If one trend captures the spirit of millennials, it is the penchant for personalization that is taking over everything from real estate to travel experiences. As noted by journalist Erick Rowe of Martech Today, millennials are demanding that brands work on key values like loyalty and customization, with many expecting suppliers to “adapt to their ever-evolving preferences at the snap of a finger.”
Millennials are on their way to becoming the biggest force to reckon with in real estate, and that means that home customization is likely to be a big part of the home-buying process. If you have a home and you are thinking of selling soon, or you’d like to refurbish a few key features to whiz your abode into the future, take note of the following top trends in customized home design.
Letting Light In
Joyful, well-lit homes are all the rage, both in minimalistic and country-style homes. As noted by Paradisa Homes, one of the most popular requests when it comes to home customization, is the creation of new entry points for light. Main light sources are being connected to other points in the home through floor-to-ceiling doors framed with customized iron features. The key to a well-lit room is to knock down walls without purpose, connecting common spaces such as staircases and hallways to naturally lit living rooms and relaxation spots. Domes and apexes are crowning homes, the result of extensive cutting and reshaping of roofs.
Height and the Illusion of Volume
Smaller homes can be given a more open, spacious air through high ceilings that, by nature, allow more light and air to enter the home. Forget about leaving your ceiling in matte white, though. Intricate, designer ceilings baring everything from gold leaf designs to stunning crystal chandeliers, are turning ceilings into a key design point. Using green variegated gold leaf sheets will help elevate the design. Wooden beamed ceilings, stucco carved shapes, paint effects, and even wallpaper are all being used to create statement ceilings that bring a greater joie de vivre to even the sunniest of spaces.
Green is the Word
Millennials are an eco-conscious generation that are very much in tune with the many health benefits afforded by green areas. Not only are they interested in owning carefully manicured gardens, but also in bringing the wonder of nature into their homes. Thus, key design features such as vertical gardens, roof gardens, and crystal walls capable of holding designer plant holders are a way to celebrate the wonder of nature and de-stress in one’s very own home. Millennial buyers are also keenly interested in solar energy and green materials. Bricks made from cigarette butts, light-producing cement, and recycled steel are just a few modern materials making their way into modern home design.
Personalized Leisure Areas
Film lovers, coffee gourmets, and budding chefs are all seeking a private space in which to enjoy their hobbies. From coffee corners in cutting-edge kitchens to spacious film rooms graced with two or more rows of cinema-style seats, or modern kitchens built in avant-garde materials such as concrete, mixed metal, or reclaimed wood, ‘hobby spaces’ are all the rage. Designer details abound as well, with pieces such as Italian pendant lights – once reserved for the dining table or other elegant corners of the home – now seen hanging over central kitchen islands. Metallic wallpaper and unique finishes, meanwhile, are seen as much on living room walls as they are on kitchen walls.
Customized home design is, by its very nature, based on personal taste, but we definitely see new trends take hold of modern refurbs. These include the creation of open spaces (such as open kitchen plans), higher ceilings, and naturally lit spaces. Materials, too, are increasingly changing and adapting to new tastes. Sustainability, artistry, and design for life are just a few ideas shaping the home of the modern millennial.
