Fantasizing about custom floor plans? Dreaming of mid-century-inspired design? While the custom-built home of your dreams may only be a twinkle in your eye-for-detail, the days of personalized hardware, fine-tuned features, and top-of-the-line quality are awaiting you.
For those homeowners ready to kickstart their custom build journey, remember that process of building a custom home is all about infusing your home with your personal style and creating fashionable (and equally functional) living spaces worth making memories in.
If your creative juices have fallen flat, drawing inspiration is as simple as staying up-to-date on projected trends in the home design industry. Keeping an eye out for the latest and greatest features can help you leap headfirst out of your design comfort zone—and also wow houseguests with your trendsetting style.
Before you draw up your floor plan, take a look at what must-have features the experts predict will be trending in custom homes this year.
Open floor plans
Compartmentalized living spaces have long been absent from modern home floor plans, and this trend is forecasted to continue into 2021. With an open floor plan, sizable common gathering spaces like the kitchen, living room, and dining room are combined to fill one large shared space.
Not only does this kind of plan make your home feel more expansive, but it also allows for more socialization among family members. If you’re interested in incorporating an open layout into your custom home, visit resources like Monster House Plans to see how architects and designers arrange open floor plans in their blueprints.
Home offices
Over the past year, homes have become more than just a place you return to at the end of a long day. With quarantine measures in full swing, shared spaces have been repurposed into schools, offices, gyms, movie theaters, and even restaurants.
After channeling their inner homebody, many homeowners have realized the importance of designating spaces optimized for work. As you’re designing your custom home, consider creating quiet spaces closed off to common areas where you can prioritize productivity without interruptions.
Outdoor living spaces
Another after-effect of the pandemic is the rise in popularity of indoor-outdoor living spaces. Expanding your living space beyond the walls of your home creates a place where you can safely gather with loved ones when hosting a gathering.
When the clock strikes 5:00, the outdoor living area will serve as a relaxing outdoor oasis for your family. Add small touches like a covered patio or a pergola to keep your outdoor sanctuary functional year-round.
Barn doors
Barn doors aren’t just popular as a fashionable statement piece for any room. Their practicality has also cemented their place as a staple in home design trends for years. In small spaces, a barn door is a must-have space-saving alternative to your traditional hinged door. If you’re not interested in a rustic or industrial-style home, there’s no need to fret. Barn doors come in various styles and materials and can be integrated into any home regardless of architectural preferences.
Open shelving
The time for clutter and mess in the kitchen is long past. As design and lifestyle trends shift towards more minimalistic living, closed cabinetry that hides your crowded, abundant collection of miscellaneous kitchenware is no longer popular. Instead, open shelving in the kitchen has become a mainstay in home design. Not only does open shelving allow for easy access to regularly needed items like water glasses and bowls, but it motivates homeowners near and far to maintain sparky-clean interiors.
Natural elements
This year, the home design industry looks to nature for inspiration as homeowners aim to bring the outdoors inside their homes. Natural elements like exposed wood beams and rugged stone walls are becoming more and more popular in all areas of the house. These nature-inspired finishes add warmth and texture into living spaces, creating a cozy feeling wherever they appear.
The bottom line
With our new normal fast approaching, design trends in all industries are set to take a major turn, and 2021 home design is no exception. The need for homes to have multifunctional spaces in response to the pandemic is a clear example of this influence. Pay attention to the elements that speak to you and your family’s lifestyle and needs, and you can build a custom home to last you a lifetime.
Photo credit: Top Ten Real Estate
