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With diverse audiences with different needs in a new home, it can be challenging
to say what the new housing trend will be. Home builders turn to residential
architects for answers. See what might appear in your next home.
One of the biggest factors impacting design is in how technology will change the
space needs in the home. With the option to telecommute expanding throughout
the country, people will need dedicated home office space with appropriate
telephone, fax, modem and computer service. While this will create a more fluid
workday with less rigid lines between professional and personal lives, it will
also affect the use of space in the home and family dynamics. In addition,
people are looking to the home to be their center for entertainment. Many homes
will have media rooms with sophisticated sound and video systems built in or
retrofitted to suit the owners.
Life cycle housing is another trend in home design. Many people are moving less,
and they want their homes to grow and change with them as they go through
different stages in their lives. For example, a builder may offer a home with
three bedrooms
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today, but he’ll give the new owner the option to finish an attic or garage area as needed to
accommodate a new child or a parent that comes to live with the family. Other
homes will be placed on a lot so that there will be plenty of room to add an
addition for a family room or sitting area, and the owner can see the plans for that addition when the original house is purchased. This will also help when the owner wants to sell the home since the floor plan is flexible and can meet the needs of many potential buyers.
Garages are likely to be set back from the street and be attached or detached
depending on the market. In addition, the space above the garage can also be
flex space for later additions such as an in-law suite or home office. Garages
are increasing in size to an average of three berths both to accommodate more
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vehicles in the household and to provide more storage space.
There will be more features designed for casual entertaining such as front
porches and expanded kitchens and family rooms with formal areas like dining
and living rooms becoming multi-purpose rooms. For example, many new custom
homes come with bookshelves built into the dining room so the area can be used
as a substitute home office or study area when it is not needed for formal
entertaining. The architects also call for all-season rooms in a finished
basement to allow for specialized areas for exercising, hobbies and other
projects. The rooms will have light shafts from the ground level to allow for
natural lighting, floors designed to cushion an exerciser
’s feet and specialized storage for tools and hobby supplies.
Homeowners will continue to ask for homes that use energy efficiently and are
easy to maintain. More and more homes will come with flat ceilings, vinyl
windows and use glass strategically to enhance natural lighting without
creating glare.
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