Home Designs Reflect Changing American Lifestyles

 

In 2014, economists are expecting residential investments to continue to add to economic growth. Homebuilders remain optimistic due to rising prices and sales. The new year of 2014 will bring new technologies and materials into the home building industry. Exciting new designs and floor plans are also changing to accommodate our lives. Following are highlights of the top 10 trends to look out for in-home designs for 2014:

 

1. Adaptive reuse in home building - -popular in the commercial building industry over the last decade, this trend is now picking up in home design. Some trendsetting architects are re-using older structures to build dream homes for adventurous home builders; think reusing the shell of a factory or an abandoned church or warehouse.

 

2.  Flexible spaces in home design - with more sliding doors and movable partitions for flexible living arrangements – for aging parents, returning college students, or the new baby.  Dining rooms are now multi-purpose family spaces. Some houses have “bonus" rooms for offices or hobby rooms. At The Plan Collection, you will find this ideal example (LEFT: House Plan #153-1781) of the new trend for flex space. Notice the dining room with access to the kitchen and the bar counter seating between the kitchen and great room. The cozy fireplace, media center, built-ins, and access to a rear grilling porch make this plan ideal for today’s lifestyles.

 

3.  Baby boomers want open and accessible house plans - so spiral staircases and sunken rooms are a thing of the past. Tomorrow’s homes will be easy to get around in universal designs for people of all ages and abilities. Clean, beautiful hardwood floors, high beam ceilings, bricks, and lots of windows make this home attractive and very livable.

 

4.  Rooms for living outdoors - there are eco-friendly architects who are designing outdoor spaces for the overall home design with sliding glass doors that lead to outdoor "rooms" that house everything from bedroom suites under the stars to kitchens.

 

5.  Closets and garages are bigger - than they were during the past century. Homeowners will continue to demand more storage space for holding their stuff - such as walk-in closets, large dressing rooms, and more built-in cabinets. Cathedral ceilings are becoming passé because families tend to prefer usable space below the roof. Garages are also getting bigger to accommodate the ever-popular SUVs and other large larger vehicles.

 

6.  Storm-proof architecture is growing these days - in response to the tornados, hurricanes, and earthquakes that have ravaged many homes in communities nationwide.

 

7.  Factory-made homes are cool - prefab homes have a new look and feel and are now constructed with stronger modular building materials, including steel and glass.

 

8.  Healthier homes - are now being built with attention to organic living with no glue or chemicals that produce toxic fumes and no plastics.

 

9.  Earth houses - with increased sensitivity to our environment, architects are looking at building homes featuring bio-degradable materials.

 

10.  Feng Shui Homes - Also, it seems finally that Eastern philosophies have come of age in the West because- more homeowners are using Feng Shui and Vástu Shástra in-home designs as these principles for health and prosperity.