Builders often cross the line between delivering homes that meet consumer demand for something different (or even unique) and homes that are also familiar and timeless.
Today’s consumers are increasingly following Instagram influencers, watching how-to home design shows, reading magazines, and browsing Houzz.com to find new inspiration … but also to confirm what they already have like. The push-pull of this modern dynamic creates a kind of zeitgeist – or in apartment jargon a trend.
Here we present four current trends with examples from 2020 Best in American Living Awards (BALA) winners to inspire and influence your next project.
Trend 1: Shades of blue and color palettes
In December 2019, Leatrice Eiseman, Managing Director of the Pantone Color Institute, told AdPro: “From an emotional and psychological point of view, blue has always been a certain amount of calm and reliability. You can rely on this color. “
And that’s how a trend emerges. From backsplash tiles to bedroom colors and beyond, blue infiltrates and defines, to some extent, today’s color palette in home design.
Everything is connected in this modern farmhouse, from the light blue backsplash tiles and the blue-toned cabinets of the kitchen to the art pieces, furniture accessories, and tchotchkes. | Photo: Joshua Caldwell
Project: Sterling Grove-The Smithfield Place: Surprise, Ariz. Architect: KTGY architecture + planning Builder: Great brothers Interior fittings: Design Line Interiors Market: 55+ Size: 1,529 square feet
Backsplash tiles and different shades of blue for walls in the kitchen, bathroom, hallway and bedroom create a cohesive, calming ambience. | Photo: Ashley Avila Photography
Project: Bayou lowlands Place: Saugatuck, me. Architect: 42 Northern architecture + design Builder: Cnossen construction Interior fittings: Whit and Willow Market: Custom Size: 1,870 square feet
The view of the water inspired the blue palette in this Craftsman style home. The blue wood on the screened-in porch is reflected in the blue-gray of the double-sided chimney that brings color to the interior. | Photo: Ashley Avila Photography
Project: Sterling Grove-The Smithfield Place: Surprise, Ariz. Architect: KTGY architecture + planning Builder: Great brothers Interior fittings: Design Line Interiors Market: 55+ Size: 1,529 square feet
The kitchen’s large, dark blue island base helps center the space as the heart of this farmhouse. Patterned backsplash tiles add visual interest and movement to the clean lines of the kitchen. | Photo: David Patterson Photography
Project: Solstice Place: Littleton, Colo. Designer: DTJ design Builder: Shea Homes Interior fittings: HRI design Market: Ascent Size: 3,538 square feet
Trend 2: Designs with clerestory windows
Originally a feature of Romanesque or Gothic naves, the clergy’s windows – a high section of wall with windows above eye level – meet all the criteria for what consumers want in modern homes: they bring in natural light that is and can be given by their placement in the surrounding area help keep a house cooler in summer and warmer in winter; If they are operable, the windows also allow air to circulate. and their height offers privacy while at the same time preserving the wall space at eye level for furniture, works of art or books.
Clerestory windows are a particular favorite with mid-century modern home designers and are a great choice for smaller homes that may not be able to pull off large areas of glass. Although clerestories are becoming increasingly popular, they are still rarely used enough to make them feel like a special and unique design feature.
The modern, country-style house is located on a narrow plot of land in a newly built pocket district. The windows in this small bedroom provide privacy and allow residents to place furniture without worrying about blocking out daylight. | Photo: Tim Burleson / Die Grenzgruppe
Project: City walk-Alderney Place: Weaverville, NC Builder / Designer: Red tree growers Market: Ascent Size: 2,306 square feet
Clerestory windows pop up in almost every room of this home, tweaking the wooded slopes of the surrounding Blue Ridge Mountains and adding another interesting layer to the home’s modern design. | Photo: Mark Herboth Photography
Project: Solomon Circle Place: Hendersonville, NC Builder / Designer: BlueStone construction Market: Custom Size: 2260 square feet
Clerestories aren’t just for the main house. For the covered patio of this home, the windows provide unique modern touches as well as visual interest, ambient light, and access to great views. | Photo: Manolo Langis / Lango Works
Project: Bay front Place: Newport Beach, California Architect: Brandon Architects Builder: Patterson Custom Homes Interior fittings: Tru Studio Market: Custom Size: 5,042 square feet
This ribbon of clergy windows towers over large glass doors that surround a massive steel-wrapped fireplace in the large room of the house, which is used to connect the indoor and outdoor living areas. | Photo: Mark Boisclair Photography
Project: Urban Modern Place: Paradise Valley, Ariz. Architect: Drewett Works // architecture Builder: Bedbrock developer Interior fittings: Own design Market: Upgrade luxury Size: 5,625 square feet
Trend 3: For home decor, black is the new black
Just as the little black dress is known in the fashion world for its versatility and elegance, so are black elements in home design. The trend towards clean lines starts with black and evokes simplicity through lighting and plumbing fixtures, appliances, cabinets, windows and decorative wall elements. Every living style, from traditional to transitional to modern, is given an immediate dramatic boost by black accents.
