What’s Hot, Hip, and Happening in Home Design

Get ready for the hot trends that are captivating the construction and design industries. Some represent big changes, such as the smaller, reconfigured footprint with a great room that now has an integral outdoor-oriented space with sliding glass doors, says John R. Shumway, principal with The Concord Group in Newport Beach, Calif., which tracks building trends. Other home-related changes look and sound a bit less exciting but will still pique interest. Some of these include insulated window treatments, energy-efficient windows, bigger walk-in master bedroom closets, and linen closets on steroids. Help your buyers and sellers by advising them of these trends, but remind them that their own needs should take precedence.

What it is: Attractive, energy-efficient insulation   
Why it's hot: What's on the mind of many home owners when they move into a new home or remodel? Their window treatments, since most seek privacy and energy efficiency. The loss of energy through windows often accounts for up to 20 percent of a home's total heating and cooling costs, according to the U.S. Department of Energy. Instead of hanging heavy draperies that camouflage views, home owners can add an extra insulation layer within the cellular structure of a sheer, light-filtering fabric, so that it looks attractive and also keeps out cold or heat.

What it is: Vertical axis wind turbine designed for homes   
Why it's hot: Home owners as well as communities are looking to reduce the amount of power taken from the grid. Designed for home use by  Urban Green Energy of New York, the turbines can be installed on a roof, are made of a combination of galvanized steel and carbon filters, can be painted to match the roof's color, and come in sizes from 5'2" to 14'4".

What it is: Cellulose-based insulation that sends pests running, crawling, or flying
Why it's hot: A three for-one — insulation that conserves energy and keeps out pests and is made from recycled paper. It’s easily applied on top of existing insulation in an attic by many of the company’s best-known pest-control services. "It’s 32 percent more efficient than fiberglass because its R-value is higher, and it only needs to be applied once," says William N. Turk, founder of  Pest Control Insulation Systems in Homer, Ga., which manufactures the Thermal Accoustic Pest Control product. 

What it is: Residential air-purification system
Why it's hot: Almost all home owners want air without dust particles, mold spores, allergens, odors, VOCs, bacteria, viruses, and germs to stay healthy. Home owners can breathe the equivalent of "clean mountain air" and reduce energy costs since its technology is Energy Star-rated, says Steve Levine,  AtmosAir Solutions CEO and president. One of the company’s designs goes directly into a home’s heating and air conditioning system so it takes care of problem air in every room; a second, portable system covers up to 1,500 square feet. 

What it is: An outdoor space that looks and functions like a room
Why it's hot:  Nature continues to entice, even more so when an outdoor area is private and includes comfortable furnishings and maybe a special feature such as a fire element, says architect Robert Hidey, president of  Robert Hidey Architects in Irvine, Calif. Hidey's caveat: "An outdoor room should never feel like leftover space. It should follow the same architectural language as the home itself.   

What it is: A mirror with a television screen built in
Why it's hot: For those who don't want to miss a favorite show or the news, the concept of the mirror cum television has caught on.  Ciil Technologies of Melrose Park, Ill., has improved the technology and design. Its custom sizes  up to 65"  can be installed as in-wall or on-wall fixtures that use real-mirror technology rather than double-mirror design so that they allow the TV (an LG panel) to transmit at maximum brightness, says Jack McKeague, general manager.

What it is: Software for DIYs to remodel and decorate online
Why it's hot: Uther Interiors, a Vancouver, B.C.based firm, has developed software that allows home owners to view a 3-D version of any room in their house and make changes. "After e-mailing the company a floor plan of a room or rooms, the company develops a 3-D version that allows home owners to remove a wall, add a window, select furnishings from an online company catalog, or make other changes online," says Jeff Swan, Uther Interiors' business manager.   

What it is: New styles that don't resemble your grandmother's patterns and palette   
Why it's hot: Katherine Shenaman, owner of  Katherine Shenaman Interiors in Palm Beach, Fla. She's encouraging clients to put up fresh art nouveau and floral papers that "you want to live with for some time rather than change." Designer Leslie Hart-Davidson, owner of  Hart-Davidson Designs of Okemos, Mich., also thinks wallpaper is getting hot again; she favors putting it up on just one wall as a focal point, on a ceiling, or as a framed piece of art.

