For most of us, our home is our most significant investment and our most valuable asset.
Most of us are staying in our homes longer than before—at least 10 years to an anticipated 15.
More than 90 percent of people who rent want to be able to own a home.
Whether we’ve already found our forever dream home or know there’s another move in our future, improvements to make that living space more beautiful, gracious and livable can also keep it up to date, enhance its salability and increase its value.
This next decade of home design offers options from the bold to the soothing. New building materials let you make unique statements about who you are and your lifestyle while incorporating the weathered beauty of nature.
In many cases, products embody a perfect fusion of the elegance that technology can bring to the natural and organic while showcasing layered textures, understated functionality and clean space. Each of our remodel ideas offers modern improvements to living that will yield a worthwhile return on your investment for 2019, 2020 and the following decade.
1. On-point entryways of wood and glass.
First impressions really are everything, and real estate mogul Barbara Corcoran sets a time frame: “Buyers decide within 8 seconds whether they are interested in your home.” Family, friends and admiring passersby can’t help but do likewise.
A huge portion of that first impression is the front door and entryway. Our eyes intuitively seek out that natural bridge between a home’s exterior and the promise of what lies within. The area must be welcoming to friendly visitors yet secure enough to deter unfriendly ones. It must also serve as an attractive yet energy-efficient barrier between the weather outside and the controlled climate inside.
Through virtual design, premium door manufacturers are able to offer solid wood as well as insulated steel, thermal fiberglass and composite doors that look like wood in every size and configuration, light composition and glass option imaginable. You can create anything—from solid cedar panels inset with patterned glass and dentil moulding to mahogany woodgrain over fiberglass complete with Craftsman-style sidelite panels and overhead transom. Looks range from fresh vintage to modern classical, but the unmistakable quality tells in details like durable frames and sills, weather seals and multipoint locking systems that function with ease.
2. Banks of beautiful energy-efficient windows.
Windows can be their own remodeling project or an important part of any addition or room remake, but they offer terrific play in reminding us that there’s a beautiful, vibrant world out there. The windows we have will determine how much natural light plays across a room giving texture, depth and feel. They can lighten a staircase or dark kitchen corner or make a small room seem more spacious. They can also allow views that make the outdoors a vital part of the room’s atmosphere.
Modern windows let you place them side by side and up the architectural ante with minimal interruption. Entire walls can become windows. Frames and sashes come in environmentally friendly wood, composite, metal and vinyl to match any construction and become their own work of art. Many are designed for extreme temperature tolerances and mold and mildew resistance. Window glass comes in energy-efficient, specialty light-control and even sound-control options to keep your home peaceful and soothing.
3. Clean, healthy, luxurious wood or wood-like flooring.
For a clean, healthy home, a floor remodel is a good place to start. Carpets can accumulate as much as 40 pounds of dirt a year, and worn floor coverings are an all-too-common cause of falls.
Carpet remains popular, of course, but the focus is on healthy options that discourage germs, are soothing to the eye and make cleaning easy—even when pets are involved. Instead of selecting one color of the year, many manufacturers are introducing color-of-the-year palettes—typically hushed, soothing tones that layer with anything but are so much more than beige, gray or greige.
The real trend, however, comes in signature hard surfaces that offer more choices than ever but are rooted in nature. Realistic natural wood textures theme luxury vinyl, laminates, stone tile, engineered wood and—of course—the highly desirable sustainable and environmentally-responsible true hardwoods.
Whatever the medium, scale is generous, and colors are either extra-light neutrals or extra-dark ones. Think wide planks with contrasting weathering and grain work. The look emulates the hand-scraping and wire-brushing techniques used to create detail and interest in quality hardwoods. With fewer crevices and joints, you also get fewer places for dirt to hide and a sense of greater floor space.
4. Cabinet drawers instead of doors.
Impossible-to-reach overhead cabinets that make kitchens feel crowded are coming down off the walls. In turn, drawers are making floor-based cabinets, islands and work banks in every room into what they should have been in the first place—tiers of fully utilized ready storage. Imagine work space where everything is accessible, where there’s a place for everything and where everything’s in its place. It’s all handy yet amazingly clutter-free.
