Numerous areas of design, such as seasons in fashion, make various trends come and go, making it tricky to forecast what is next on the horizon. Nevertheless, houses are more permanent and therefore the change of trends in the area of interior design and floor plans goes a bit slower, reflecting the changes in function as in style. The task before designers and architects has always been to find the perfect balance between innovations which may not immediately resonate with customers and versions of plans already put to the test.

The Perfect Fit of Customization

Most home shoppers aim towards acquiring new homes since it allows them to be much more involved in the building process and brings an ideal opportunity to customize every part of it into a perfect fit for their family’s needs. If you’ve already bought a house, this customization can also be achieved through a redesign of existing plans. Although this remodeling project may sound expensive, it doesn’t have to be if you refinance your existing home loan and access the equity available - it’s an easy way to get the cash out to for it. People do it frequently for a variety of reasons - going on holidays, buying a new car, doing home renovations - and lenders typically allow you to borrow up to 80% of your property’s value. While there are a number of steps to consider when refinancing, the very process is a lot faster and easier than it used to be.

Clean & Simple, Yet Chic

When it comes to house floor plans, trends are more design tweaks with a purpose to better meet buyer’s needs. This is most evident with the farmhouse trend that is clean and simple, yet chic, which many designers are taking advantage of to create their own take on it. With a modern farmhouse that uses clean lines and simplicity with a touch of nostalgia, you get a relaxing environment in the midst of our chaotic contemporary lives. When it comes to the exterior, this style has clear defining characteristics - simple roof lines, large windows, and lap siding - usually bright white in color, paired with dark windows. The latest trends points towards this addition of color in order to stand out in a market crowded with this style - instead of expected classic hues such as brown and red, soft pastels provide a new and fresh feel.

Kitchen as the Epicenter

The above-mentioned farmhouse trend has already introduced open floor plans with large windows which are often centered around one large room, and the most popular choice is a spacious social kitchen. It is practically a combination of breakfast nook with a formal dining room. In mid-size plans, having just an enlarged breakfast nook as one dedicated eating space adjacent to the kitchen will do the trick. This is the best solution for an increasing desire for smaller footprints due to land scarcity and the need for relaxed living through open-plan spaces. The kitchen is already regarded as a center of every home, and this trend makes it large enough not only for dining and cooking but for entertainment as well. The biggest tweak is going beyond the standard island configuration containing three or four stools in a row to a squared-off shape which makes the flow of conversation more natural. People are even going for a cafe-like vibe by incorporating smaller tables into islands.

Outdoor Sights & Fresh Air

Clear from the social kitchen trend, people are trying to get areas connected through open plans, and this connection is not only limited to the interior. Semi-outdoor spaces are a great and increasingly popular way to introduce outdoor sights and the fresh air to the more refined comfort of the interior. The best way to achieve this is with a large deck, off of the main part of your house, or a simple screened-in porch. This incorporation of an indoor-outdoor trend is especially beneficial in coastal areas with inviting ocean views and a soothing sea breeze.

Versatility with In-law Suites

The increasing need for multigenerational households has created a growing movement toward a flexible layout with a variety of living arrangements. Here, adaptability is the key - you might not need room for your parents now, but this may change in just a couple of years. The most important shift is in in-law suites - from the common guest rooms over the garage to bedrooms with an adjacent bathroom on the first floor (since stairs usually present difficulties for elderly relatives). These flexible, adaptable spaces are also useful the other way around, offering privacy for younger generations just out of college who haven’t established independent households yet.

Keeping Everyday Clutter Organized

While walk-in closets will never go out of style, an increasing need for practicability has put an emphasis on the thoughtful placement of storage features. There’s not much room to hide coats, backpacks, and footwear in a home with an open plan layout. For this reason, there’s a popular transition of laundry areas and mudrooms, from combined to separate spaces which will keep everyday clutter organized. A simple separate mudroom with benches, lockers, and hooks provides you with a place to sit, take off your shoes and store schoolbooks or gym bags. Master closets that open directly into the laundry room are a simple change that eliminates the need to carry a laundry basket throughout the house and provides you with the smarter storage for laundry necessities.

As we’ve said, it’s all about the balance - between classical and modern, smaller footprint and an open one, indoor commodity and outdoor sights, needs of different generations under one roof, connected and organized. So it is equally about functionality as it’s about style, and that’s precisely why these trends are here to stay.

Author Bio: Bethany Seton is a real estate agent from Melbourne. For the last two years, she decided to leave her office job and follow her passion for writing and travelling. Currently, she travels with her laptop and writes for various blogs, hoping one day she will gather all the experience she gets in one book.

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