11 Home Trends for 2015
For several years, a struggling housing market meant most buyers were older and wealthier and could easily afford larger homes. But since 2014, the average size of single-family homes started to fall in part to appeal to first-time buyers, including millennials.
Keep In Mind: A smaller house means that you may not have enough storage space or the man cave of your dreams.
Tiny House Swoon
From sinks to countertops or simply decorative objects, coated copper is making a comeback as the new “it” metal. It can be used on doorknobs, bathroom fixtures and kitchen faucets, creating the perfect industrial chic style popular in recent years. (Think reclaimed wood or Restoration Hardware.) Some of the advantages of copper: It’s 100 percent recyclable and antimicrobial.
Keep In Mind: Copper is easily scratched, prone to dents and can tarnish over time, so take extra care of it in your home.
L Jacobsen Design
Popular in Europe for years, induction cooktops have been slow to gain traction in the U.S., mainly due to their hefty price (starting in the mid $1,000 range, compared to less than $300 for some of the cheapest gas cooktops). But this is changing and prices are going down. Consumers are realizing the attraction of induction heat: the fact that it heats up as fast as gas, cools down quicker, and that cooktops are easier to clean than traditional stove tops.
Keep In Mind: Induction cooking only works with pots and pans that have magnetic bottoms such as stainless steel or cast iron.
Elite Appliances
It wouldn’t be a smart home without NuHeat’s Signature WiFi-enabled floor heating system. With a 3.5-inch color touchscreen, energy usage monitor, seven-day programming and dual voltage, homeowners get full access to thermostat settings with wireless remote access through a smartphone app or a web browser.
Keep In Mind: There’s always the possibility that hackers could get into your wireless network and gain control of devices in your home – so be sure to use the highest level of encryption possible.
nuheat
Garages are now wired just like the rest of the home. “Automated garage technology can provide both [safety and convenience] by allowing users to open and close their garage doors from their phones, whether to let someone in or to make sure they closed the garage door,” according to the National Hardware Show Industry Edge website. For those with a bigger budget, car lifts can help fit more cars into residential garages.
Keep In Mind: A bigger garage means extra cleaning, maintenance and utility costs.
CarProperty
Solar power’s cost has fallen dramatically in recent years, thanks to new 20-year lease models: Providers install the system on your roof, continue to own it and sell you the electricity it produces. “Since 2007, you’ve had a huge decline in the cost of installing solar,” said Thomas Plagemann of Vivint Solar, a residential solar power provider. With investment credits from the government, homeowners on average pay 15 to 30 percent less than their current utility rate.
Keep In Mind: Make sure your roof is in good condition before panels are installed. Solar power won’t be as efficient if your roof faces north or there’s too much shade.
Vivint Solar
Bathtubs are slowly disappearing from the bathroom and making their way to the bedroom, where having a tub (usually a freestanding one with claw feet) isn’t just for Hollywood stars anymore. “There's something unspeakably luxurious about being about to A) roll out of bed and into a deep tub or B) vice versa,” said Allison Brady, branding and communications manager at Houzz, a website for home remodeling and design. In the bathroom, spa-like showers with multiple large showerheads, a seating area and steam are the new must-haves.
Keep In Mind: If you opt for a freestanding tub in your bedroom, consider reinforcing your floor: These tubs are usually heavier than a standard tub and installing plumbing for a freestanding tub can be tricky.
deskrisdesign
The kitchen is becoming vastly more spacious, with open shelves and an open floor plan, allowing you to prepare a meal while your daughter does her homework and your son watches TV, all in the same room. In a recent survey by the National Association of Home Builders, nearly 80 percent of millennial respondents said they want a kitchen completely open to the family room or with half a wall.
Keep In Mind: Tearing down walls may involve moving plumbing and electrical wiring. The smell from cooking may also linger in the rest of the house more than in a closed kitchen.
indulgy
New colors, types of wood and finishes are injecting new life into hardwood floors. Lumber Liquidators, a specialist retailer of hardwood flooring, sees gray tones as the latest trendy colors for 2015. “Gray styles in every tint, tone and shade are a popular choice for their contemporary appearance,” the company said in September. “The neutral color can be used as a base to create different moods with colorful design elements.”
Keep In Mind: Don’t go too bold with your choice of color so that you can accommodate a variety of home interior styles for years to come.
Industry Edge
Basements have become a real extension of the home. They can accommodate a media room, a gym, a playroom for the kids, a pool room, a kitchenette and even a wine cellar, creating a whole new living area in your home.
Keep In Mind: Basements can be dark, so spend a little extra on special lighting or even build an egress window.
nowcultured
Concrete countertops create a modern sleek look that’s so in vogue lately. It’s also possible to make your own as long as you can make a good mold, as a New York Times reporter did last year. “It’s far from perfect, as there are fuzzy lines separating various batches of concrete, and more pinholes than I would have liked,” he wrote. “But when we set it in place, it looked pretty darn cool.”
Keep In Mind: Concrete countertops are hugely heavy, so they’ll require a lot of help to install. You may also want to stock up on extra plates and glassware to accommodate the breakage.
Concrete Network