As a 30+-year old home remodeling and design firm located in Northern Virginia, we’ve experienced countless architectural design trends and transitions in the industry. This past year has been particularly interesting as more people have been confined to their homes due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Spending so much time at home has made people more aware of long-overdue needed improvements, from small upkeep projects to major home renovations.
Here’s what home remodeling trends we’ve experienced as a result…
1) High Demand for “Home as Sanctuary” Design
As concerns about health and wellness have moved to the forefront, homeowners are proactively taking steps to improve their indoor environments. While the home real estate industry has exploded, so have home remodeling projects. From kitchen remodels, to sunroom and multilevel additions, master suite redesigns, interior reconfigurations, and whole-house remodeling projects—the desire to create a stress-free home for peace, rest, and recharge is top of many homeowners’ lists.
“The new emphasis on “home as sanctuary” has had a profound effect on architecture and interior design. And leading design professionals have moved forward with fresh ideas for the living and working spaces of the future. The nature of our domiciles will reflect the work of these experts – The Design Visionaries – who are leading the future of residential design.” – Home & Design Magazine
2) Master Suite Remodeling is Increasingly Popular
“This year we had more than the usual number of requests for master suite remodels,” suggests Commonwealth Home Design Co-owner, Susan Pierce. Most of Commonwealth’s master suite remodeling projects were within the existing footprint of the house, but some also expanded over a main floor or a garage.
Creating a spa-like master bathroom within a master suite remodel also has been a popular request for homeowners seeking more relaxing, self-care time.
Additionally, there’s been an increase in demand for first-floor in-law suites for the near term that then may be used as master suites in the future. As many people had to be distanced from their aging parents for extended periods of time during the pandemic, more people realized the need to bring parents/in-laws into their own homes.
3) Building Better Outdoor Living Spaces
Studies show that being close to nature reduces stress. Outdoor living areas such as patios, decks, outdoor kitchens/dining areas, porches, and all-season rooms are in high demand, especially as the weather gets nicer heading into spring.
While vacations are canceled and many public parks shut down, home outdoor areas can serve as family oases for relaxation and retreat, as well as extra space for entertaining. Many homeowners are opting to improve their outdoor living areas for work, school, play, education, exercise, and more!
Additionally, in-home design elements that maximize natural light and views, such as windows, sunrooms, and skylights, help provide sun exposure that’s crucial for regulating our moods and circadian rhythms.
4) The Home Office Takes on a New Meaning
While many homes already had offices, quite a few need to be renovated as they hadn’t been designed for long-term, daily use. For homes without offices, spare rooms are being transformed, or roofs are being raised to make room for dedicated office spaces. Intentional home office design requires access to quiet, sunlit, private spaces away from kids, pets, adults, and other disruptions.
With the prediction that nearly half of the U.S. workforce may be working from home well into the future, we expect the need for home office renovations and new home office design to continue as people search for clearer divisions between work and home life.
The surge in working from home also will likely influence creative architectural design to extend beyond in-home offices to outdoor workspaces such as rooftop terraces for conference calls and meetings and shaded spaces that offer a better view of computer screens.
See also: Designing the Ideal Home Office During COVID-19
A recent survey from Porch.com found that 3 out of 4 homeowners have completed major home remodeling projects since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, and roughly the same percentage have one on the drawing board.
If you’re still considering your next home remodeling project, let’s talk!
Contact us today to get started on your home remodeling project: 703-255-9861 or info@commonwealthhome.com.
