To keep up with the Joneses, you'll need to spend some money...

You have an elegant gunite swimming pool, mottled granite countertops and a steam shower in your master bath. But in the race for the ultimate home, you're still behind.
Home trends move fast, especially at the very high end of the market, where new ideas take hold. Whirlpool baths, once a rarity, can be found in many a decent new subdivision. Ditto for double-height living rooms. Stainless-steel appliances are practically standard.
--------------------------
It's time for the newest wave of desirables.
Among the current must-haves for very luxurious homes: serene bathrooms with souped-up saunas, towel warmers and heated floors (to bring the spa back home); green elements such as eco-friendly woods and nontoxic building materials; and technology that integrates the controls for lighting, heating, security and other systems.
"The move to make the home more spalike is definitely going strong," says Suzan Globus, a Red Bank, N.J., interior designer and the president-elect of the American Society of Interior Designers. "One of the other trends is creating a seamless integration of technology into the home, making what we call smart homes. We are also seeing an interest in creating sustainable environments."
Low interest rates and a booming housing market have encouraged people in recent years to take out home-equity loans to spruce up their spaces, says Kermit Baker, the director of Harvard University's Housing Studies Center, with the most growth in upper-end kitchen and bath remodels. Though housing prices may be slumping, Americans are still investing in their properties -- an estimated $160 billion over the past four quarters, according to the Joint Center for Housing Studies at Harvard.