From the past year, we learned that so much of our lives revolve around our family and the place we call home. How we live in those homes has also changed quite a bit, so we can expect the actual design of those homes to shift as well.
Whether you’ve always cooked meals from scratch or most of your meals came from local restaurants, many kitchens got more use than ever before and really became the heart of the home. The kitchen design trends of 2021 are largely influenced by increased use and that feeling of warmth and closeness emanating from within it. Stained cabinetry, especially natural colors, are making a comeback – either as a focal point such as the island or the entire cabinetry layout. Large walk-in pantries have also become a must for any family. Kitchen islands are one of the biggest changes we will see in this year’s floor plans. With the need for more flexibility out of our homes, having a large workspace, regardless of the type of work being done, is essential. The island provides just that – prep space for cooking, a zone for kiddos to do schoolwork, and even a central place to get a little work done yourself.
Because of this, there are two popular trends we will see with islands – removing sinks from the island and the introduction of double islands. Moving the sink to the perimeter of the kitchen is going to be popular because it provides that larger workspace as well as allowing for more natural light into the space as windows are typically placed above a sink on the perimeter. Alternatively, having two islands allows for one to be focused on prep and serving, while the other can be focused around gathering, socializing, or even working. It also improves congested traffic flow for those larger families. For those of you that think this seems crazy, the kitchen does not need to be extremely large to accommodate two islands, just sized and laid out properly to permit such flow. Lastly, the placement of the kitchen is critical – quick access from the garage and a “drop zone” for groceries is especially important, as well as close access to the outdoors and a lot of natural light.
Speaking of the outdoors, families spend more time enjoying the fresh air than in previous years, which called for a makeover to many outdoor spaces. Homebuyers are looking for
spaces centered around entertaining. An outdoor oasis should include areas of shade for comfort as well as privacy for gatherings. Popular items being found in backyards are covered decks or patios, pergolas to hang decorative lighting from, firepits and fireplaces (some even dual sided), incorporation of electrical components for TVs and speakers, and even kitchenettes or bars for the ultimate party scene. Backyard design will continue to focus on maximizing the space with a balance between everyday use and entertaining spaces, with beautiful landscaping to top it off.
The newest trend, and inevitably one of the biggest design challenges, is the call for multi-functional spaces that can adjust as uses and needs change. More people are stationed at home throughout the day for work or school, which has drawn attention to the lack of flexibility in home design to this point with all the open concept floor plans. Here are some of the more popular changes I’ve seen to existing and new floor plans: the incorporation of a desk-like space into large mudrooms/pantries or even spacious hallways between kiddos rooms, ensuite seating areas of bedrooms being transformed into workspaces, and ditching the formal dining rooms for flex spaces that can be used for work and play. Every family uses their home differently, which has continuously fueled the need for spaces like this. We’ll be seeing this as a necessity for years to come.
Health has definitely been a huge, multi-faceted topic over the past couple years. Many of us learned how important it is to have some sort of physical outlet, whether it’s going for a walk or getting a sweat on with a HIIT workout. Another thing many of us learned, our current homes were not really designed with this kind of space in mind. Homes over the next few years will focus on including dedicated areas for working out, yoga, dance, meditation, etc. -
whatever activity you like to get you moving. Maybe they’ll even incorporate a spa for mental wellness?? At least a girl can dream 😉 One trend on the rise that really is for mental sanity (of both parents and children) – a devoted area for play. Whether it is turning that formal dining room into a place for toys or taking that living room in the basement and letting the kids run free, having that space has turned out to be critical! We will continue seeing these kinds of places in homes, from cute reading nooks to full blown entertainment spaces.
We’ve already seen 9’ tall ceilings become more of a standard across the residential building community, but even taller ceilings and different ceiling types will be a main component of 2021 home design. Taller ceilings in the main living areas, or even throughout, enhances the elegance and spaciousness of the home. This was seen more frequently in historic dwellings from the late 19th and early 20th centuries but is certainly making a comeback this year (and will most likely stay for a while). There are so many different ceiling types from barrel vaulted to dome vaulted and tray to coffered ceilings. We will see a variety of these options incorporated in home design to provide additional atmospheric elegance.
Natural light throughout a home (or lack thereof) can either make or break a home in today’s market. With these taller ceilings, we will see more and larger windows. Sizeable, fixed picture windows from floor to ceiling are a hot commodity among both the residential and commercial industries. The more windows there are on each elevation provides visual interest to the exterior of the home, as well as light to the interior. Lighter and brighter spaces are what almost every homebuyer is looking for this year.
Every family uses a home differently based on their needs, but you are sure to see these trends incorporated in almost every new floor plan you see. The future [home] is looking bright, healthy, and extremely functional!
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