Black cabinets, plus a black extractor hood, pendant light, and wood paneling create a crisp, clean ambience in this mid-century modern residence, adding a great deal of sophistication and richness to this collection of compact, alley-laden houses. | Photo: Eric Lucero Photography
Project: Painted prairie Place: Aurora, Colo. Designer: DTJ design Builder: McStain neighborhoods Market: Millennial median income Size: 2,151 square feet
In this bathroom, precise black lines define spaces and emphasize architectural forms, transforming something simple into a powerful space. The tile is reminiscent of classic black and white treatments of the 1960s and enhances them. | Photo: Joshua Caldwell Photography
Project: The Calistoga in the Sterling Grove-Sonoma Collection Place: Surprise, Ariz. Architect: BSB design Builder: Great brothers Interior fittings: Is is Market: Empty nests Size: 2,730 square feet
The fresh look of the kitchen is emphasized by the black cabinets, range hood, appliances and light pendants, while a distinctive ceiling beam treatment defines the space and adds depth and dimension. | Photo: Rachel Kay / Applebox Imaging
Project: Lavish life by the lake Place: Austin, Texas Builder / Designer: Sterling Custom Homes Interior fittings: Mary DeWalt Design Group Market: Second rise / luxury Size: 3,541 square feet
In the bedroom of this modern lakeside home, a black Mondrian-style wall panel adds texture and visual interest. | Photo: Rachel Kay / Applebox Imaging
Project: Lavish life by the lake Place: Austin, Texas Builder / Designer: Sterling Custom Homes Interior fittings: Mary DeWalt Design Group Market: Second rise / luxury Size: 3,541 square feet
Trend 4: Creative thinking in lighting
The advent of LED lighting opened up new opportunities for designers to improve ambience, add sculptural elements to spaces, and improve the functionality of a wide variety of spaces. One step further: if LEDs are an art element in and of themselves, they affect the appearance of a lamp.
Creative thinking in LED lighting design involves home designers using chandeliers inside and out, using the lighting in the living room as statement pieces, and using wall sconces for extra layers.
Lighting as a trompe l’oeil. Hanging on translucent cables above the bar area in this house, this horizontal LED light fixture adds a touch of whimsy to the eye by making the eye see a range hood above the countertop. | Photo: Atanas Kan / StudioM87
Project: Chicago Modern Place: Chicago Builder / Designer: United Chicago Builders Market: Millennial Market Rate Size: 3,000 square feet
Matt black and gold go well together in this interior. The curved shapes of the sculptural light fixture hanging from the living room ceiling create a fun counterpoint to the solidity and straight lines of the oversized pendants hanging over the kitchen island and the cluster of lightbulbs hanging in the dining area. | Photo: Kerry Kirk Photography
Project: Caruthers Place: Houston Builder / Designer: Frankel Building Group Market: Custom Size: 6,343 square feet
Work lighting doesn’t have to be boring. In this luxury apartment, a collection of black pendant lights of various shapes and lengths of various lengths is hung over the kitchen island and dining area for a beautiful, sculptural effect, and the black lacquered suspended ceiling in the living room is played. | Photo: Scott Goodson
Project: Rise & Bolden Place: Tysons, Va Developer: Kettler Builder: Clark Construction Interior fittings: Perkins Eastman Market: Apartment building; Millennial and empty nests Size: 573 to 1,399 square feet
In this modern house, the media room (top left), the stairs and the wine tasting room benefit from the use of energy- and space-saving LED lighting, which makes it easier to find your way and at the same time increases the ambience. | Photo: Roger Davies
Project: Ridge House Place: The angel Architect: Landry Design Group Builder: Peter McCoy Construction Interior fittings: The Wiseman group Market: Custom Size: 12,300 square feet
Stacey Freed writes about design in her Pittsford, NY home and is a regular contributor to Pro Builder Media.
Comments are closed.