the mixture of very old and very new building details in Boston.  What I got was a tour of a new condo built in the heart of downtown Boston.  It was a lovely location, with fantastic views, but just not what I expected.  Regardless, I took it for what it was and made the most of it.

As I viewed this expensive property (units ranging from $400,000 to $2 million) I couldn't help but have an opinion on the details or lack of details.   The spot had a breathtaking view and the $2 million dollar unit has a deck that is about 30 feet long by 10 feet wide. It just makes you want to have a deck party! From it you can see most of the city, the highway, the harbor, the park.  It is gorgeous.  However, the condo itself lacked the craftsmanship that I would expect for the price tag.  In discussing this with others, the consensus is that the builders were building for the location and figured that the buyers would remodel to their liking. I can understand this as a reason to build on the cheap but as far as design, shouldn't you always show things at your best! I would want to sell the space for its amazing design and the view be an additional benefit.  I might be a bit to harsh, maybe the designer does love their presentation, but I found it lackluster.  I do like some of the staging, but the bones of the place (white walls, white trim with visible gaps, plain bamboo floors & limited closet space) leave some design to be desired. I am not going voice my opinion of the kitchen, because I am obviously particular when it comes to that room.  Lets just say it had nice appliances.

 I've attached some photos for you to make your own determination, though I now realize the photos I have included show the amazing view and the areas of staging that I DID like.  It wouldn't have been any fun to take photos of the parts I didn't like.