A penthouse is a residence usually located on the very top floor of a condominium, hotel or large building, offering generous living space, luxurious finishes, spectacular views and premium facilities. It often comes with a private balcony or its own rooftop access. A penthouse is a social statement of wealth and status, and one of the most sought-after assets in the property market.
For affluent city dwellers, living in a penthouse is like having a house in the heart of the city, thanks to its sheer space. Penthouses come in a wide range of price levels depending on their luxury, comfort and location, and in many condominiums they span more than one floor. One feature that truly completes a penthouse is a compact home lift with an elegant design that can be tailored to suit each penthouse style.
1. The Origins of the Penthouse
Penthouse living originated in New York in the 1920s, the period after World War I and one of the greatest construction booms in the United States. Developers of that era built these units on the topmost floors to create homes with the best views and the most privacy — perfect for the wealthy, the well-connected and the celebrities who were ready to pay for them.
Today, developers and property agents use the word “penthouse” to describe a unit with a larger, more luxurious floor plan than the rest — and the highest price tag in the building.
2. Four Defining Features of a Penthouse
1. High Ceilings
A signature feature of the penthouse is its high ceilings and large ceiling-height windows, which let daylight pour in and make the space feel even bigger.
2. Premium Finishes
Because the penthouse is the building’s most luxurious unit, it is typically fitted with premium appliances, furniture and finishes that push its high-end feel even further.
3. Premium Views
The single biggest draw of a penthouse is having the best view in the building from its highest floor, far above the noise and bustle of the streets below.
4. Generous Space
The penthouse is the largest unit in the building, with living space that feels much like a house. Some units span two floors, keeping the living room and kitchen downstairs for entertaining guests, while the upper level stays private for the bedrooms.
3. Penthouse, Apartment and Condominium: What’s the Difference?
Penthouse
Penthouses are found more often in high-rise condominiums than in low-rise ones, thanks to their premium size, views and exclusivity. Unlike an apartment, a penthouse stands out for its beautiful outlook, generous floor area, high ceilings and premium facilities — a kitchen fully equipped with high-end appliances, a dining area, a luxurious terrace, and in some cases even a private rooftop to relax on.
Apartment
An apartment is a residential building owned in its entirety by a single owner, which is why apartments are usually offered for rent rather than sold to residents. They suit people who want to keep housing costs down and do not need extensive shared facilities.
Condominium
Condominiums and apartments are similar, but the key difference is ownership: a condominium is divided into units that anyone can buy and own outright, just like buying a house. It also has common areas with facilities such as a swimming pool, gym or garden, and a juristic person is usually set up to manage and maintain the building and its shared spaces, including repairs when an individual unit has a problem.
4. Which Lift Should You Install in a Penthouse?
A lift for a penthouse should be a high-quality one — distinctive and beautifully designed to match the luxury a penthouse stands for.
Choose a Screw-Driven Lift
Because a penthouse sits on the topmost floor of a building, the lift you install has to be one that needs no pit and no separate machine room the way other lift systems do. That makes a screw-driven lift such as Cibes Lift — with the drive unit built into the lift itself — the best choice for anyone who wants a lift in their penthouse.
A Space-Saving Lift with Many Sizes to Choose From
Cibes Lift offers 41 sizes, making it easy for penthouse owners to pick one that fits the space they have or the number of passengers they need to carry. Cibes lifts are also designed with a roomy cabin, which is far more comfortable for elderly users in a wheelchair.
A Lift with the ECOSILENT 2.0 System
The hardware inside a screw-driven lift plays a major role in how long it lasts and how easy it is to maintain over the years. Cibes Lift has kept refining that hardware to deliver the best screw-driven lift possible, from Generation 1 through to the latest Generation 4 — Ecosilent 2.0 — which makes the lift smarter and quieter while cutting electricity and maintenance costs even further.
5. Our Recommended Models from Cibes Lift
Cibes Air: A Masterpiece for Your Home
This home lift is styled with a genuinely Scandinavian character. The handrail inside Cibes Air has a distinctive design that brings the handrail and the floor-selection buttons together in a single element.
Design Your Home Lift Exactly the Way You Want
With the Cibes Voyager Air home lift you can mix & match every part of the lift, giving you complete freedom to design a lift that fits your penthouse interior perfectly.
- Three control panel finishes to choose from: metal/wood/fabric
- Up to 300 shades from the RAL colour chart, so the lift matches your penthouse colour scheme
- 17 standard lift sizes to choose from, so it fits the space in your penthouse
- A 360-degree glass shaft option to keep your penthouse feeling open and light
- Very little structural preparation, as no pit is required and it is an MRL (Machine-Roomless) lift with no machine room needed
- Fast installation, completed within 3-5 days
About Cibes Lift Thailand, the Home Lift Company
In 2016, Cibes Lift (Thailand) Co., Ltd. officially launched in Thailand as the newest branch of the Cibes Lift Group, answering the growing demand for home lifts that combine luxury with a high level of safety.
Cibes Lift (Thailand) is a branch of Sweden’s Cibes Lift Group. We sell to and look after our customers directly, without dealers, so you can count on accurate, prompt service both before and after the sale.
With an energetic, professional team and experience of more than 70,000 lift installations since 1947, the Cibes family has earned the affection and trust of customers in over 70 countries worldwide.
It is no surprise that a penthouse costs more than other types of home. A penthouse is a symbol of success — a house in the sky at the heart of the city, with a view that many people spend a lifetime working towards.
