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People also find they enjoy complete hobby/interest rooms for themselves
that are specifically designed around their
“other-than-work” interests.
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1. Outdoor living and entertaining is becoming the focus for homeowners, and
they are deciding to do it in style. Outdoor fireplaces are sought-after
amenities, along with sleeping porches and dining areas with kitchens. The
outdoors is also being welcomed on all sides of homes as people add front and
side porches. People want to have their indoor amenities with them, so there is
increased interest in having telephone and music speaker systems and
“smart home” control systems at their fingertips in outdoor spaces.
2. “Me” space is the new term for those areas in the home that are personalized for
particular people. Open floor plans have increased the need for people to have
intimate places as getaways. Her place may be near the kitchen with Internet
access for things like locating recipes and paying bills. He may have a
traditional den or a game
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room and den combination. People also find they enjoy complete hobby/ interest
rooms for themselves that are specifically designed around their
“other-than-work” interests.
3. Master bathrooms remain
luxurious places of regeneration. Large showers with seats and multi-spray options serve daily bathing while jetted tubs hold the promise of relaxation. Bathrooms are being outfitted with televisions and “usability” options like laundry chutes and adjacent dressing areas. Lighting dominates both in terms of utility as well as for mood enhancement.
4. Technology advances into the home with high-speed Internet, music and video,
and special controls like lighting coming on when the owner pulls into the
driveway. There is a strong trend toward lighting controls that operate
automatically to save on energy. The newest technologies take
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advantage of networking capabilities being built into appliances so everything
in the home can be networked for detailed control and use.
5. Spray foam insulation that is water-based and doesn’t contain CFCs or HCFCs is offering new levels of thermal control without posing
air quality issues. These polyisonene insulations fill framing cavities much
more completely and offer a per-inch R value of 3.6. The insulation also acts
as a sound barrier, making homes quieter inside.
6. Tankless water heaters and their growing availability are a highlight of the
onward march toward energy efficient homes. Some manufacturers are claiming
their models are 50 percent more efficient than typical gas water heaters and
75 percent more efficient than traditional electric water heaters.
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