Next up at the Economic Forecast Seminar was Guy St. Germain, Edmonton Region President of the Canadian Home Builders Association, talking about new home trends.
He mentioned that in Edmonton, starting in Q4 home builders noticed large increases in traffic to their show homes, and by the end of the year unsold inventory was down to 2%. The are cautiously optimistic and feel that the recovery we are currently experiencing may be short lived.
Home buyers today are looking for comfort, convenience, style and affordability.
The top 10 home design trends for 2010 are:
- Going Green to Save Green – dual flush toilets, low flow shower head and faucets, whole home lighting controls to cut down electricity, higher insulation, less chemicals
- Flooring – people are going for lower priced woods (oak instead of hickory or maple) and dressing them up with stains. The demand of green floors is expected to decrease as many products are 25-30% higher than traditional products. Engineered flooring is very popular with the feel of hardwood but lower cost. Shag carpet is still hot.
- Wide Hardood Floorboards – for those with larger budgets these wide plank floors are very popular with high end buyers at $20-$25 per square foot more than traditional products.
- Grey is the new Neutral – Slate and charcoal, earthy greys inspired by nature are popular go well with granite and hardwood. This is not your 1980's inspired grey. Grey has replaced taupe, soft blues and lilacs are popular.
- Wallpaper – An inexpensive way to stay on trend, nature inspired patters not the big bold stuff we've seen. Mixing textures – rough walls with smooth cabinets is expected to be very popular. Some even say wallpaper on the ceiling will be hot (I guess that's ceiling paper).
- Glass Tiles – This trend started last year and continues. Recycled materials are popular, small mosaic accents, metallic, glossy, urban, smooth, polished and square edged styles will be found in kitchens, baths and on the floor.
- Kitchen fixtures – two toned cabinets (designers are mixing and matching styles and colours), marble surfaces are making a huge comeback, the white kitchen is back. Open kitchen, lots of lights, fewer cabinets can be offset with new innovated storage solutions.
- The High Tech Kitchen – more gadgets than ever before, built in recycling centres, retractable hoods, built in entertainment centres, custom work areas for kids. Bronze and copper appliances will become the top tier for appliances since stainless steel is now seen as the norm.
- Bathroom – 65% of home sales are based on the bathroom now, replacing the kitchen. Bathrooms are taking on a spa like status, soothing colours, more streamlined and functional. Consumers are willing to pay more for an upgraded bathroom than any other room. Master bathrooms are getting bigger and more spa like. Creating dedicated spaces for him and her. Heated floor tiles and steam showers are increasing in popularity.
- Dog Showers – a very hot selling feature in 2010… a short shower space in the laundry room or mud room to clean off the dog before tracking mud into the home.
Overall cost is the dominant factor followed by green choices. Out are bold patterns and bright tones and in are soothing and comfortable colours (bright colours are still found in accents and accesories).
As someone who has looked at a number of showhomes in the past year, I would agree with the appeal of most of the design trends for 2010(except for the copper and bronze appliances…maybe it’s one of those things I have to see in person to appreciate). I have real concerns however about how the builder will be able to include these designs without substantially increasing the price of a move up home. Almost all the trends would be considered an upgrade in all of the homes I’ve looked at. It really sounds like these design trends are geared to the wealthy as a budget of half a million wouldn’t include most of the things you listed.
In my opinion the day of the double sink in a relatively small master bath is done. Also avoid top mounted sinks…they are a waste of space and look cheap. Position one undermount sink to one side to help free up counter space. Always buy good quality counters and try to save on trendy but cheaper fixtures and cabinets. It has worked for me….
Like your top ten.
Who would of thought that a dog shower would make it to the top 10.
Really..!!
Like it..!!
Wow, I found these the most interesting of the bunch…
1) Wallpaper – I guess everything is cyclical right. Maybe the designs from the 70′s will come back as well. I hope so!
2) Dog Showers – very cool. What a cool niche business. I am sure that this is an area that could see rapid growth.
3) Grey – I would not have pegged Grey as the new neutral. Very interesting. I am not a big fan of grey. I much prefer the off whites!
You are spot on with the number #1 Going Green to Save Green.
This is truly on the lips of new home owners in the Edmonton region.
Did you know that building a green home in Edmonton can qualify the home owner to receive up to $10,000 government cash rebate based on a EnerGuide rating label being issued.
The EnerGuide labelling program can only be issued by an EnerVision’s Certified Energy Advisors (CEAs). EnerVision is an Alberta-based not-for-profit organisation with a mandate to assist in building you a energy efficient, environmentally responsible, healthy green home.
Typical energy efficiency rating for a new house built to building code standards is between 65-72. A new house with some energy-efficiency improvements is between 73-79, a purpose built energy-efficient new house scores between 80-90, A house requiring little or no purchased energy scores between 91-100. For a brand new house, a rating of 80 or higher is considered excellent.
Any builder can claim that a house is energy efficient, but an only a EnerGuide rating label proves how efficient it really is.
Source: http://michaelhomesinc.ca/building-green-homes-edmonton-home-builders/