2017 First Quarter Home Design Trends

2017 First Quarter Home Design Trends

Design trends can be interior revamps, exterior revamps, or complete remodels. For the latter, a homeowner might need to look into new HVAC, plumbing, electrical, and other crucial residential systems. The American Institute of Architects conducted a survey to determine what the most popular home improvements were for the first quarter of 2017. Here are some of their findings.

Bigger Is Better

Despite an emphasis on conserving natural resources and decreasing America’s dependency on fossil fuels, many homeowners opened the year with the mindset “bigger is better.” This might be due in some part to the president elect’s position on the environment, or it might be that some people are finally recovering from The Great Recession and looking to live in larger more luxurious homes again. Either way, a common theme from January to April 2017 was bigger homes.

The survey conducted by AIA confirmed that most people are looking for more square footage. Part of the reason why is many homeowners remain Baby Boomers and Generation X. Millennial and Generation Z have yet to jump on the home-owning bandwagon. As the two older generations age, they require more mobility access in their residences, and larger square footage opens the space for easier walker and wheelchair access.

When you take into account the expense of moving into an assisted living facility, it makes sense that many older homeowners are opting to remodel their residences rather than move. In Maine, for example, the average cost to move into an assisted living facility is $48,000 per year. Should the elder require nursing home care, the annual cost will double. No wonder people are opting for larger, accessible homes than going into extended care.

This Isn’t Across the Board, However

One interesting fact AIA’s survey brought out is should a Millennial decide to make the leap into a home purchase, he or she is more likely to purchase less space, and home redesign services are happy to oblige this end of the spectrum, as well. The Millennial generation is frugal, and many believe they suffer the same anxiety their great-grandparents, The Great Depression babies did. They were raised in lean times, so they’re less likely to waste money.

In this case, an existing structure may be downsized – remodeled to reduce the square footage – and the home’s systems must be reworked as well. In the end, this helps the Millennial generation save money on all homeowner responsibilities, including sewage, trash, utilities, and water. Some Millennial homebuyers want land but not a large residence. Others prefer a small home on a small lot. After all, property is also an expense in terms of taxes and maintenance.

One Common Theme

Whether a person is looking for a ton of square footage or a “tiny house,” one common theme across the board is single-floor, open floor plans. People want an open-air home, regardless of its size. This trend is seen on the home renovation shows on television all the time. Very few home remodels in the first quarter of 2017 did not include removing walls to open up the space. This gives a home a breeziness that is popular throughout the United States.

The days of two-story abodes are also gone. Perhaps because of the popularity of The Brady Bunch in the 1970s, many home buyers sought out two-story dwellings. Over the years, this trend has diminished for numerous reasons, including the mobility and environmental concerns discussed above. It’s much safer for an elderly person to live in a one-story home, and energy bills are more manageable in a single-story residence, as well.

These are just some of the trends that hit the home remodeling market during the first quarter of 2017. Hopefully, AIA will conduct a second quarter survey so everyone can see what’s been popular in the U.S. from May through August.