Katherine Slant, author of The Brand-New House Book, issued some design trends that coincidentally fit with some the homes I currently have listed.
She said that homes with both a master and a second bedroom on the first floor are popular because they appeal to young couples (2nd BR serves as a nursery); middle-aged couples may put an elderly parent in the 2nd bedroom; and older couples like the design if their sleep patterns differ, making sharing a bedroom more difficult. See my Worthington listing that matches this description, plus it has 2 more large bedrooms upstairs with dormers and skylights.
Another design trend on her list involves offices. She said the newest variation of the home office is a completely separate office space, connected to the home by a hallway or a breezeway. See my Galena listing that has this type of private office with an exterior entrance in addition to the connection to the home.
Per Slant, kitchens are getting smaller, but they’re connected to larger dining areas, often with a center island where family members can sit while they have an informal meal. My Worthington listing (see above) has this arrangement, as does my listing in Stratford Woods.
Oversized family rooms with high ceilings are giving way to smaller, cozier rooms with lower ceilings. Again my Worthington listing matches this as does my listing in Brookfield Village in Hilliard.
Slant says that home theaters have lost much appeal because people don’t want to watch TV in a separate area. TV viewing is more informal with people doing other things while the TV is on. My listing in Stratford Woods has this floor plan as well as a finished basement for “real TV watching”.
So if you’re interested in buying a TRENDY home, I’ve got you covered. Just pick the trend you want, and I can help you buy it. Of course, you knew I’d say that didn’t you!
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Elaine Reese
614-825-8860Real Living HER
2 responses so far ↓
Jim Oakes // December 1, 2008 at 7:18 pm
I would be interested in others’ views re home theaters. Our LLC is starting the completion phase of a 4,000 sq. ft home in Porter township/Delaware County and a home theater in the basement is on the drawing board.
Elaine Reese // December 1, 2008 at 8:30 pm
Jim, I’m assuming you’re building the home as a spec, not for your own use. If so, you might want to see if a theater room is important to your potential buyers.
If you are building the home for your own use, then it’s up to you. If you plan to use it quite a bit and if it’s important to your style of entertaining, then the room would probably quite useful.
It also depends on the final listing price.