North Shore Views

What’s Hot and What’s Not in Housing

My, how things have changed. A lot of those things that were all the rage just a few short years ago have fallen out of favor, thanks to the convergence of three major trends: the recession, the green movement and the aging of the baby boomers (and coming of age of the echo boomers).  Like Hummers, McMansions are now being shunned by many as crass and wasteful. Even the ubiquitous granite counter tops are losing their cache in favor of other materials like quartz, soapstone, slate and onyx.

Here’s my run-down of what’s hot and what’s not in housing and home design today:

What’s Hot: Bargain hunting for homes.
What’s Not: Over-paying with the expectation of continued appreciation

What’s Hot: House as home
What’s Not: House as investment

What’s Hot: Right-sizing
What’s Not: McMansions

What’s Hot: Pragmatic and flexible living spaces
What’s Not: Specialized rooms for each activity (media rooms, exercise rooms, etc.)

What’s Hot: Remodeling within home’s existing footprint
What’s Not: Huge additions

What’s Hot: Quality finishes
What’s Not: Wasted space

What’s Hot: Eco-friendly materials and building solutions
What’s Not: Over the top bathrooms with chromatherapy tubs, steam showers, gold fixtures

What’ s Hot: Authenticity
What’s Not: Faux

What’s Hot: Living closer to urban areas, with a smaller home, a shorter commutes and more free time
What’s Not: Living far out, with a huge house, a long commute and no free time

What’s Hot: Nine foot ceilings
What’s Not: Two story foyers and soaring cathedral ceilings

What’s Hot: Basement remodels
What’s Not: Oversized garages that dominate the facade of the house

What’s Hot: Outdoor rooms – Building decks and patios as an inexpensive way to add living space
What’s Not: Mixing multiple architectural styles in one house

So what do you think? Please feel free to disagree or add your own “what’s hot/what’s not” trends to this list.

Tags: home design trends, remodeling, what's hot and what's not in housing