What does a dream house look like in 2023? 6 home design trends to watch for
Two thirds of homeowners feel their home needs to be upgraded. What changes do they want to make?
Architecture by David Kotzebue, Kotzebue Architecture.
As we move into construction season, we have some predictions about what we’ll be seeing as new builds and remodels come to life. Recently, Andersen conducted a survey of 2,000 homeowners to better understand what people want from their homes*. The majority (69%) not only feel their home needs to be upgraded, six in 10 homeowners have a specific vision of how they want their home to look, feel and function. And after all the time we’ve spent at home, it makes sense. “The trend we’ve noticed in our practice is that people seem to want to finally start building the dreams they’d planned for,” said Sara Imhoff, AIA, Imprint Architecture and Design LLC.
Here are six home design trends we think you’ll be seeing in the coming year.
Homeowners want to feel good about every aspect of their homes and that’s got them thinking more critically about material choices and designs that bring in light, air, and other elements of nature.
White oak continues to be a material of choice within the home and not just on the floor. White oak windows and doors (https://www.andersenwindows.com/for-professionals/pro-views/white-oak-for-pros/) add warmth that’s especially impactful in homes with a minimalist aesthetic. In a transitional home, the light tone is a nice way to give a contemporary edge to a wood window. And by its very nature, or rather its origins in nature, white oak connects to another rising trend: biophilic design.
Biophilic design has fully crossed over from a commercial trend to a residential one. Homeowners are bringing nature in through material choices, plant-forward décor, and lots of glass. Floor-to-ceiling windows and wall-sized doors — bi-folding doors and the like (https://www.andersenwindows.com/windows-and-doors/doors/big-doors/) — are being used to frame views and welcome in an abundance of natural light. “Floor-to-ceiling windows are a trend a lot of clients are asking for,” said Imhoff who used them prominently in a new home she and her partners designed on the Minnesota prairie.
Stairs and certainly front doors are essential to most homes, but that doesn’t mean they can’t be design driven. Here’s how homeowners are seeking to put their own personal stamps on these features.
A stair tower — a staircase placed along an exterior wall and surrounded by one or more walls of windows — floods the interior space with light while also adding a distinctive exterior feature. “The stair is an opportunity for self-expression,” said Dan D’Agostino, AIA, Plan Architecture, who just designed a home featuring a prominent stair tower for a pair of young homeowners who wanted to shake up their New Jersey neighborhood.
Pivot doors add a high-design touch to a home’s facade. Turning on a pivot box installed in the floor, rather than on traditional side hinges, the pivot offers a new angle on a front door. But for today’s homeowner its biggest draw is probably its customization — give it a round top, add your signature color, go all wood or all glass, deck it out in oversized hardware. The point of this door is to make a statement that reflects the owner’s personality and hint at what’s to come inside.
An all-glass pivot door and transom above give a preview of what’s to come once you enter this light-flooded California home. Architecture by Feldman Architects.
Whether they’re thinking about creating a home that’s ideal for entertaining or just adding a light-hearted touch with color, some homeowners are doing away with formality in favor of spaces that are welcoming and warm.
Outdoor kitchens are not just for large estates. In fact, we’re seeing them pop up in the backyards of smaller homes where they offer an auxiliary space for parties or taking on big, messy cooking projects. Tony Garcia, AIA, Asquared Studios, said his firm is sometimes approached for very small projects that include outdoor kitchens. “Some see it as an integral part of their lifestyle,” he said. To make the most of these spaces, seamless openings between indoors and outdoors are essential. We’re seeing pass-through windows (https://www.andersenwindows.com/windows-and-doors/windows/pass-through-windows/) being used in smaller spaces where a patio door can’t fit.
Monochrome rooms continue to charm with their exuberant embrace of color. The change we’re seeing is the rise of a warm earthy color palette — think terra cottas and similar. Richer colors are helping to edge this trend a little closer to rising maximalist tendencies. But of course, the trend is coming to life in all sorts of ways, for example: tonal trim matching brightly colored windows.
*OnePoll survey of US homeowners