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Americans look to the future with new home design trends

An analysis of trends in home construction in 2005 provides clear insight into what is on the minds of many Americans these days: aging. From designs that emphasize accessibility to homes with separate, clearly defined in-law quarters, homeowners are preparing for the day when their parents, and they themselves, will be a little less mobile.

According to the first ever survey on home design trends released by the American Institute of Architects, 62 percent of the architectural firms surveyed indicated an annual increase in the number of projects focusing on accessibility. Specifically, more homeowners want designs with fewer steps and wider doorways, and twenty-five percent of the firms indicated growing interest in single-floor homes. Architects also noted more requests for wheelchair-accessible hallways, handrails in bathrooms and driveways that lead directly to entrances.

Further, there is demand for home designs that allow for what is being called "multigenerational" living. Garage apartments and detached secondary buildings are increasingly being converted into separate quarters suitable for aging parents. According to the federal Administration on Aging, in 2003 there were 35.9 million Americans aged 65 and over, or 12.3 percent of the nation's population. That number is expected to swell to 71.5 million by 2030, representing 20 percent of the population.

However, do not mistake "mother-in-law" units for yesterday's attic or basement conversions. In addition to separate space that has been converted, newer homes are featuring a second master suite that includes amenities such as a laundry room, miniature kitchen and completely discrete entrance, allowing Grandma and Grandpa to retain a semblance of privacy and independence while still being close to caregivers.

Casual Culture

For the younger homeowner, open plan homes with a more informal feel remain popular. In fact, many younger adults are opting away from proper living rooms and dining rooms, instead preferring homes with great rooms that open into kitchens, and "functional" rooms designed for specific activities. Not surprisingly, formal entryways and foyers are on the decline. Particularly with open plan homes, the kitchen maintains its role as the central room in the house as the hub for meals, homework, entertainment and informal interaction among the family.

Function, And Then Form

While the kitchen is a family and entertaining nucleus, it is no longer the main work area for mom, the chief executive of the family. (Many new homes are converting the back entry area into a spacious corridor. Sometimes referred to as "command center" near the laundry room or mud room, this new area is replete with a desk, closets, storage, a half-bath, and, of course, room for a computer and outlets to recharge the family cell phones.

Another specialized room making huge gains in popularity is the home office. This has become appropriate not just for home businesses and the self-employed, but also for flex-time workers and for everyone who has had to take a few projects home over the weekend. Importantly, the home office remains separate from the family command center, with the former devoted to business initiatives and the latter devoted to family organization.

Tech savvy consumers like those in Generation X want their homes wired for sound and broadband and are using their "activity rooms" as home theaters. They are also beginning to integrate lighting controls into their home electronics systems, to set the right mood for entertaining or "screening" a movie.

"Out" is Very "In"

Once reserved for swing sets, informal soccer fields and a mini gridiron, the yard is now being used as an outdoor living area, with upscale landscaping, porches, patios and pools gaining steam. Water is beginning to feature prominently in outdoor design, with water gardens, water fountains, water falls and streams growing in popularity. This matches findings from the Coldwell Banker® Luxury Index, in which 23 percent respondents listed topiary / landscaping as a high end amenity they would add to their homes in 2005. Hot tubs followed from 10 percent of respondents, and in-ground pools were noted by 8 percent of participants.

Does Size Really Matter in Real Estate?

No doubt we have all seen it in one neighborhood or another – smaller homes razed to make way for larger, more contemporary houses, dubbed "McMansions" in the media. According to the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB), 21 percent of the new houses built in 2004 were 3,000 square feet or larger, a number that has nearly doubled in the past two decades. But is this trend continuing in 2005 and on to 2006?

Some say no. While NAHB has tracked the doubling in size of homes, they also indicate that that figure has now stabilized. Factors contributing to the size stabilization include increased cost of land thanks to the housing boom, and smaller average plot sizes. However, the age of the homebuyer is also dictating the size trend.

The Chief Executive of NAHB, Jerry Howard, stated in an interview with The Financial Times that more than half of the buyers of new homes in 2004 were Generation Xers, who "want to spend their money on nicer amenities rather than floor space." In addition to high tech amenities, Howard says they want "lap pools, higher ceilings, granite countertops and hardwood floors, instead of giant rooms they don't know what to do with."

No matter whether homeowners are remodeling to house their extended family or to set up a high tech sanctuary, one thing is clear: the house remains the focal point from which all family activity evolves.

Sources: The Financial Times (8/22/05), www.aia.org, Toronto Star (8/6/05)

Trends in Home Design

Americans look to the future with new home design trends