5 Austin Home-Design Ideas Trending this Summer

Things change. Sometimes the shift is gradual and sometimes new trends appear out of the blue, but nowhere is this more true than in real estate. So, as yesterday’s technology is forgotten and last year’s fashions look more and more ridiculous, keep an eye out for these Austin home design ideas trending this summer.

The Changing Kitchen
The kitchen is the center of the home. It’s also one of the rooms that changes most in style and design. The granite countertops and stainless steel appliances that have been in fashion aren’t about to disappear, but there are new contenders. Quartz countertops are quickly replacing granite due to their sleek appearance, high durability and low maintenance. The price is comparable to granite, according to HGTV: about $100 to $200 per square foot.

Stainless steel is giving way to glassed appliances in all-white, black or chocolate. For cabinets, lighter shades of natural wood are becoming popular, and having an abundance of drawers is falling out of style. Instead, think about adding shelves in your kitchen for a more open and spacious appearance.

Less is More
A major trend in real estate in Austin, Texas, is downsizing. In a report entitled The New Home in 2015, 74 percent of surveyed experts expected smaller homes to be the biggest housing trend. The city of Spur, Texas, became the nation’s first “tiny house”-friendly town last year. Typically, a tiny house is defined as a home between 400 to 1,000 square feet in size. While you may not be ready to cut your square footage down to such minuscule proportions, experts agree that homebuyers’ expectations in terms of square footage are shrinking. Some may be going for a smaller environmental footprint or trying to downsize in tough economic times, but many are simply learning that going smaller doesn’t mean sacrificing luxury and comfort.

Clean Lines and Open Spaces
New home construction is shifting toward the simple and contemporary, which means clean lines and open spaces. Homes with a patchwork of exterior finishes – brick, siding, stone and stucco – are fading away in favor of simpler, cleaner designs. You can expect less emphasis on turrets and increased use of Austin stone and standing-seam roofs, D Magazine predicted. Inside the home, look for more open floor plans with semi-defined rooms that open up into one another rather than a maze of small hallways and wasted rooms.

The Great Outdoors
When you’re talking about real estate in Austin, it’s important to keep the climate in mind. It’s hot here in the summer, to put it mildly. For a lot of people, that means taking advantage of the outdoors and utilizing every square foot of the outdoor portion of their property.

Swimming pools are popular as ever, but as with homes themselves, the overall trend is toward a smallersize. Decks, patios, grilling areas, enclosed porches and other exterior additions that are connected to the interior living space are a major trend, though they can be expensive. Outdoor kitchens are big right now, but might cost you more than your indoor kitchen, according to D Magazine.

Leaner and Greener
Perhaps the biggest real estate trend in Austin and across the country is a movement toward becoming more environmentally friendly. According to Green Home Builder, “73 percent of single-family builders and 68 percent of multifamily builders report that consumers are willing to pay more for green homes.” That includes more efficient heating and cooling, low-E windows, water-saving appliances and better insulation. As many homebuyers are realizing, going green has a lot more benefits beside helping the environment, including healthier living, lower energy bills and increased resale value.

Source: Clark Wilson Builder Texas Area Real Estate