By Lisa Thompkins
As we step into the full swing of 2023, it’s a great time to determine which home design trends will have staying power in the new year. From next level home offices to permeable gravel driveways, keep reading for a detailed breakdown on 5 new home design trends you don’t want to miss in the new year.
Next Level Home Offices
A whopping 59% of Wisconsin residents who say that the majority of their work can be done remotely are taking advantage of this flexibility and working from home. In light of this information, a home office is no longer just a nice perk that can give your property a boost一it is a central feature that buyers are actively looking for. Some ways to take your home office to the next level include:
- Installing sound absorbing panels to prevent noise transfer between areas of the home
- Choosing polished concrete floors to limit damage from office furniture and streamlining cleaning efforts
- Adding sliding glass pocket doors to save space and make it easy to keep an eye on what is happening in the rest of the house
Even if you do not currently have a job that allows you to work remotely, it is still a great idea to prioritize an office in your home so you are in a better position to accommodate any potential career changes and appeal to the resale market.
Warming Bathroom Accents
The bathroom is an oasis for homeowners, a place to escape and unwind from the stresses of the day. In Wisconsin, many of the most trendy bathrooms are incorporating features that can help homeowners remove the chill from their bones. Some features to look for are:
- Radiant floor heating mats that include a heated shower floor
- A white shiplap wall to add some warming texture to the space
- Wood shelving and wicker basket storage for some cozy natural touches
If you are looking at renovations, remember that these subtle features can be just as impactful as large-scale makeovers. Statistics show that a mid-range bathroom remodel returns more value than an upscale bathroom project in the Wisconsin region.
Versatile Kitchens
Evolving design sensibilities, with the COVID-19 pandemic serving as a major catalyst, have turned how we conceptualize kitchens upside down. No longer just a space for preparing meals, the kitchen must now be the most flexible, dynamic space in the house. As the central hub for social get-togethers or as a temporary workspace on snow days, the kitchen must be able to do it all. Some ways to open up your kitchen and make it more versatile are by adding a large central island topped with nonporous quartz countertops, replacing full-spanning walls with half-walls featuring bar-style seating, and swapping old-school cabinets with open shelving and hanging storage racks.
Cape Cod Exteriors
The Cape Cod exterior has long been a favorite style in Wisconsin. The steep gabled roofs, double paned windows, and no-frills symmetrical concept make it a great choice for withstanding those snowy months..
While the classic Cape Cod home does not include a porch, many hybrids or “half-Cape” concepts are adding porches or porticos. If a porch appeals to you, a great idea is to accentuate the beams in manufactured stone panels to add some contrast with the plank siding.
Permeable Gravel Driveway
Traditional concrete driveways look great when new. However, they require quite a bit of upkeep to maintain their quality and appearance. This is especially true in Wisconsin, where the frequent freezing and thawing can cause cracks in absorptive concrete surfaces.
As such, a trendy idea that avoids these concerns is a permeable gravel driveway. Held in place with weather resistant paving grids, modern gravel driveways maintain a consistent surface that is not plagued by rutting and clumping in the same way as traditional gravel driveways. They also provide elite drainage and an attractive stone aspect that works very well in midwestern exteriors.
Lisa Thompkins is a freelance writer living in Dallas, Texas. She works closely in the Home Improvement and Real Estate fields and has a background in Interior Design. When not writing, Lisa enjoys spending her time out on the lake with her friends and family. Lisa’s work as a freelance writer can be found on Building Product Advisor, a new construction industry resource launching in Fall 2022.
Tags: DIY, home renovation, Updated
Categories: DIY, Home Improvement
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