Ten design trends for 2011
Today’s value set is more cerebral, focusing on simplicity, resourcefulness, health, community, and practicality. Here are some design themes we expect to see more of in the years ahead.
No Faux
Glitz is gone. Honest architecture is the order of the day as homeowners look to simplify their lives. This mantra of zen is playing out in interior spaces with natural finishes, clean lines, and few frivolous embellishments. On the outside the philosophy is being parlayed into elevations with uncomplicated massing. Basic geometry is easier and cheaper to frame, plumb, wire, clad, heat, cool, and maintain.
Portion Control
The average house lost a few pounds in the recession. “Demand for very large houses over 4,000 square feet remains, but we are now seeing more requests for homes of 2,400 to 2,800 square feet. Cost obviously has helped precipitate this change, but many buyers are coming to their senses and looking for homes that meet their practical needs rather than satisfying their egos.”
Fresh Ideas
Health-conscious homeowners are starting to see their homes as part of the wellness equation, right in stride with exercise and eating right. “The farm-to-table movement has now entered the design sphere,” Buyers are paying more attention to healthy details such as low-VOC paints, stains, and sealants, along with cabinets and furniture made with natural products such as hay, wheat, eucalyptus, bamboo, and aspen; HVAC systems that improve indoor air quality; and appliances that filter water.
Village Vibe
The suburbs are starting to feel more like little cities as planners and developers find ways to weave density and walk ability into existing hot spots. “Fewer large-scale development opportunities have shifted the emphasis to smaller infill projects.” But these new nodes of “light urbanism” aren’t replacing existing subdivisions; they are popping up between them and connecting the dots. Prime targets for infill redevelopment include big box parking lots, dead shopping centers, strip malls, and transit stations.
Green Grows
Yes, green building is going mainstream. The latest evidence comes by way of California’s Green building code, which took effect January 1, 2011 mandating many green building practices that were previously only voluntary. Watch for rainwater catchment, drought-tolerant landscaping, permeable hardscapes, passive solar design, and more recycling and landfill diversion.
Bridging the Gap
Little cottages may be the darlings of the homebuilding industry, but there’s still a need for homes with high bedroom and bathroom counts as multigenerational households are proliferating: boomerang kids moving home to save money; elderly parents who need family support; young parents relying on grandparent care for their kids; and rapid growth among immigrant families for whom shared living is a cultural tradition.
Accessorize Me
Here’s another development that may be coming to a suburb near you: detached accessory units. No longer a luxury reserved for the well-to-do (yoga studios or casitas for weekend guests) stand-alone structures are coming in handy as granny flats for elderly parents, studios for home-based businesses, or rental units for homeowners wishing to supplement their income. What’s making these residences possible is that zoning tides are turning. Many neighborhood covenants that once prohibited accessory units are beginning to ease.
Factory Factor
Whereas “factory built” was once considered synonymous with “trailer park,” houses today that incorporate panelized design are nearly impossible to distinguish from conventionally built homes once they’re stitched up. We are referring to panelized walls, roof systems, and other prefab components as a means of moderating costs, reducing job site waste, and improving quality with structural pieces that aren’t exposed to weather for long stretches of time. And, contrary to some lingering bias, many factory-built homes now come in traditional styles such as Georgian, colonial, and even Victorian.
Spec This
What are the current materials of choice? There is a growing interest in sustainable and cool roofing, tubular skylights that provide natural day lighting, and low-maintenance cladding materials such as fiber cement, stone, tile, and natural-earth plasters. Interiors are poised to see some new finishing options, too. Sub-Zero’s trend-watchers predict that “glass will become the next material to face appliances, cabinets, and even countertops because it is not only durable and environmentally friendly, but also versatile. Also worth checking out: inexpensive laminate cabinet veneers made from digital photographs of exotic wood species.
Mix and Don’t Match
We’ve entered an era of mass personalization. Nowadays it’s cooler to mix different cabinet styles, wood species, and paint finishes, and to accent new stock with an antique here or there. Although the “granite standard” still lingers, many consumers are starting to explore other options for self-expression, such as terrazzo and concrete countertops that can be inlaid with sea glass or pebbles from that recent beach trip. Or the builder-grade drawer pulls that can be swapped out for antique knobs from your grandmother’s armoire. Little things make a difference if they make buyers feel like their home was built just for them.
