WASHINGTON, DC — Home sizes are stabilizing, while accessibility and aging-in-place designs continue to be among the major trends in residential design, according to new data from the American Institute of Architects.
The AIA’s latest quarterly “Home Design Trends Survey, based on a survey of 300+ architects, found that outdoor living spaces, blended indoor/outdoor areas and outdoor firepits also continue to be a major focus. Smart appliances which reduce energy consumption without sacrificing style or convenience are increasingly popular, as well.
“The overall square footage of homes is now leveling off, and is even decreasing in entry level homes,” said Kermit Baker, chief economist for the Washington, DC-based AIA. “Building costs play such a big factor now that trying to design smaller homes with more livability is the goal.”
According to the AIA, with lot sizes often limited in older established neighborhoods, “many clients are scaling back their home addition/renovation projects or canceling them altogether due to rising construction costs.”
Bathrooms remain a popular focus in homes, with more firms reporting that the number of bathrooms per home is increasing, according to the AIA, which noted that large, walk-in showers and sensor faucets were reported as among the leading features being sought in bathrooms.
Similarly, the share of firms reporting an increase in the number and size of kitchens also continued to grow, with outdoor kitchens and working pantries among the features increasing most markedly in popularity, the AIA said.