IN
- A reduced carbon footprint: How your home and you impact the earth matters to more buyers who want a home that lets them save energy and lessen their contribution to global warming.
- Outdoor living: Massive fireplaces, outdoor kitchens, and under-patio heating to extend the season are not just for the Sun Belt anymore.
- Fully concealed appliances: That wood-printed cover for the fridge is not enough any longer; now appliances are hidden behind hinged doors.
- Floating homes: Not your father’s houseboat, these nonmobile homes are basically ranch houses sitting on stationary barges in a lake or river.
- Home elevators: Even builders of mid-priced homes are adding this essential for boomers wanting to age in place.
- Pet showers: Clean pets mean clean homes, and who wants to mess up the bathtub when this feature can be a part of the garage or mudroom?
- Freestanding bathtubs: These oversized soaker tubs, or “bath thrones,” have supplanted whirlpool baths as the must-have bathroom centerpiece.
- Bathroom suites: Whether it’s multiple flat-screen TVs or a mini fridge and cappuccino maker, you’ll soon have a whole home inside this one room.
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Ceiling Beams: Beams were in, then they were out - and everyone painted their beams white. Well, they’re back in, so paint them a warm shade of brown or cover them with a wood veneer.
OUT
- Living rooms: The incredible shrinking parlor has ceased to exist in some homes.
- Voluminous ceiling heights: The absurd look and wasted space of 20-foot ceilings in 12- by 10-foot rooms is finally dawning on buyers. Tiny balconies Room for only one chair is worthless; balconies must now function for entertaining too.
- McMansions: Could it be that “small is beautiful” finally is gaining traction?
Source: Realtor Magazine
