Home Design Trends for Millennials
February 22, 2017
Millennials, classified as those born between the early 1980’s and early 2000’s, are populating a growing consumer group of nearly 80 million. As more and more millennials join the ranks of home ownership each year, they are changing the landscape when it comes to “must haves” in home design and planning. As our industry strives to meet the wants and needs of this group, architects, interior designers and builders are discovering many valuable insights when it comes to the preferences of this generation.
- Millennials Contend that Smaller is Better: Unlike the previous generation, more square footage is not always better. Millennials do not want to stretch their finances so far that they feel strapped or trapped. They want to enjoy travel, dining out and other interests that might be thwarted by taking on too large of a mortgage or too many ongoing maintenance costs for their home. Millennials are often faced with large amounts of student loans to repay as well.
- Millennials Do their Research: What’s trending and popular among social media sites such as Pinterest, Instagram, Houzz and Facebook drive the home wishlists of millennials. The perfectly organized and beautifully decorated spaces on social media drive the expectations of millennials and offer an easily accessible way to kick-start their research and exploration. Millennials tend to gather a lot of information very quickly, resulting in decisions being made very quickly.
- Open Concept Floor Plans Take Center Stage: The open concept design is a trend that has increased among all home buyers/owners over the several years and millennials are no different when it comes to the open concept appeal. Dropping formal dining spaces in favor of creating a more open and casual space between the kitchen and great room will continue to be an important design feature for millennials. Don’t forget technology . . . designing a tech hub within the home is a small but critical detail.
- Updated Kitchen and Baths are Key: Statistically Kitchens and Baths are some of the most important in the home and millennials do not disagree. These rooms are top of the list when it comes to the required updates of a home. The kitchen has gradually become the epicenter of the home while baths offer much needed retreats from busy lives.
- Home Office or Dedicated Space for a Home Office Increasing in Need: The number of people who work from home is on the rise, so the need for a dedicated work space within the home is growing. A separate work space balances the open concept by providing a quiet organized space for work tasks such as phone calls and research.
- Location is Going Urban: Depending on their stage of life, many millennials want to live closer to downtown/urban areas to be close to the action. However, as families grow, moving closer to residential areas to be nearer to schools and grocery stores becomes important, so urban infill will continue to become more prevalent.
- Technology Friendly Homes are a Must Have: Landlines and cable jacks are in the days of the past. Millennials want a home equipped with the latest technology, so wireless systems are essential to support growing trends for home automation and remote access.
- Home Efficiency and Sustainability are Important: An energy efficient home is important to millennials. Using sustainable products in construction is an important consideration, whether in a new home or when renovating. Millennials want to use processes and materials with less of an impact on the environments.
- Quality over Quantity: When it comes to selections of finishes, appliances, and furnishings, millennials value quality over quantity, so they often spend a lot of time researching the best products in areas that are important to them. Their minimalist approach to design often drives the mantra “less is more” in home design which may mean deleting finishes like crown moulding in favor of custom cabinetry and closet organizers. In addition to quality, millennials prefer unique, one-of-a-kind pieces that can be integrated into the design.
At ACM Design our focus is designing homes and spaces that reflect the values and lifestyles of our clients. For information on how we can help you with your next project, call us at 828.684.9884 or email us directly at info@acmdesignarchitects.com
