Adding value to property is the dream of every real estate investor. How to unlock value through key drivers can often be a minefield of confusion and a is further complicated by a lack of understanding what actually motivates buyers? Sure location is a key factor, but going beyond that often means forgetting about bricks and mortar, and looking what moves purchasers off the bench and into the field of play.

Looking at tropical island property there is little doubt that for premium villas and condos design is a key influencer. Taking advantage of a warm sunny climate, seascapes and natural attributes ups the value of designing homes from the outside in and makes enormous sense. After all tropical living is a mash-up of indoor and outdoor experiences that take into account green areas in a major way.

In Phuket one of the leading designers of tropical homes, condos and hotels is Martin Palleros. With a background in landscape architecture, Palleros formed his own firm Tierra in 1992 and over the years collaborated with design guru Kerry Hill on projects for notable hotel brands Aman and Chedi.  Now Bangkok-based, he has since worked his way across Asia Pacific.

One of his notable residential projects in Phuket is Baan Yamu on the island’s East Coast. His sense of extraordinary balance between a natural atmosphere with strong lines and the use of wood , stone and concrete dazzles the imagination.

Perhaps one of his most well-known Phuket work has been the Twinpalms hotel at Surin Beach. In what is arguable one of the most notable hospitality assets here, it has sustained success for well over a decade. More recent is his Twinpalms Residences on the beachfront at MontAzure in Kamala that has won both critical acclaim and produced a high level of sales.

Still, sitting on the outside looking in, there is little doubt in my mind that innovative design continues to be a lead contender for both those living in the tropics and for investors a driver of premium values. After all a life less ordinary is often what island living is all about.