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Best Home Trends for 2016

trends-for-2016

Come and Get ‘Em!

Of course you want to know what’s trending. You may not always embrace the latest trends, but you definitely want to know what’s new, what’s different, and what’s out there. Especially when it comes to your home. Whether you want just a hint of inspiration or to dive in with both feet, there’s something to be said for venturing off-road and getting a new take on what’s trending and how it might affect your life for the better.

Online sites like Houzz and Pinterest have opened the door to the doable – we can click in anytime and see how everyday people are taking trends and making them their own. You’ll see kitchens with two islands, you’ll see outdoor living that defies the elements, you’ll see textural pairings of gleaming stainless and reclaimed wood – virtually thousands of examples of how bending the rules can yield beautiful results.

And that, my friends, is the beauty of building a custom home. You can modernize and customize everything from the floor plan, to the storage, to the must-haves … and you can do it your way. Without boundaries. Without rules. And without limitations.

Kitchens to Impress

Today’s buyers want kitchens that integrate into living space seamlessly. And boy, do they love islands! The bigger the better. Some even incorporating two of them … one for prep and another for serving and eating. Another island trend worth noting is to vary cabinet colors or countertops to make them differ from the main kitchen for a less ‘matchy-matchy’ look.

Because the kitchen is integrated into the living space, everything (and we mean everything) is on display 24/7. Bob Webb has come up with a kitchen design that’s really two kitchens in one – we call it the ‘Messy Kitchen’ but it’s really quite the opposite. The ‘Messy Kitchen’ features a separate back kitchen/pantry area where you can keep the coffeemaker out, do prep work, and keep everyday messes out of sight – just close the pocket door, it’s your little secret.

Outdoor Living Rooms

And when we say ‘living’ rooms, we mean it! Buyers are bringing the indoors OUT with comfy cozy rooms that defy the elements. They want to turn that valuable real estate into a living space with plenty of ‘wow’… one that can be used nearly year ‘round (weather permitting!)
Full-size fireplaces, built-in professional grilling stations, pizza ovens and wine chillers are all showing up without reservation. Not to mention high-tech creature comforts like wall-mount TVs, sound systems and such all controlled by an app on your smartphone.

And did we mention comfortable seating? Or lighting? Or vibrant pillows and rugs in outdoor-friendly fabrics that laugh at the rain and add a jolt of color? The list goes on. If you have something you love using indoors, more than likely there’s an outdoor version of it, too.

Family Focus

Finally! Somebody gets it that home is about more than flooring and draperies and what color your walls are. It’s about family. You know, those people that live in your house every day. The ones that eat your food … and track in mud … and drop their backpacks on the floor. The ones that come and go (and grow!) and are the very reason you bought a home in the first place.

Trends show organization and storage are top priorities for home buyers with growing families. They still want a beautiful home, but they want one designed to keep things organized and convenient… with space for fun and games, a place for study and privacy and plenty of room to spread out or gather together.

One such trend is the return of the mudroom – or as Bob Webb calls it: The Family Foyer. It’s a drop-and-go spot where families can keep boots, backpacks and coats organized and ready to go. Personalized cubbies or lockers with charging stations can keep books, gloves, electronics organized and out of sight. With a custom home, you can design your Family Foyer as you like it with all the family-focused features that can help streamline your life.

Multi-functional Spaces

Today’s buyer wants to make every square foot (or inch!) count. And why not! Do you really need a guest room for the occasional guest? A full-sized office for your tiny laptop? A formal dining room for one meal a year?

Today buyers want spaces that work for how they actually live. They’re foregoing dining rooms for ‘gathering rooms’, full-sized offices for ‘pocket offices’ and turning laundry rooms into ‘laundry studios.’ Bob Webb is seeing a surge of interest in multi-functional spaces and has customized these three concepts with outstanding success.

  • Gathering Room – It’s whatever you’d like it to be. Build in a wet bar, buffet storage and you’re ready for parties, meetings, holidays … however you’d like to use it whenever friends and family gather.
  • Pocket Office – It’s a small but mighty work-or-play space. A Pocket Office needs just enough space for whatever you want to do there – like plan, file, research, work, play or relax. It can be small but fully loaded with a built-in desk or storage to make every square inch count. With as little as 5’x8’ of space, we can make it happen.
  • Laundry Studio – It’s a laundry room with panache. And counter space. And storage to the max. Plenty of space to give laundry its due, plus extra space for hobbies or crafts.