Trends come and go, so before starting a remodeling project, make sure your plans fit your lifestyle and have staying power. Dumping the formal dining room is a case in point. A few decades ago, many remodelers were willing to forego the formal dining room for something that better fit their casual lifestyles. Here are a few of today’s top trends.
- Bigger Showers, Stand-Alone Tubs—As people upgrade their bathrooms, many are getting rid of their tubs and putting in large walk-in showers instead. If they decide to keep a tub, they’re choosing free-standing soaking tubs.
- Hard Surface Flooring—Luxury vinyl continues to be popular. Homeowners are also opting for wood, whether its natural, laminate, engineered, or wood-grain ceramic tiles. If ceramic tiles are used, bigger is better, with 12- x 24-inch tiles finding favor for bathroom floors and tub/shower surrounds.
- Open Floor Plans—Open floor plans, especially those that combine kitchens, family rooms, living rooms, and dining rooms, are often high on the list for those remodeling kitchens. While some such projects may require an addition, many create an open floor plan by removing walls to use space once occupied by formal dining rooms or smaller bedrooms.
- Universal Design—Studies show that the majority of America’s aging homeowners want to live in their homes independently. They want those homes to be accessible AND stylish. Universal design considers both, with features like open floor plans, no-threshold showers, wider doorways, floating sinks and cabinets, and other wheelchair-accessible features.
- USB Sockets—The new U-Socket wall plug is an outlet with two built-in USB ports to power electronic devices like cell phones, gaming devices, digital cameras, tablets, and computers.
When planning your project, think about how you live. Unless your are remodeling for resale purposes only, you will be the one living with your choices for years to come. If you love to take baths, it pays to splurge on a nice tub. If you’re a shower person, why waste half of your bathroom space on a big tub you’ll never use? Match your daily routine with your dreams and choose the trends that fit.