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While traditional home designs are popular, Butler also indicated that buyers wanting other home styles expect authenticity. If there is any variation in this trend toward established designs, it can be found primarily in the second home market. “Home owners are putting playfulness in their vacation homes,” she said.
In addition to the style of the home, home owners are reemphasizing their streetscape, she said. The emphasis is on the home and the garage is “receding,” either being tucked under the home of finding a location behind it.
Right-Sizing — Putting Quality Before Quantity
“The quality of the space is as, or more, important than size,” said Butler. As children move out of the home, home buyers are scaling back on the size but maintaining or changing the functionality of the rooms so the rooms better reflect how they live. Buyers, she said, are decorating or appointing their homes so they can get more out of each room.
For instance, living rooms are becoming less formal, and in some cases being used for completely different functions, such as getaways or studies. “The living room isn’t endangered yet, but it is on the watch list,” Butler said. The dining room, she added, is now being treated as a special gathering space for holidays and special occasions.
Re-Shaping Rooms — Balancing Spaciousness with Intimacy
Windows, columns, volume, texture and openness are all part of the trend in balancing spaciousness with intimacy. Buyers are seeking room heights of nine, 10 and 12 feet. They are using more natural materials, including hardwood flooring. And they are adding handcrafted artisan touches to their homes in an effort to create intimacy.
Buyers want openness and flow through their homes, Butler said, but even in this environment, they are creating small, intimate gathering or seating areas through the use of half walls, built-ins, columns, mini work stations and other details.
Indoor/Outdoor Harmony
Butler said the next big thing in homes is opening homes to the outdoors much more substantially. This translates, essentially, into creating full-scale rooms like living rooms, dining rooms, etc, outdoors. This not only applies to decks and backyard space, she said, but also to transitional spaces like porches and sunrooms.
Beautiful Moments — Building Emotional Richness
Nooks, alcoves, windows and other details are being used to accent and create beautiful moments as well as highlight functionality in the home, according to Butler. Within bathrooms, home owners are trending toward more privacy and elegance.
Home owners are also seeking style and function throughout the home. Home offices, she said, are being located off a foyer near the owner’s suite for convenience. Like other rooms and areas throughout the home, they are being designed using materials, textures and accents to satisfy the functionality and style of the home owners.
Laundry rooms are achieveing a measure of style, as well, said Butler. More functions are being incorporated in the space, which is being moved up and out of the basement.
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