When famed psychoanalyst and cigar lover Sigmund Freud was questioned about a cigar's phallic shape, he replied, "Sometimes, a cigar is just a cigar." And sometimes a cigar represents something much greater, such as a celebration of good fortune or a new birth. An object that means this much deserves to be stored in a special place, and Golden Humidor offers elegant hand-crafted, masterfully gilded desktop humidors worthy of preserving the most exceptional cigar. Their humidors are constructed using only the finest materials, including Brazilian mahogany and gold-plated hinges that will never tarnish. They can even carve a monogram, crest, symbol or logo into any humidor, to give the cigar aficionado a personalized luxury treasure.

When leading a luxury lifestyle, you can't pull out a 30-cent drugstore pen to sign multi-million dollar contracts or write checks in huge amounts. Mont Blanc, an international company with operations in 70 countries, emphatically solves that dilemma by way of their Royal Boheme fountain pen.  With a price tag of $150,000, this extravagant instrument is made up of platinum-plated 18-karat gold and 1,430 brilliant-cut diamonds.  Even the Mont Blanc star logo is comprised of 19 diamonds.  Now, if only there were diamond-encrusted Post-its...

I was flipping through Town & Country Magazine and stopped when I saw a picture of this stunning hotel in Cambodia.  The Hotel de la Paix in Siem Reap features 107 rooms, including 9 Duplex Spa Suites and 5 Courtyard Garden Suites with oversized outdoor soaking tubs on private garden terraces.  The hotel has everything - spas, restaurants, fitness center, arts lounge... everything about this place screams luxury.  The rooms are even equipped with iPods loaded with music and audio tours of nearby Angkor Wat.  Start brushing up on your Khmer!

I'm not normally one to promote animal apparel, but even I have to admit that these vintage-style alligator boots by Ralph Lauren are beautiful.  The ankle height is all the rage now (perfect with layered clothes), and the belt-like wrap is an elegant adornment.  I'd be fearing for alligators, but these boots are expensive enough to ensure that only a select few can don them.

Finding the perfect rug can be difficult.  Lucky for luxury homeowners, they can have custom rugs crafted just for them.  I stumbled upon Rugs by Vicki Simon and thought her designs were interesting.  Her style is influenced by modernism, cubism and impressionism, and she also credits architects like Frank Lloyd Wright for some of her inspiration.  She likes to use simple geometric shapes layered on subtle backgrounds. The rug pictured left is from her Night Vision line.   The Ingredients line is another good one.

If a day on a beautiful golf course just isn't enough luxury for you, here's your next purchase. Berline Golf Carts, self-described as "makers of pimped golf carts," specializes in customized carts such as the Cadillac Escalade cart seen here.  So if you've got a terrible drive, at least your drive around the course will be extraordinary. 

To most Americans, a 75-year-old home is old.  But in Europe, many properties date back centuries!  And to most Americans, the word "castle" conjures up images of fairy princesses and ogres - but in Europe, the word "castle" can mean "home."  In France, centuries-old castles (like the 12th-century Templars castle pictured left) are everywhere, ready for luxury real estate buyers to snatch them up.  For those of you looking for a modern medieval experience, check out these regal homes...

[More]

Sweeping marble staircases are beautiful, but require just as much effort to climb as my creaky wooden basement steps. Lucky for luxury homeowners, they can keep their fancy flights as aesthetic centerpieces and cruise effortlessly between their multiple floors in a custom elevator. ThyssenKrupp Access has been in the people-moving business for over 50 years and offers a variety of residential elevator options, including the Signet – "the premier custom-built elevator in the world." Choose from a variety of metal, laminate, wood, stone and glass to create a distinct luxury lift. Design your own here.

Nancy Corzine is one of the most respected interior designers in the industry and has received accolades for her furniture, lighting and fabric creations.  Her luxurious textiles are produced in exclusive mills in Como and Venice, Italy.  I spotted this particular fabric on homeportfolio.com.  The deep purple color is popping up everywhere on runways and red carpets this season - why not on your couch?

Welcome to the Luxury Portfolio blog - a wealth of information on all that is luxury. This site will feature news on the most desirable homes in the world, as well as information on top trends in luxury entertaining, luxury fashion and accessories, luxury home design, luxury travel, and more. Check back often as we will be updating the site regularly with the latest trends.