8 Popular Home Design Trends to Look for in 2016!

Home design trends are more than just individual details and fads. They represent changes in lifestyle and the desire to create a home that better fits your needs. In 2016, many home builders have noticed home design trends are being driven by three main themes - functionality, personalizaton, and entertaining. In this article, we will explore how these three themes manifest themselves in the design choices made by 2016 new home buyers.

Functionality

Home buyers who are building a new home in 2016 want to maximize their space by using every square inch and making the home as functional as possible. This desire for functionality has produced the following trends:

- 100% functional design: This means we are seeing fewer hallways and tiny rooms, single staircases because having two takes up too much space, and a decrease in requests for separate, closed off foyers or entrances.

- Smart home technology: Home builders can pre-wire the space with cables so Wi-Fi can be extended throughout the house. This allows the homeowner to conveniently control things like security systems, lights, and thermostats from their smartphone.

- Double islands in the kitchen: Since the kitchen is a key area for entertaining, having two islands allows the homeowner to have one dedicated space for cooking and prep work and a separate space for eating and socializing.

- Landscaping with native plants: Many areas of the country are experiencing drought. By landscaping with native plants, home owners will use less water because these plants are accustomed to the environment but still create an impressive display that adds curb appeal.

Personalization

The main reason why people choose to buy a new home over purchasing a resale home is that it allows them to customize and personalize the space to their needs. This means you can choose your own layout, materials, colors, decorations and more to show off your unique personality. 

Of course personalization is different for everyone, but some of the key personalization trends that home builders are seeing in 2016 include:

- Get away rooms: Homeowners are choosing the open concept layout (which we will discuss in the next section), but they still want a place where they can get away to a more private space. Get away rooms can take the form of wine rooms, libraries, family rooms, recreation rooms, media rooms and more.

- Master suite: Another area where home builders see personalization come to the forefront is in the master suite. Homeowners want to design their perfect bedroom and connected bathroom that let them escape from the hectic world outside. Once again, personalization depends on the homeowner, but spa-like bathrooms that include either a walk-in shower or a stand-alone tub (or both) are particularly popular.

Entertaining

A final theme that is driving 2016 home trends is the desire to create a home that is ideal for at-home entertaining. Some more specific trends that fall into this category include:

- Open concept layout: Home buyers are taking down the walls on the main level of their home to create a space where the kitchen, dining, and living areas can all flow together. This provides a larger area where people have room to mix and mingle yet remain in the same space.

- Indoor-outdoor space: With a main floor that is perfectly set up for entertaining, 2016 new home buyers are going a step further to ensure their outdoor space is set up for entertaining too and that these indoor and outdoor areas flow well together. Many are choosing double or even triple pane sliding glass doors to connect the inside with the outside. They are also making the outdoors an entertaining hotspot by adding features like patios, pools, outdoor kitchens, outdoor living rooms, fire pits, fireplaces, pizza ovens and more.

This article has featured 8 of the most popular home design trends for 2016, and you hopefully now have a deeper-level view of what to expect in 2016.  These trends are becoming popular because they serve the greater needs of homebuyers in 2016 – needs for functionality, personalization, and entertaining. 

As you plan out your ideas for your own new home, take some time to think about your lifestyle and your needs. A good local home builder will then be able to work with you to design a home that perfectly meets those needs.