Classic yet Contemporary
Homes that are hot sellers on the market right now are
those that successfully blend old styles with new. Timeless and elegant spaces
are created by blending modern and traditional elements such as crown molding
with fewer or less fancy pieces. Elevations are clean and simple and interiors are
fresh and light, not ornate and heavy like the formerly-popular elements such
as ornamental columns, complex crown molding and cabinetry with additional
applied decorative pieces.
Multigenerational Living
Given the increasing cultural diversity in America as
well as the state of the economy during the past few years, many families are
all living under one roof. To save money, young adults are living at home after
they graduate school, and retired parents are sharing homes with their grown
children and their families. Single-family home designs accommodate
multigenerational households, such as homes with two master suites, often with
at least one located on the ground floor to be more accessible.
Cost Effective Designs
Rectangular home designs are more cost effective, so new
homes no longer have the “exploding house” look with multiple, odd roof lines
or the unnecessary interior volumes they create. But home designs can still be
visually stimulating with creative and innovative modifications that reduce construction
and system costs to the home owner. For example, mixing materials such as
metal, wood and stone in the façade give a home a modern look.
The Family Triangle
Open floor plans is a trend that isn’t new, but has
expanded. Ground-floor focused, open floor plan living spaces used to be
specific to certain regions and generations, but now it is desired by all buyer
profiles across the country. Many designs eliminate the living room and add a flex
space or den adjacent to the kitchen or family room to allow for privacy when
needed, and still accommodate flexibility for many different uses.
Kitchen Entertaining with a View
The kitchen remains one of the most important rooms in
the house. Yet kitchens are still a modest size as the average overall square footage
of new homes has decreased in the past few years. So designers are
incorporating creative storage solutions to both suit the home owners’ unique
needs and to allow more windows above the countertops rather than cabinets to
retain a feeling of open, light space.
Green Design Elements that Consumers Understand and Want
The 2011 BALA entries reflected the fact that home buyers
now expect a certain level of green design in their new homes that provide both
comfort and cost savings. Green technologies such as tankless water heaters and
highly efficient HVAC systems that directly impact and reduce operating costs
are commonly installed in new construction.To begin a trend in your home, Northwest Total Home, Inc. is here for you and our mission is to
maintain a high level of integrity in our business practices and to support our clients in turning visions into realities!
