2020 will see an astounding range of new home design trends take hold. It can be difficult to identify what the theme is between them all. What are people looking for now more than ever?
If you look at the custom home designs that are becoming popular, you can start to understand that people are focusing on design built to return the joy and fun to owning a home. At the same time, efficiency is being prized to a surprising degree.
Efficiency? Isn’t that the opposite of luxury? Absolutely not! Here are three important ways efficiency adds luxury to a home:
- Peace and Quiet. Double- and triple-paned windows are designed primarily to reduce temperature exchange between the indoor environment and the outdoors – keeping the heated and cooled air in more efficiently. But multi-paned windows have the added benefit of making your home quieter and more private. It’s a win-win!The same can be said for a home’s framing. Using 2×6 lumber for your home’s frame allows for thicker walls where you can pack in more insulation, thus creating greater efficiency in heating and cooling. The good news is that thicker insulation also reduces noise.
- Comfort and Security. Smart home automation lends itself to greater efficiency. For example, a smart home thermostat system enables you to create custom heating and cooling schedules to cut down on wasted energy. It can also allow you to turn up the heat right before you get home or to adjust the heating and cooling of separate rooms depending on usage. This means that no matter when or where you are in your home, you are at a comfortable temperature.Smart lighting systems function in much the same way as smart thermostats. You can set schedules to operate your lights at certain times. For example, if you are away from your home for an extended period, you can have lights turn on at select times of the day, so it appears as if someone is there. This is both more efficient and more effective than simply leaving the lights on the whole time.
- Value. Sure, efficient features can reduce your energy usage and save you money on your energy bills. But these efficiencies also have been shown to add value to a home.Home buyers are becoming increasingly aware of the benefits of energy efficiency. In fact, many are willing to pay more for homes with “green” upgrades. One study found that using green labels such as Energy Star or LEED increased home values by an average of 9%, whereas high-efficiency HVAC systems led to an average price increase of 5.8%.
Therefore, when deciding where to splurge or save on a home, lean toward spending a little extra on efficiency. You’ll save money on energy costs while enjoying luxuries like peace, quiet, comfort, and security – all while adding value to your home.
Think about it. As efficient homes gain popularity, they’ll be more desired and sell more quickly. Should you ever seek to move down the road, your home will have built considerable value. Should you hand your home off to one of your children, you’ll be giving them a home with lasting value.
