Luxury Home Design Trends for 2017: Part 2
In January, we shared four of the top luxury home trends that are emerging for 2017 and beyond. These included incorporating warm, renewable surfaces throughout our homes, creating spaces that invite play along with community gathering areas.
In the second part of our luxury home design trend discussion, we explore the emergence of surface-deep energy conservation, personalized use of space, transforming the home office and the creation of healthier homes. These trends apply whether you’re living in a beach cottage in Santa Cruz, a Los Gatos Victorian or a upscale mansion in Saratoga.
1. Surface-Deep Energy Conservation
The cost of energy continues to rise as does interest in ways to ways to make our homes more energy efficient. Many cities and states are enacting new legislation to put more strict energy codes in place. These often come with incentives for homeowners to become early adopters of the new regulations. In addition to energy-wise appliances and efficient HVAC units, things such low-E window film, ceramic insulating paint, thermal energy shields for attic interiors and Tesla’s solar glass roofing tiles designed to provide passive heat gain.
2. Personalized Used of Space
Rather than designing homes with generic usage in mind, the trend is toward concentrating on how homeowners want and expect to live. This will impact everything from layout, building materials and Smart home systems as well as personalized color palettes and furnishings, all of which will emphasize a variety of living options based on distinctive lifestyles.
3. The Transformation of the Home Office
As more and more people work from home (up 103% since 2005 and projected to grow by 10 to 20% every year), the home workspace is getting a makeover. Although some people want a dedicated home office, others are focusing on uniting the functionality of built-ins and furnishings that allow for flexibility and varied use. Movable walls are one way to create a multi-purpose space.
4. Healthier Homes
Homeowners are becoming more aware and increasingly concerned about ensuring their residences provide healthy air and water in addition to the elimination of toxic materials and chemicals. The interest and purchase of in-home water and air purification systems along with using nontoxic paints and materials that have little to no off-gassing is on the rise. Other products gaining popularity are those using LED and UV lighting to promote healthy sleep patterns. Overall, more homebuyers will hire experts to assess and maximize a home’s health prior purchasing while existing homeowners will begin incorporating health and wellness products into their residences.
