2017 is proving that less is more. According to new home builders and contractors specializing in home remodeling, this year buyers are looking for smarter, cleaner, greener, brighter, and, surprisingly, smaller homes. Home buyers are looking for less square footage and total maximization of space. With busy lifestyles and demanding schedules, new home buyers don’t want to spend hours, especially precious weekend hours, doing yard work or home maintenance. The trend is toward low maintenance but more functionality out of their homes than ever before.
Millennials and Minimalism
The Millennial Generation is a driving force in shaping current home design trends. With this generation graduating from college and entering the workforce, they are now making up a large portion of the home buying market. Millennials are known to be tech savvy, environmentally conscious, and a large percentage are willing to pay more to live in an urban setting. Since there is only so much space in large urban areas, it’s a fact of life that these urban living spaces will be smaller than most living spaces in suburban areas. This desire to live in urban areas is one factor among many that makes Millennials notoriously minimalistic.
Decor Trends
Due to the fact that maximization of living space is as must, there are some style and decor trends that help to accomplish this and give the space a more open feel. White tiles, especially in the kitchen and bathroom give these tighter spaces a more wide-open feel. Windows are vital. More windows, larger windows and in particular, skylights are essential in not only opening up these smaller spaces, but they are important when it comes to helping the environment.
Skylights
Skylights can provide a home with not only extra daylighting but ventilation as well, and can help cut down on home heating, cooling and lighting costs. Skylights can be covered with honeycomb or cellular shades, which provide an insulating barrier between the skylight and the room, protecting the indoor space from the sun’s radiant heat energy in summer months, and shielding it from the cold in winter months. Skylights can come in any size or shape, and there are high quality customizable window treatments for skylights made just to fit them.
Automation
There are many new and exciting options and trends for home automation, and most of them can be controlled by an app on your smartphone. Advances in home automation technology create innovative new safety and convenience features for homeowners, like doors that lock themselves and alarms that arm themselves when occupants leave the premises, as well as irrigation systems that automatically shut off your sprinkler if rain is on the way. Some of the latest innovations in home automation are available for motorized window coverings. Closing your blinds at home from your desk at work or preprograming them to open and close at certain times of the day while on vacation are just a few of the features offered. As mentioned earlier, skylights are a great thing to have in your home for a number of reasons but it can be inconvenient to open or close window coverings on a hard to reach skylight. With this new home automation technology, skylight covers can be opened and closed with the simple touch of a button or by using your smartphone.
For expert advice on the right window coverings for your windows and skylights, contact the professionals at VSC Window Coverings. Our showroom is located on West 6th Ave. in Eugene, Washington and we proudly serve the surrounding area. Call us today.