New Construction Home Trends
Every year brings new construction home trends to the forefront. Some of the new construction design ideas are new, but many are variations of established trends that have happened years, if not decades ago. While home construction is more stable in terms of trends compared to interior design, there are still changes that take place which put some interesting ideas to the forefront.
Barn Door
The barn door is most often associated with 19th and 20th century doors that allow for livestock to pass into and out from the barn which most people living in urban and suburban areas do not own today. However, the barn door has become a growing trend in large part because when used for interior rooms they have a smaller profile that makes them more accessible. They are also used to hide TV sets or pantries which makes them a popular design trend.
Charging Stations
Electric cars have only recently become practical thanks to the longer drive times that they now provide. However, they do require a special outlet so that they can be charged from the home. Because of their increasing popularity, there are now more charging stations included in new construction design projects. The cost ranges from $300 up to $3000, but the trend is only growing as more people are using electric vehicles.
New Energy-Efficient Windows
Improved window designs have been around for a couple of decades, but only recently has the combination of increased interest in energy savings and the overall lowering of the cost for installation has made energy-efficient windows one of the new construction home trends. New coatings and film reduce the transference of heat and cold from the outside, glazing increases privacy while still letting in the light and other new advances are making energy-efficient windows a trend that is here to stay.
The Smart Home
There are popular cartoons from the 1940s that predicted the coming of smart homes and while today they may bear little semblance to what was envisioned nearly 70 years ago, they are becoming a trend that is taking hold. Thanks to new innovations in technology, advanced control systems, and more money being pushed into investing in smart homes, the trend has really taken off. The main thrust is the energy-efficient home that uses Wi-Fi enabled technology to better control temperature at a lower cost in electricity.
Solar Panel Roofs
Solar panels have been around for decades, but only recently have they become more than a niche trend thanks to improved designs and government subsidies. With local governments, power companies, and investors who have a real interest in protecting the environment being behind this push, there are more solar panels being installed on homes every year. The future may include solar shingles being pushed by Tesla and other innovations that are just starting out in the industry.
The new construction design trends for this year are only expected to grow in the foreseeable future. While some may change eventually with new technologies becoming available, it is safe to say that for this year at least the new construction home trends are here to stay.