Five Design Tips for Your Custom Home
What are the design trends that are moving today’s homebuyers? While preferences vary by family size and lifestyle, here are five items that we see luxury buyers moved by as they pursue a home that expresses their identity and the way they want to live.
Common threads include creating spaces that are impressive and yet are versatile and efficient. Spaces that move you and also support your everyday needs.
Impressive Outdoor Living Spaces
When outdoor living is done well it transforms the home creating an extension of the interior and a great “third” place in the home for gatherings, relaxation and rejuvenation.
“Public” areas such as the great room, kitchen, dining room have always been the norm. “Private” areas such as bathrooms and bedrooms are required. But, a “third” place in the form of an outdoor living room is uplifting in an entirely different way.
Oversized stacked sliding door are a great option for opening the interior to the outdoors with a size never considered. Combining elements such as an outdoor fireplace, screen (perhaps motorized for ease of use), heaters for cool nights, skylights to bring light into the home and outdoor room, all combine to make this space remarkable.
Floor material should be considered in making this space seamless to the indoor area. The addition of rugs, drapes or painted brick walls will bring charm and intimacy to the space. Lighting, hanging chandeliers or fun designed ceiling fans, add the jewelry to the room to finish it off and bring personality to what will be a favorite room. This room also makes for ideal entertaining for outdoor dining, lounging, parties and gatherings.
Spa-Like Bathrooms
Turning what was the “master bath” into a private retreat with spa like feel is pure luxury.
Showers have transformed with rain heads, expanded sizes and shapes (luxury spa shower, jewel box shower, etc.). Slide bars for hand held showers make for easy cleaning and luxury bathing. Tile, stone all create the look and feel that is personal. Heated floors are a luxury that once felt, is hard to live without.
Entertainment at a New Level
Spaces that allow for flexible entertainment which is easy and efficient and makes the next gathering more fun. Incorporating ideas into the home that make for a new level of entertaining make all the different. Sculleries are the extra kitchen area for those that entertain – the extra counter, cabinet space along with an extra dishwasher and sink, suddenly make prep work and clean up much easier. Wet bars are the perfect spot for a wine cooler, sink and prep area for entertaining, placing out appetizers and drinks.
Celebrated Dining
A formal dining area has become a relic of the past for most new home buyers. Today, owners want a space where they can entertain large groups, and they want the efficiency of one dining area.
The “celebrated dining room” is an oversized dining area open to the main living and kitchen, and a space that can flex from causal everyday dining to elegant celebrated dining for festive occasions and holidays.
Open concept design while popular, has to be done right to ensure this room holds its own as a private space. Use of wall treatments (trim details), or ceiling treatments help make this area special. Lighting sets the mood and can make a large impact on the overall design.
Functionality & Efficiency
In today’s busy world, maximizing efficiency and time saving in the home are critical. Intentional design and focusing on details that make a difference can make a big difference in daily function.
A few examples:
Bringing the laundry room and connecting it to the owner’s closet suddenly cuts laundry time in half by allowing the clothing to come out of the wash and straight into the closet.
Closets in the right spots – launch/mud room area, halls, linen, etc. are much needed to ensure everything is in its proper space. Home management areas that are private and out of sight, but still connected to the flow of the home, provide the much-needed area for the extra home-office, home-works spot, or craft hobby area.
Launch areas are the old “mud rooms”. The spot that launches your day and provides a spot to organize your life.
Want to learn more?
Want to learn more about our approach to design and construction at Classica Homes? We encourage you to explore our portfolio award winning designs and to share any questions or information needs.
Contact us in the manner most comfortable – phone, email us or chat. Thank you for your interest in Classica Homes.