home styles
Old world styles are popular. French, English, Tuscan and Spanish houses with stone or stucco walls, tiled roofs, iron fittings, heavy beams and rustic floors are in demand. A sense of historical connection resonates with today’s buyers.
The Craftsman style, built in the early 1900’s, is back. Characteristics of this style, such as pavers, deep eaves, tapered columns, and wide moldings, favor the handcrafted look over mass production.
Farmhouses and country houses are perfect candidates for remodeling and prototyping new homes. Native materials, wooden windows, simple floor plans, and warm colors connect with nature and times gone by.
The retro look is in fashion. Ranch styles and split levels built in the 1950s are perfect for elegant remodels and pair with trendy furniture styles.
Modern urban is everywhere. Modern open plans make use of color, tiles, glass, and experimental materials like plastic and metal.
Low level
The preferred ceiling height is 9′-11′. Two-story ceilings are out. In small rooms they feel like towers.
Many floor level changes are not desirable.
Most buyers today want four bedrooms and at least two living rooms. Formal dining rooms are still in demand.
Formal living rooms often become studies, libraries, or guest rooms.
Media rooms are a sought after feature when the price range allows.
The visual and spatial connection between the kitchen and the family room is firmly established.
Cabinet space is required for large TVs and wall space is required for the newer flat screens.
Three-car garages are needed, especially in areas without foundations.
Structured cabling is important today for Internet, telephone, cable, and sound. Desk space is required for computers.
Good outdoor access is something buyers look for. French doors combine access with light. Sliding glass doors are not as favored.
Lots of storage space is needed for today’s lifestyle. People have many things. Huge master closets, pantry, laundry rooms, and additional storage closets are to be expected.
On the other hand, very sober lofts are perfect for some lifestyles. Simplified spaces are an antidote to today’s complex lifestyle.
Kitchens/Baths
Most buyers are familiar with kitchen layout and appreciate good workspaces with easy access to the stove, refrigerator, and sink. Plenty of counter space, deep drawers, two sinks, an additional refrigerator nearby, and butler’s pantries are all desirable features.
Stainless steel appliances are going strong. In modern urban styles, white or colored appliances return. High-end homes hide some appliances like cabinets.
Eat-in kitchens are a basic requirement for most buyers.
Old tables or cabinets are being renovated and used as bathroom cabinets. Kitchen cabinets that look like furniture are a great look.
Granite, marble, or stone countertops are popular. However, the granite tops added to the 1980’s cabinets don’t work well. Consider your architectural style before adding features.
Concrete countertops are perfect for the ultra-modern, but most shoppers shy away from them.
Wide and deep cabinet refrigerators have a built-in look and are not as expensive as the truly built-in type.
Large rustic tile, stone, concrete, or hardwood floors have a warm, functional appeal.
Subway tiles (3″ x 6″) are popular in bathrooms and kitchen backsplashes.
Patterned cultured marble and laminate are out. White, slippery tiles are out.
Cut
Wide baseboards (6″+) and door and window trim (4″+) are key features in old European and American styles.
Craftsman-style doors (simple square frames with flat panels) work well with both vintage and modern styles.
Iron or solid wood entry doors make a strong statement that buyers love.
Rustic hardware finishes such as brushed nickel, oil-rubbed bronze, antique brass, and other non-shiny finishes are the most popular choices.
Rustic wood beams or wood-covered ceilings create a primitive, handcrafted look that buyers like.
Wrought iron gates, stair railings, and light fixtures complement the country style.
Stair rails in ultra-modern homes can be made of wire, pipe, or painted metal.
Front porches and covered patios are always a strong selling point. Outdoor fireplaces are popping up everywhere.
Floors and Walls
Distressed hardwood floors that look old are prized. Simple wooden boards with exposed cracks are sometimes laid. Reclaimed wood is highly desirable.
Bamboo flooring is popular, especially in modern-style homes where light-colored floors are desired.
Concrete floors, often stained and scratched, are popular. These go well with the modern look, and are also used in Craftsman and rustic European styles.
Colored laminate flooring blends well with the mid-century modern style. Laminate floors that look like wood are out. Parquet floors are out of the question, unless they are made by hand.
Framed or hung mirrors are preferred, although flat glass works in ultra-modern styles. Mirrors used on walls or ceilings are a turn off.
Colors are in, but soft is the word. Soft greens, yellows, earth tones, and creams create a serene background that suits many styles. Complex colors are sought, with more colors in the mix. Deeply saturated colors like plums and reds are used sparingly.
Flat paint on the walls hides flaws and creates a designer look. Brilliant is out. Soft whites are safe for trimming.
False finishes are ruled out. Often these do not turn out as well as expected and are difficult to maintain.
The same (or similar) wall color through adjoining spaces creates a more spacious feeling.
Historic paint colors like sage greens, beiges, muted yellows, and grays work well on the exterior. Bold or harsh colors are a turn off for most buyers.
Wallpaper is troublesome and more difficult to change than paint. Very often it does not suit the taste of the buyer.
Heavily textured walls and popcorn ceilings are totally out of the question.
Lighting and plumbing fixtures
Buyers want more windows, natural light, and a greater connection to the outdoors.
People today are more demanding with the quality of light. Windows on two sides of the room balance lighting and reduce glare.
A light in the middle of the room will not do. Under cabinet lighting is appreciated. Security lighting is important. Wall sconces offer soft ambient lighting. Recessed cans provide light in the area. Dimmers help control lighting.
The luminaires are a decorative element in all styles. Clean, modern fixtures like pendant lights, recessed cans, and wire string lights complement the urban look.
Retro accessories are interesting decorative features in the 1930s Craftsman and 1950s Ranch styles.
Industrial metal accessories are all the rage. The industrial look without metal or stainless steel decoration is in vogue.
Heavy curtains are out of the question. They’re too pretentious and, well, heavy. Light curtains made of cotton, linen or silk are in fashion. Or wooden blinds. Or nothing.
Retro woven wood blinds have made a comeback. The mini blinds are very yesterday.
Bath fixtures are finished in rustic bronze, nickel, or chrome. Old-style two-handle faucets and farmhouse sinks are all the rage.
Bathroom sinks can be glass, granite, stone, stainless steel, or traditional porcelain bowls. Cultured marble is out.
Freestanding bathtubs are all the rage. Pedestal and wall-hung sinks are all the rage.
Energy efficiency
With fuel costs rising, energy efficiency is definitely in style. Buyers want high-efficiency air conditioning, good insulation, low-e glass, programmable thermostats, dual-pane windows, and ceiling fans.
Effective passive solar orientation is a great advantage. Shows smart planning and usage
of natural solar energy.
Instant hot water is a perk buyers like, as are drinking water filters.
No one wants window film or cling window film.
Light is in demand. Don’t close the blinds. Remove sunscreens when not needed, such as under patio roofs, porches, or shade trees.
Screened porches are back. They create a multi-purpose space that is both indoors and outdoors, and keeps mosquitoes out.