After a doing some internet research and comparing what I found to what I am seeing in Boulder County. Here are some of the top trends in housing and design.
- Outdoor living that serves as an extension of the inside of the home with outdoors that boast comfortable seating, audio, TVs, a fireplace, and
artwork to punch up the space. - Green design elements, such as water-efficient appliances and LED lighting under the kitchen cabinets, continue to gain traction and offer cost savings.
- Smaller Homes – In Boulder this trend has been helped along by regulations. Nationally, it is combination of the response to the overdone McMansions and the overall trend toward smaller and better caused by the economic collapse.
- Larger Kitchens – Even with overall smaller homes the trend toward large, functional kitchens has persisted. Here are some of the popular features: recycling centers, recharging stations, integration with living areas (great rooms), sustainable product choices.
- Large functional bathrooms have become more popular. Universal design features in sustainable finishes are what people are looking for (think zen spa rather than ornate and overdone).
- High quality modular homes. No longer are modular homes just found in trailer parks. New designs are high quality, high style and pieced together on site, not brought in on a trailer. This trend is bringing contemporary style to ordinary people. Look for this trend to continue until it becomes main stream.
- Granite is no longer king. Composite countertops such as Ceasarstone and Terrazzo and natural stained concrete have replaced granite as the preferred high end countertop finishes. Prices of granite have come down so that it makes sense to install granite just to help the sale of a home.
