The National Association of Home Builders recently announced the winners of the Best in American Living Awards – a prestigious award program that spotlights design excellence for the entire residential building industry.
Award recipients are lauded as the most creative and inventive builders, remodelers, architects, developers, land planners and interior designers in the nation.
Take a look at the newest trends in design that home buyers will see over the next several years based on submissions from this year’s winners. Then get inspired to incorporate your favorite trend in your own home.
White-on-White Kitchens: This continuing trend can be seen in both traditional and modern-style homes. Think white cabinets topped with white countertops and finished off with white back splashes and white trim.
Double-Island Kitchens: Back-to-back and side-by-side islands are showing up in all styles of homes. Often one island is used for cooking and preparing food and the other for serving food and dining. The second island may also take the place of a more formal dining room table.
Centered Bathtubs: As part of the continuing “bathroom as spa” trend, large, well-designed tubs are becoming the center of attention: pulled away from the wall and treated like sculptures.
Natural Elements Mixed with Contemporary Materials: A softer side of modern design is evolving. Wood, steel and glass are a popular combination, allowing the best from both worlds. Modern textures are being combined with old-world or classical elements.
Get-Away Rooms: Whether it is a room with a view or a game room, creating “escapes” is increasingly popular. These spaces are designed to encourage relaxation, family time or provide room for hobbies.
Wine Rooms and Bars: Wine displays under the stairs stylishly fill spaces that may otherwise go to waste. Full rooms dedicated to wine or liquors are no longer just for the avid collector. Wet-bar nooks are adding to the overall encouragement of relaxing and enjoying time at home.
Indoor-Outdoor Living: No matter their location, home buyers are attracted to designs that offer space on the roof to give them a great view while soaking in the surroundings. Indoor-outdoor transitional spaces are also showing up where weather permits by using screens and removable or foldable walls.
Smaller Entries: Entries are still very well designed, but the amount of space allocated to the entrance is shrinking. Large pivoting doors are making grand statements, but open immediately into the main living space of the home.
Non-Car Centric Design: While cars, driveways and garages are a part of American life, design features that seem to be taking their place are sidewalks, bike paths and community gathering spaces.
To bring these exciting new trends to your new home or remodeling project in the High Country area, contact VPC Builders, 828-295-0707, or visit the National Association of Home Builders at nahb.org.