5 Custom Home Trends You’ll Want To Consider
Teton Drive Patio | Renovation Design Group
The basics of custom home design and construction have mostly remained the same in the last century. Custom home builders and re-modelers traditionally have exhibited healthy doses of caution while watching highly touted, but unproven, products and techniques fail and fade away. One aspect that has and continues to change is the availability of materials and the tastes and preferences of homeowners.
Environmental concerns and rapid technological advances have helped to nudge the custom home building industry into necessary improvements in the design options available for the homes of the present, and the future. Custom home trends to consider in the modern era focus on aesthetics, energy-saving options, and an integration of contemporary technology into the fabric of homes.
Melia’s Colonial Revival | Renovation Design Group
Photo Credit: Lucy Call
Insulated Concrete Forms
No other trend in the construction of custom homes has more impact or longer-lasting value than homes built using insulated concrete form (ICF) plans. House plans built with ICF walls are constructed with built-in layers of thermal insulation foam, and a thick layer of concrete, offering long-term structural stability and significant savings on monthly utility bills.
Compared to wood frame construction, ICF home plans require little maintenance and provide durable protection from the most extreme weather conditions. ICF home plans should be seriously considered for any custom home built in a region subject to tornadoes or hurricanes.
Building a modern custom home using ICF construction means you will be utilizing sustainable construction methods for your new property. The insulation benefits that concrete offers are beyond compare, meaning you won’t be running the AC as much and will be spending less on your monthly energy bills.
Innovative Insulation
Modern homeowners are more environmentally aware than ever and always looking for ways to save on monthly energy bills. The custom home industry is continuously looking for the most innovative insulation solutions as building codes, and standards change. Efforts to reduce humans’ carbon footprint has resulted in more responsible and sustainable home building materials and processes.
Innovative insulation solutions for the custom home building include materials and systems to create a home that is energy efficient and helps reduce ongoing operation and maintenance costs.
Areas that benefit from innovative insulation techniques to help create a safe, cost-efficient, and energy-saving custom home include:
- Foundations and basements
- Exterior wall insulation
- Hydronic radiant floor heating
Polyisocyanurate is foam insulation , polyiso insulation reduces energy use and improves the overall service life of the roof. Below grade insulation is used for basements and foundations to help reduce energy costs over the life of your home.
900 South Basement Excavation | Renovation Design Group
Photo Credit: Lucy Call
Solid Surface Countertops
Custom home designers and builders have spent decades waging a regular battle balance of form and function, mainly when dealing with kitchen countertops and surfaces.
A recent trend in kitchen design plans for custom homes is the installation of solid surface countertops. Durable materials result in hard, damage-resistant countertops available in a wide range of solid surface countertop colors and styles.
While no surface can be completely non-porous, materials for solid surface countertops like quartz are about as close as possible, helping to keep countertops cleaner and sanitary. Solid surface countertops are also easier to repair scratches and stains.
Denver Street Tudor | Renovation Design Group
Photo Credit: Lucy Call
Smart Home Technology
Rapid advancements in modern technology have seen an increase in the availability and functionality of smart home systems that offer modern automated conveniences, advanced safety protections, and allow significant savings on heating and energy costs over time. The use of smart home technology appears to be more than a passing phase, a modern trend that is sure to last for a long time.
Among the common smart home integration elements most commonly implemented by custom home builders and renovations include:
- Built-in speakers
- Home automation system
- Home security cameras
- Smart thermostats
- Upgraded security system including motion sensors
- USB outlets
Military Way Master | Renovation Design Group
Photo Credit: Lucy Call
With recent advancements in technology and construction, home building and remodeling are becoming more and more customizable, allowing homeowners to create a custom aesthetic as well as increase property values.
Matt Lee is the owner of the Innovative Construction and Building Materials blog and a content writer for the building materials industry. He is focused on helping fellow homeowners, contractors, and architects discover materials and methods of construction that save money, improve energy efficiency, and increase property value.