The New Home in 2015

The NAHB (National Association of Home Builders) is out with a new study that looks at the coming trends in home design and home building:

The current housing downturn has affected not only the number of new homes that are built each year, but also the characteristics, features, and size of the ones that do get built. Many in the industry are wondering about how the new home will evolve over the next few years and whether those changes will stick once the economy bounces back to a more solid footing. In 2010, NAHB conducted a survey that sheds light on the likely characteristics of the average, new single-family detached home in 2015. This article summarizes the findings of that survey, which were released in December 2010 in a report titled The New Home in 2015 [1]  . Some of the most relevant findings include:

• The average, new single-family home will be smaller and have more green features
• The living room will either vanish or merge with other spaces in the home
• The “Great Room” is the likeliest room to be included in the average new home
• Low-e windows and engineered wood products are the likeliest green features
• A double sink, recessed lighting, and table space for eating are very likely in kitchens

Read the Full Report  

There are some interesting items that were uncovered in their study. It's probably no surprise that average home sizes are expected to shrink in the coming years. Smaller footprints generally mean less storage space. If that's the case, then it will be more important than ever to maximize the scarce storage that does exist. A good closet system can go a long way to add storage without adding square footage. You'll be amazed at the additional storage you can achieve without adding much additional cost.