With drawers, you no longer have to kneel and stick your head into a dark cave and hope you’ll be able to identify small appliances lost to back corners. Instead, when pullout drawers glide open, their interiors are fully visible at a comfortable height. A simple nudge can initiate an auto-close—no doors hanging open, no corners to catch you. They’re the answer for streamlined functionality and organization because you can make every inch of storage space count—even for heavy items thanks to sturdy, weight-rated hardware and heavy-duty sliders.
5. Custom closets for bedrooms, home offices, garages and more.
The more well-organized we are, the fewer decisions we have to devote to the small stuff. After all, researchers estimate that we adults make about 35,000 conscious decisions every day. However, over the course of each day, our decision-making skills start to erode. That said, plenty of our decision-making begins with our closet and ends there too. Amid busy schedules and constant pressures, investing in the beginning and end of each day starts to sound smart, and it can look smart too.
New organizational elements can make any closet—reach-in or walk-in—not only an asset but a functional tool that helps you through your day. Imagine no more hunting for the right pair of shoes or having to tug and shove at clothing and high-value accessories. Then, consider how many other areas in your home suffer from the same challenges—your home office, bonus room or garage, perhaps?
The new closet storage options are a far cry from wire shelves and flimsy stackables. Instead, picture sturdy closet hardscapes that more closely resemble finished furniture yet make every space usable and eye-pleasing. New systems recognize that not every item in a closet needs to hang any more than every item should fit in a box.
Stable and solid, custom storage solutions let you design an area that fits your lifestyle—whether that includes evening gowns, equestrian garb or ski gear. In fact, personalized custom closet systems are stepping out of the closet and making life easier in the pantry, the home office and even the garage.
6. Decking and fencing for outdoor entertaining.
Outdoor kitchens, wet bars, fire pits, fireplaces, and water features are popular additions to outdoor living rooms. However, the flooring surfaces, vertical boundaries and backdrops are what really define a space, determine traffic patterns and—in the process—establish personal style. That is, it all depends on the right decking, railing and fencing choices.
The old days of fake-cedar-stained postage-stamp decks on stilts are dated and gone. Today’s decking acts as flooring for ground-level entertaining and may in fact introduce multiple levels for focal interest, aesthetics and social flow. Levels may terrace from a second story entryway to lower patios or arc in steps up or down to take advantage of a strategic view. However, what makes it all possible is the extensive assortment of stylish building materials.
While natural wood decking is beautiful, it does require a degree of care and maintenance that the new composites do not. Plus, decking and fencing composites have come a long way in color selection, including wood grains that are equally attractive yet retain their aesthetic value maintenance-free year after year. Railings have changed as well, with slick collections of metal, cable and wrought iron railings. Components allow you to match or complement horizontal decking with vertical railings and fencing that can provide both selective privacy and spatial definition while extending your home into the outdoors.
7. Relaxing bathroom water spaces.
Everyone wants a private retreat, and bathrooms are growing, becoming larger and more spacious as the soothing end-of-day destination. They’re also changing in shape and layout, taking on the feel of rooms within rooms yet retaining an open floor plan view.
A big part of this movement is the water space—the idea of combining the bathtub and shower areas. Instead of the old economy of placing the shower within the tub, however, in a water space, the showers hold their own space as well as a stylish modern or vintage tub. Showers become roomy enough for two, and bathtub soakers gain the advantage of a warm cozy setting—no more drafts or rapidly chilling bathwater.
New large stone tiles lend themselves to soothing, natural-feeling spaces while some of the premier, jewel-like glass tiles offer inspiration for unlimited creative motifs and pops of color. Add some smooth glass panels, and the illusion of running water is present before the first drop flows. Perhaps the greatest advantage to creating a water space is the efficiency—impact makes the space seem large.
