London - Most of us have to make do with earplugs or burying our heads under the pillow when our spouse starts snoring in the middle of the night.
But those who can afford to are increasingly taking more drastic measures. The latest must-have for the super-rich is to have a separate “snoring room” in their homes, to which they can banish their noisy partner.
The trend comes as research by The Sleep Council reveals that one in six British couples now choose to sleep apart, more than half of them in separate rooms and not just separate beds.
But his and hers bedroom suites are particularly common in the marble-decked mansions snapped up by the wealthy, according to property experts. The room is officially referred to in the industry as the second master suite, but estate agents have a number of nicknames for it, including the quiet room, the snoring room, and even the argument room to which a spouse – usually the husband – can be sent after a domestic.
Peter Brookes, associate director at estate agents Savills, said he first noticed a demand for his and hers bedrooms around seven years ago, but that “as wealth increases, demand for comfort increases, and it’s now pretty commonplace”.
He added: “Most developers incorporate a second master into their plans.”
Gary Hersham, managing director of Beauchamp Estates, who specialise in luxury property sales, puts the demand for this extra room down to the super-rich’s obsession with perfection.
He said that unseemly noise resulting from normal bodily functions such as snoring, washing and using the loo is something they will pay good money to avoid. He added: “Most high-end property developers employ acoustics engineers to make sure all sound is eliminated.”
The trend is even more popular in the US, where 60 percent of new houses are built with two master bedrooms, according to the country’s National Association of Home Builders. The National Sleep Foundation reports that up to one in four American couples now sleep apart.
Daily Mail