Trend Spotter: Up and Coming Design Styles for 2019
With the New Year thoughts wonder to what the year will hold. It can be both uplifting as well as thought-provoking. Maybe something that you did in the old year you’d like to not have happened in the New Year. But a trend that works, that fits well and catches on, you probably want to repeat.
Same goes for home trends. The best trends can be passed on into the New Year, whether it’s the style of house, a specific layout or design element, or even a room that becomes an amenity in and of itself.
“That’s kind of what happened with garages in 2018,” said Rick McAlexander, CEO of Associated Designs. “The garage became an extension of the house, not an afterthought or a storage unit.”
With the New Year, we thought it time to look at home trends we see holding fast in their position as top design styles. Three homes and a garage exemplify specific trends in design, style, rooms, and amenities.
“In 2018, homebuyers wanted space and comfort. Everything in its place and in the right place,” said McAlexander. “And they want flexibility. Homes are larger, garages more expansive and useful, and living spaces spread out into the outdoor areas and backyards. These are such solid design trends we see them carrying through 2019.”
Contemporary Comfort
The Patagonia (31-145) home design offers a modern take on a traditional prairie-style house. Rather than overwhelm you with straight lines and angles, the exterior is subtle and cool with a soft undertone of stone wainscoting and soft overhangs.
But it’s likely the 4,000-plus square foot interior that showcases some of the best home trends of 2018.
“This is a spacious family home,” said McAlexander. “It is meant to be lived in and enjoyed to grow with the family.”
One home trend -- the three-car garage -- takes up the left side of the house. It opens into a combined drop zone and mud hall, which is also conveniently set near an expansive utility room. Natural light brightens the garage hallway which then opens into the vaulted great room. Here is where the family can gather together, meet with friends, celebrate events, and create memories.
From the large open kitchen to the breakfast nook and great room with wood stove and built-in entertainment center, to the easy outdoor seating and barbecue places, it is a feast for the eyes. But there are of course a large owners’ suite and two bedrooms upstairs alongside a play area or bonus room. A den just off the front entry completes the house and its extensive floor plan.
Farmhouse Fantasy
Design trends in 2018 don’t have to stick to one exterior look or interior floor plan. In fact, with the Boulderfield (31-147) home design, you get traditional farmhouse flair with modern amenities.
The farmhouse look is pronounced by the angled roofs and plywood siding with quaint window shutters. But the windows are not small by any means. They let in plenty of natural light to brighten up the expansive 3,837-square-foot interior.
“Again, it’s not the size that matters here but where things are placed. Amenities don’t have to be tangible to be recognized as key to the home,” said McAlexander.
A three-car garage connects with a mud hall that includes built-in storage space and a drop zone. Nearby is a small powder room and an extra built-in storage space. To make things in more effective, the garage features a separate doorway to the mechanical storage for the home’s water heater and electrical units.
From there the home features one of the biggest trends in home design for 2018: the great room style living area that flows effortlessly into the outdoors. In the Boulderfield home design the outdoors features a covered patio for entertaining alongside a built-in stone outdoor fireplace.
The single-level home also features a pocket office with built-in cabinets, highlighting once again the idea that everything is in its place exactly where a family would need it to be.
Flexible Floor Plan
The Craftsman home design is a well-known and much-loved home design. In the case of the Estes Park (31-146), the Craftsman home is given a unique (and expansive) interior makeover. In fact, the total square footage of the Estes Park is more than 7,000. But the highlight here is the lower level garage and storage space.
“It’s the trend that keeps on giving, I think,” said McAlexander. “A few years ago, garages were just meant to store a car or two, but they are now so much more than that.”
The Estes Park turns the lower level of the house into an expansive basement and storage area. The basement itself has its own garage door access for flexible use and sensible storage options. There’s also room for a future bathroom, a mechanical room separate from the rest of the lower level, and covered porches. The garage is on the main level, which means the entire lower level can be its own living area if the family really wanted to go that route.
The rest of the house features more of the obvious trends in home design: an in-home office space, expansive open living area, and a second floor recreation room and bonus room. The growing family will have nothing to fear with all the features and the unique, flexible layout of this high-end home.
Grand Garage
In keeping with our theme on garages, this final design puts the focus entirely on flexible accessory structures. The featured Garage (20-147) provides flex space that can be used as either a guest house or craft room.
The garage itself can hold two cars easily. Along the back of the garage is a second floor recreation room. A wet bar and a full bathroom are near the stairway.
“It’s the quintessential look for a garage nowadays,” said McAlexander. “Separate from the house yet sensible and useful. I know clients who prefer this garage, and some choose to rent out the top rec room for some extra income.”
Bottom line, home design trends in 2018 were all about allowing families to choose just where and how they want everything to look and feel. A basic garage can be more than a garage, just like a living area can be more than just inside.
