What Do You Want in Your House?

As builders, we’re always trying to build the “perfect” house for our clients. We’re constantly on the lookout for the features, styles, and finishing touches that will make our clients says: “That’s it! That’s the home I’ve always dreamed of having!” 

Like it says in the old Paul Simon song, “We’re just trying to keep the customer satisfied.” 

The thing is, customers’ tastes continue to change and what kept the customer satisfied a few years ago often doesn’t make the grade today. That’s not a bad thing. It’s life! And it keeps us on our toes as builders. And of course as custom homebuilders we always try to make sure that we give our customers exactly what they want—customized to their wants and needs—regardless of what the trends may be. 

With that in mind, here are a few of the things (in no particular order) we’ve observed that custom homeowners in general list as important features for their new homes: 

Open, Casual Floor Plans: Right now there seems to be a trend toward somewhat smaller homes. But these homes don’t feel smaller, thanks to floor plans that open things up and give the interiors a roomier feel—especially in the “Great Room” areas that incorporate the kitchen and the family room. 

Bigger, More Versatile Kitchens: As families use the kitchen for more purposes, they’re demanding more space. And that space has to be adaptable to accommodate more activities such as food preparation and entertaining. Islands continue to be a very popular feature in today’s kitchens. 

Extending the Home Outside: There is a lot of interest in outdoor living rooms. If people want to retreat from the kitchen, they don’t head for the living room—they head to nicely appointed outdoor patios or sunrooms. 

Green Appliances: No, we’re not seeing a return to the avocado-colored refrigerators and stoves of the 1960s. Homeowners today want appliances that are energy efficient—and quiet. 

Home Offices: National statistics show that we work more all the time. But what makes that more bearable is when we can work from the comfort of home. More homeowners are giving up formal living rooms in favor of having a nice home office. 

Master Suites on the Main Floor: Some of the popularity of putting the Master Suite on the main floor may be due to people planning to live longer in their existing homes—and not wanting to have to deal with stairs as much. 

Stone and Brick Exteriors: This probably varies somewhat by region, but there is a definite trend toward stone and brick as opposed to wood or vinyl siding. 

Multi-car Garages: This is no big surprise. Even though homeowners may not fill their garages with cars, they still want the extra space for storage, for workspace, and for items that need to go in and out regularly. 

That’s some of what we’re seeing. What are you seeing and hearing about among your friends and neighbors? And more important—for you and for us as builders—what do you want in your new home?