Amid downturn, buyers demand greener, more price-conscious abodes
“People are concerned about affordability and everybody is being careful about cost,” said Stephen Melman, director of economic services at the National Association of Home Builders.
Melman said preliminary data from an internal survey of builders suggests the economy, demographics and environmental concerns are driving changes in new construction.
Across the board, expect new homes to be smaller in the coming years, Melman said. Most noticeably, cutbacks are happening in the master bath, where larger showers are replacing garden tubs and separate showers and toilet rooms are vanishing in smaller homes.
“People are looking for smaller, but better homes,” said Francisca Alonso, co-owner of AV Architects and Builders, a Vienna-based architect-led design and building firm that specializes in custom homes and renovations in Great Falls, Vienna, Falls Church and McLean. “If a home is oversized, obviously you are using more energy. People don’t need more space. They need better space.”
Alonso said McMansions are a thing of the past. “Most of the custom homes we are building are 3,000 to 4,000 square feet, she said.
With more baby boomers becoming empty nesters, fourth and fifth bedrooms are less popular than larger master bedrooms and home offices.
“Instead of a fifth bedroom, some people are opting for a more functional second bedroom for family who visit,” Melman said.
This gives the homeowner the same footprint, just a different blueprint. No matter what size the home, people still want open floor plans with fewer walls, said Greg Cohen, vice president of architecture for EYA, a builder focused on innovative urban neighborhoods in the Washington area.
Luxury town homes in Park Potomac, an EYA development, are replicas of Manhattan-style brownstones and include four levels with open floor plans, elevators and lofts.
“People are less formal than they were five years ago,” Alonso said. “Instead of the main level being a series of rooms — living room, dining room, kitchen and office — the main floor is becoming one grand space with multiple functions.”
Ceiling heights have changed over time.
“The 8-foot ceiling has disappeared,” Melman said. “The 9-foot ceiling has become standard, and even higher ceilings are showing up. It doesn’t cost the builder much more and makes the home feel larger.”
The laundry room is here to stay, but its location continues to change. “It started in the basement and then moved up to the private level, near bedrooms. Then people decided they didn’t like the noise and now it’s moved back to the main level, near the mudroom,” Melman said
As people downsize, storage options grow in importance. “Closet design is a big issue,” Alonso said.
Resort style, with all its pampering touches, is another trend finding its way into new-home construction.
“People spend so much time working and can’t get away for vacation,” Alonso said. “It’s not a matter of money. … People don’t have time to get away.”
Outdoor living continues to gain popularity. “Outdoor kitchens have been an important feature for upscale new homes,” Melman said.
In urban settings, outdoor and even rooftop terraces are a developing trend. A material called Duradek, a waterproof vinyl membrane that doubles as deck flooring on one level and roofing material on another, is used by EYA builders in their urban style town homes.
“You vacation about two times a year. The rest of the time you’re at home,” Alonso said. “Why not transform your home into a vacation.”