What it is: Orange and purple colors are the new white and beige  
Why it's hot: Amy Wax of Your Color Source Studios Inc., says purples now are a dusty variation, muted, or in the lavender or plum family rather than garish. Same goes for orange, which she sees as part of the rust family  earthy with a twist. The big reason for both hues is that more home owners are fighting against "blandification," according to Hart-Davidson. "People have grown tired of so much beige and white," she says.

What it is: A closet to organize a home owner's life
Why it's hot: Busy family members are eager for closets that help them organize and save time, and the walk-in master bedroom closet and separate linen closet are among the top features buyers look for in new homes. One cost-saving feature is that home owners who have a walk-in closet often are able to give up chests in their bedroom, says David Smith, founder of  Are You Organized? in Brookfield, Conn. 

What it is: Smaller, with fewer sprays
Why it's hot: With home owners looking to conserve dollars  and water  one place to cut back is the enormous walk-in shower with panoply of jets and sprays that became popular in recent years. Instead, a 4' by 5'-6' shower with bench, along with both a handheld and stationary spray or rainhead, can do nicely, says Jamie Goldberg, owner of Jamie Goldberg Kitchen and Bath Design in San Diego.

What it is: Products and spaces that reflect people's physical diversity
Why it's hot:  Universal design has been around for decades but it's gaining more attention now that boomers are aging, says designer Mary Jo Peterson, whose firm is based in Brookfield, Conn. Companies like Hafele are manufacturing countertops that can be raised and lowered to suit people of different heights or those sitting in a wheelchair. In the bathroom, companies like Delta make shower systems with zero or low thresholds so they're easier to enter with a walker or cane.  

What it is: One big room that has multiple social functions
Why it's hot: Popular years ago, the then-humongous great room is again gaining attention, but it's getting smaller and more manageable as home owners scale back and live and entertain more casually. "Especially younger home buyers want this room since they see a dining room as a wasted space and want food prep in the same area," Bohl says. Hart-Davidson recommends a room no bigger than 18' by 24'. Strategically placed built-ins, furniture, and rugs can define functions within, Bohl says.

What it is: A big, tall kitchen storage closet that can hold anything from fine china to canned and dry food storage, dog food
Why it's hot: It helps to organize essentials to cook, allows home owners to buy in bulk and save, and eliminates worries about having enough food on hand. Designer Chris Berry, co-owner of  Brooks Berry & Associates Ltd. in suburban St. Louis, has designed portable baking centers in pantries with bulk flour, sugar, a stand mixer, and other essentials on a movable cart that can be pulled out of the pantry when needed. Scott says these pantries allow home owners to arrange kid-friendly shelves to grab snacks.

What it is: Bench seating, usually with a back  
Why it's hot: It makes it easier to seat more people and offers an alternative to chairs. "They can slide in like they do at a booth in a restaurant," says Hart-Davidson, who likes to use recycled church pews. If she's designing from scratch, she might make it 8' long if there's room and also it with chairs to make the arrangement flexible. Another advantage: Upholstering the seat and back makes the banquette super comfortable. 

What it is: Fiber cement
Why it's hot: Stone, brick, and stucco are classic, durable materials, but many home owners want that look in more maintenance-free possibilities. Fibrous or fiber cement  a composite made from sand, cement, and cellulose fibers  has gained proponents because it resembles shingles, but it can be applied in prepainted panels that weather well and require little care. It's impervious to rot, decay, insects, and woodpeckers, noncombustible, guaranteed for at least 50 years, and barely discernible from the real McCoy, says Lake Bluff, Ill. builder Orren Pickell. However, it can be a bit more difficult to work with than some comparable materials. 

What it is: Large indoor area with soaring ceiling for recreation
Why it's hot: For families who still have money to splurge and the space to indulge, nothing spells relaxation more than everyone out on the court, whether to play basketball, baseball, or hockey or take practice golf swings. Builder Orren Pickell has designed them in basements, under garages, and as additions. Most average 40' by 75' with ceilings a minimum of 18' high, but often going up to 25'. "It's a great way to keep the kids at your house, since everyone wants to come over," he says.