When you’re building a new home, you want to incorporate all of the latest design trends, but you also don’t want to make selections that will seem outdated in just a few years. Many of the trends we’re seeing are aimed at bringing joy and simplicity into your life. We think you’ll want to incorporate a few of these ideas into your new home.

Dimmable Bathroom Lights

Many people are choosing to vary the lighting in the bathroom. This might mean connecting the bathroom lights to a dimmer switch or it could just mean having a “bright light” and a “dim light” switch. Soft lighting in the bathroom is great for those times when you want to relax in the tub, and it helps you avoid the blinding shock of a bright light during middle-of-the-night trips. Think about including this option in your ensuite and in any other full bathrooms.

Extra Counter Space

Most people are striving to eat healthier foods. Surprisingly, the design of your home can help make that more likely! When you have extra counter space in the kitchen, you’ll have all the space you need to make healthy meals at home. You’ll also be able to put the healthy foods directly in your line of sight, like when you put a bowl of fruit on the island. Studies show seeing these healthy foods makes you more likely to eat them rather than junk foods. 

Social Spaces

People are also looking for more ways they can connect with others. For a long time, we’ve been seeing this with the open-concept living area, trend, but many people are going even further with this idea. For instance, people are choosing designs that have a bonus room on the second floor, then using that room as a place for the family to hang out together. Similarly, people are finishing the basement to include a rec room or opting to add a deck or patio in the backyard to make parties more fun.

Multifunctional Spaces and Furniture

On the flip side, those who don’t necessarily want to buy a larger home to include all of these extra rooms are looking for ways they can have rooms serve many different purposes. Simply rearranging a few chairs in the great room, for example, could turn the space from a cozy room where the family relaxes to a room that’s ready to foster conversation during the next party. With a sofa-bed, the room that’s usually a den or home office could easily become a guest room. 

Coloured Appliances

Stainless steel appliances are still a great choice, but some homeowners are choosing kitchen appliances in other colours. Black is a trendy choice for those who don’t want stainless, but there are brighter colours like red for those who want to be more daring in their design choices. Most appliances last between 14 and 20 years, so make sure you choose something you’ll be happy to live with for a long time.

Defined Spaces

Introverts are finally getting some of the recognition they deserve. Not everyone appreciates the open-concept living area, and while it’s still a popular choice, we’re also seeing buyers look for ways to define the space. Sometimes, this does mean having separate rooms with walls and doors. Other times, though, people are separating the space with half-walls or just using furniture to define space in different ways.

Decorative Wallpapers

Wallpaper was out of fashion for a while, but we’re now starting to see some renewed interest. It’s a good way to put some unique designs on a wall, and some wallpapers are more like a large mural than a repetitive pattern. You can choose wallpaper for an accent wall rather than overwhelming the entire room with a design. Many modern styles are “removable”: they’ll come off easily if you change your mind. In this case, you may want to have the builder paint the wall the same colour as the rest of the room, then add the decorative wallpaper yourself.

Wood Elements

When it comes to design, people are liking the look of wood. In fact, they like it so much they’re leaving the wood exposed in certain places. For instance, you might have a wood panelled ceiling – or at least beams – stained rather than painted.

People are also making a variety of flooring choices for different rooms in the home – often choosing to forgo carpeting throughout the house. Instead, they choose to have the entire home done in hardwood, laminate or vinyl plank flooring that have the look of hardwood.

Following the latest design trends can give you some great ideas for your new home, but it’s important to design a space that works well for your needs. When you stay focused on that, you’ll get the house you truly want.