Beautiful remodels that yield a good return on investment
The point of a well-chosen, well-thought-out remodel is not only the comfort and beauty it will add to your lifestyle but also the value it will add to your home. Return on investment on entryway door replacements and garage door replacements easily average 91 to 98 percent. Adding a deck easily offers a return on investment over 80 percent. Likewise, mid-range kitchen and bathroom upgrades, when correctly focused, can yield a return of 70 to over 90 percent.
For 2019, 2020 and the coming decade, the key is to make sure your remodel is not only beautiful but functional for years to come. Before you dive in to your next remodel, let the experts at Franklin Building Supply show you the latest building materials and components. We have the perfect lumber, hardware and other home improvements for any budget and experienced specialists to help you not only plan but also execute your vision. Check out our website and quality suppliers, or stop by for a visit. Maintain your home’s value, and enjoy the benefits of the latest technology and conveniences.
References
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/business/wp/2018/10/04/feature/10-years-later-how-the-housing-market-has-changed-since-the-crash/?noredirect=on&utm_term=.afd56b1cff66 Joint Center for Housing Studies of Harvard University. “Ninety percent or so of renters still want to become homeowners.
People stay in homes longer, up from 5 years to 10.
https://www.marketwatch.com/story/im-never-moving-again-why-americans-are-staying-in-their-homes-for-longer-2017-10-30
http://www.qualifiedremodeler.com/208048/the-new-reality-of-less-mobility/
http://www.qualifiedremodeler.com/207342/2019-color-of-the-year-forecasts-announced-3/
All Products https://www.franklinbuildingsupply.com/products/products-1
Entryway https://activerain.com/blogsview/3237494/buyers-decide-within-8-seconds-whether-they-are-interested-in-a-home
https://porch.com/advice/budgeting-entryway-front-door-remodel
https://realestate.usnews.com/real-estate/articles/is-it-time-to-replace-your-front-door
https://www.thehousedesigners.com/articles/parts-of-an-entry-door.asp
https://www.thermatru.com/explore-doors/door-collections/
https://residential.masonite.com/products/exterior-doors/?doorLocation=entry
https://www.simpsondoor.com/doormagination-design-tools/glass-options/
http://woodgraindoors.com/
https://www.thermatru.com/explore-doors/system-components/
http://www.millworkforless.com/?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIhLShs8WJ3wIVy4CfCh3s6A_CEAMYASAAEgL-1vD_BwE
Windows https://greatlakeswindow.com/why-tackle-windows-early-in-the-home-remodeling-process/
http://www.amscowindows.com/serenity/
http://www.amscowindows.com/vista/
http://www.amscowindows.com/signature-series/
http://www.amscowindows.com/signature-series/
http://www.rosiesrestoration.com/2018-home-window-trends-consider/
Flooring https://www.flooringinc.com/blog/flooring-trends/
https://www.ocregister.com/2015/05/14/is-your-carpet-making-you-sick/
https://shawfloors.com/
https://www.mohawkflooring.com/
https://www.phenixflooring.com/hard-surfaces
https://www.dwcarpet.com/
Kitchen Drawers https://www.thekitchn.com/why-you-should-replace-kitchen-cabinets-with-drawers-254253
https://www.2020spaces.com/blog-2019-kitchen-trends/
https://gatesinteriordesign.com/hottest-new-kitchen-and-bath-trends-for-2019/
https://www.countryliving.com/home-design/decorating-ideas/g3988/kitchen-trends/?slide=12
https://www.decoraid.com/blog/best-kitchen-renovation-trends-2019
Closets
https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/stretching-theory/201809/how-many-decisions-do-we-make-each-day
https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/244395
https://designer.organizedliving.com/onboarding/Bedroom%20Closet
https://organizedliving.com/
Decking and Fencing
https://www.chron.com/news/article/Outdoor-entertaining-features-create-fun-12857798.php
https://www.2020spaces.com/blog-the-perfect-outdoor-kitchen-design-for-summer-entertaining