Home Features Popular in Custom Homes this Year
If you are going to build a custom home this year, you may want to incorporate some of the latest trends and technology to make your home fit your needs as well as speak to your aesthetic. From exterior home painting to better energy efficiency, the possibilities for personalizing your custom home are endless. I suggest you do your own research instead of relying on your contractor to make suggestions. Here are just a few ideas to consider before you start construction.
Start with smart technology
Any time a custom home is built, it should have the newest tech features that are available for homeowners. You should investigate what is currently obtainable, as well as any changes on the horizon. This way you make educated choices that won’t become obsolete in a year or two.
For this year, the focus is on control in the palm of your hand. You can coordinate your indoor and outdoor lighting, air temperature, and security with a phone app, even if you are away from your home. Having these tech options built in rather than retro-fitted later can make your home easy to operate.
Nest inside your home
Relaxation and serenity in your home can help you destress from the pressures of the outside world.
Keep that in mind when thinking about your custom home build. Would you like an inside garden? What about a dual-sided fireplace you can enjoy in two rooms? Do built-in shelves and storage help you stay organized and reduce clutter?
You can incorporate many of these ideas into your custom design to make your home feel more comfortable and peaceful. The challenge for you and your builder is to create an oasis at home with less maintenance and more free time.
Lean and green
Many custom home builders are committed to eco-friendly construction and materials. This trend is only going to continue to grow this year. Reclaimed wood, stone, and brick can be used to create accent walls or one-of-a-kind flooring.
Other popular options include using sustainable or recycled materials, incorporating solar energy, and investing in energy-efficient heating and air systems.
Look to the north
Scandinavian design was popular in the mid 1950’s and early 1960’s, and this trend is coming around again. Minimalism, inspired by Norwegian, Danish, and Swedish homes, is hot for its coolness. Think sleek cabinets, bright, open spaces, oversized windows, and neutral colors for your custom home.
Exterior home painters can also take this trend outside to give your home a transitional feel and unmatched curb appeal. Homeowners are gravitating towards painted brick or cool hues that provide a contrast to the green spaces and natural surroundings of landscaping in their yards.
Smiling on the outside
Expanding your living space outdoors continues to be a big design trend in custom homes. Sunrooms or screened porches around the turn of the century have given way to outdoor kitchens and cozy living rooms that are open to the backyard.
Outdoor kitchens can involve professional-grade grills, wood-burning pizza ovens, top-of-the-line appliances, and custom bars to make your backyard your own personal resort. Living spaces feature fireplaces, televisions, or a fire pit to gather around.
Families can relax or entertain while maintaining a sense of privacy from their neighbors with these practical and luxurious add-ons as well as create additional space in their homes at a lower price point than a traditional enclosed room may cost.
So many possibilities
The joy of custom homes is that you get to work with your building contractor to make your dream come true. You can incorporate as many of these ideas as would suit your budget and lifestyle, or you could do more research to see what other ideas speak to you. Either way, your new home can be exactly what you want, with features that work for you and your family for years to come.
Written and sent in by Jane Wilson, Senior Writer & Editor of Crash of Rhinos Painting