Not so long ago, the typical American house had a living room, dining room and family room/tv room. In its most recent survey of consumer trends, the National Association of Home Builders shares that consumers are thinking they probably don’t need that Formal Living Room anymore and many people are thinking ixnay to the dining room as well.
Smaller, more efficient homes are what consumers are looking for. When asked what homes in 2015 will look like, the survey participants said:
Features that are likely to be included in the average new home of 2015 include a great room comprised of kitchen, family room and living room; a walk-in closet in the master bedroom; a laundry room; ceiling fans; a master bedroom on the first floor in homes with two stories; and a two-car garage.
The most commonplace green features in 2015′s new homes are likely to include low-E windows; engineered wood beams, joists or trusses; water-efficient features such as dual-flush toilets or low-flow faucets; and an Energy Star rating for the whole house.
In addition, the survey participants said:
- 2% of respondents expect the living room to be merged with other spaces in the home, while 30% say this room will vanish entirely to save on square footage in many new homes by the year 2015.
- 54% of respondents say the family room is likely to increase as an overall share of floorspace.
- Many respondents say that the relative sizes of the entry foyer and dining room are likely to shrink by 2015.
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