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(SINGAPORE) Showflats have become so lavish lately that some cost more than real flats.

The high life: Displaying how the well-heeled live, show suites of the upmarket St Regis Residence (above) and Oceanfront@ Sentosa Cove feature designer furniture. Both sets of suites are designed by Axis Architects/Planners

Designers tell BT that in the past 5-10 years, budgets, especially at the top end of the market, have increased by at least 50 per cent and as much as 100 per cent in some cases, with showflats costing up to $2 million.

So far, City Developments Ltd (CDL) appears to have spent the most - $6 million on the showflat complex for St Regis Residence, comprising two luxuriously decked-out suites and a sales gallery.

Designed by Axis Architects & Planners, the 'show suites' are supposed to represent the life that the well-heeled live. Of course not many people, even rich people, drink from Versace stemware - the type used on the dining room table setting - but it does not really matter.

William Ong of Axis says that to design such a showflat, 'everything has to be real'. In the past, developers were more inclined to use copies of expensive furniture and fittings, After all, a showflat was just a facsimile of the 'real thing'.

"The showflat is selling a lifestyle and a dream.' - Design consultant Angela Lim of The ID Dept, on people's expectations of showflats

But not any more. Now, only the original will do. This means that the sofa that looks like a $20,000 B+B Italia sofa actually is one.

And look closely at the luggage used as props in the wardrobe of the St Regis show suites and you will see it is from Prada.

Showflats are an important marketing tool for developers and Mr Ong believes they need to 'create an attachment' with potential buyers.

This is achieved through subtle design cues that work on an almost subconscious level.

Creating such an aura is not cheap. Mr Ong says that when he did his first showflat about seven years ago, the construction budget was about $120 psf. This has now increased to between $160-$200 psf.

Brendon Lim of Hirsch Bednar Associates also says developers are spending more now. 'Five to 10 years ago, for a high-end apartment they would spend between $300,000-$500,000 for a three-bedroom unit of between 120-200 sq m. Today, it can start at $800,000 and go up to $2 million.'

And it's not all on expensive furniture. 'Even the internal fittings like hinges have become more sophisticated,' Mr Lim said.

Much of the cost goes on 'branded' furniture and fittings. As Mr Lim notes, foreign investors are becoming increasingly important here, so it makes sense that when they step into a showflat, they are met by brands they have heard of.

Kunio Iwata of KKS International believes that to some extent, developers have had to up the ante because the residential market has become more 'competitive'.

He says that in the past, there used to be a lot of constraints on the design of showflats and designers could not stray far from what was offered in the sales and purchasing plans.

Today, he says, developers are even prepared to incorporate design options for the buyer. This not only includes offering a range of colours and materials but offering the choice to remove some walls to create different layouts.

'Some developers are even looking at the niche market within the high-end market,' he said, adding that showflat design is now about 'creating lifestyles for rich people'.

Of course, good design is not just for the very rich.

Design consultant Angela Lim of The ID Dept believes that as the population gets, 'better educated, more sophisticated and better travelled', more people will expect more out of a showflat. 'The showflat is selling a lifestyle and a dream,' she added.

Some of the design trends have smashed price barriers. 'Showflats are gearing more towards the sumptuous, glamorous, classical look, but in a modern way. Chandeliers, floral wallpaper and padded Chesterfield furniture are making a comeback,' she added.

Developers are selling a fantasy, and no one understands this more than Axis's Mr Ong. For the St Regis show suites, he was even prepared to go over-the-top by providing a baby grand piano and paintings at his own company's expense.

Fortunately for Axis, Mr Ong believes more developers are understanding the intricacies involved in designing a showflat and fewer quibble about price. 'We use real antiques and artwork. How do you put a price on that?' he asks.