Home Design Trends In 2013:
Home Improvements To Enjoy Home-life That Carry A Return On Investment
Home owners’ personal wishes and style preferences carry greater influential in today’s trendy home designs than what a future home buyers may want. Twin Cities improving housing markets are encouraging homeowners to move ahead with home improvements and redesigns to make home life more enjoyable. Solid, forward-thinking Minneapolis home remodeler Destiny Homes reports on home design trends for 2013.
Home Remodeling Market Index
The Home Remodeling Market Index (RMI) published by the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) reached 55 in the fourth quarter of 2012, increasing five points from the previous quarter, showing a strong muscle as Minneapolis home builders prepare for an influx in home improvement projects in 2013. This is the highest reading since the Q1 in 2004. An RMI above 50 indicates that more home remodelers report market activity is higher over home remodelers that report it is lower. The overall RMI averages ratings of the current U.S. remodeling industry with indicators of future remodeling levels.
Minneapolis home remodelers doing quality work are the home builders in high demand. Twin Cities homeowner wealth in high-dollar ZIP codes is being invested in the owners home value with luxury remodeling using quality materials, including new construction on highly sought after lots. Future housing market indicators increased from 49 in the previous quarter to well over 50, coming in at 56. Current market conditions also showed improvement, rising from 52 in the previous quarter to 54. Home remodelers indicated that activity was particularly strong in residential construction of owner-occupied properties, rating all categories of remodeling in owner-occupied homes 56 or better.
"With existing home sales up, the increase in the RMI partially reflects the remodeling work new home owners undertake when they move in. Consumers are gaining confidence in the economy and feeling more comfortable pulling the trigger on large and small renovations." ~ NAHB Chief Economist David Crowe
Cost Vs Value Approach to Home Design And Home Remodeling Projects
Home remodeling projects for 2013 incorporate homeowner wishes and trends as well as Cost Vs Value considerations. A positive reason to give your home a fresh design is that the 2013 national average cost-value ratio rose to 60.6%, ending a six-year decline. Homeowner who plan to stay in their homes for a long time will gain higher value in enjoying the life style improvment of a home remodel. Homeowners who are investing dollars into a home remodel hoping to recoup them in a near more-up sale will gain the most by following the cost vs value home impormement indicators. 
Stylish Luxury Kitchens
Kitchen remodels with quality materials remain at the top of the cost versus value list for home remodel projects. Homeowner wish lists are trending toward remodeling rather than adding on. A "middle ground" design between traditional and contemporary has become more popular as is evidenced by choices such as ceiling coves and wood beams are used versus traditional crown molding. Painted Faux finishes may be a newer choice rather than natural maple or oak. Natural stone tiles set in creative arrangements make a great back splash above a new Wolf range. Destiny Homes remodels many kitchen for a more open "live-in" work area for gourmet cooks and creative eating and dining spaces. More middle-class clients are upgrading their kitchens but are staying within the room’s existing footprint.
Media and Theater Rooms
Families are choosing to remain home for "staycations" over time spent traveling more often. Home design trends for media and theater rooms that are solely devoted to TV and other multimedia entertainment are increasing. Liz's designer eye adds the perfect blend of comfortable seating, built-in cabinets, tables, and good lighting. Home designs trends are moving toward daily function and use over the more stoic feel in media rooms of the past.
Bathroom With Themed Designs
: Use of natural stone and quality fixtures, with softened well-placed lighting, and built-in cabinetry are used more in bathroom remodels. After years of standard function design, themed decorating is more personal and fun. Hobbies or travel memorabilia are more often incorporated into bathroom accents. An European flair is commanding greater interest. Perhaps some American sentiment and excitement came from taking note during recent exposure to England when watching the Olympics and royal wedding. British-style motifs flashed before viewers including tweed, hounds tooth, floral, and crown patterns.
A Simpler Design With A Lighter Style
As many baby boomers settle comfortably into smaller homes, living spaces call for scaled-back pieces and better illumination that makes rooms look larger. To achieve maximum function for a home's living space, Liz and Butch are experts at custom built-in bookshelves or wall-mounted shelving, tailored furniture over clunky items, and welcoming natural daylight-filled homes. This trend means that the one "room" in a house that’s not shrinking is the garage, which is often still big enough for two cars and storage. Getting around easy and being well organized will always be a top priory for homeowners.
New Colors For Paint Choices
A fresh background coat of paint creates the perfect accents for a home's furnishings. Neutrals remain more popular than vibrant hues. However, they aren’t the same whites, creams, and beige's of yesterday. A slight blue-gray tint works well with home decor of popular blues and purples. Or a custom raspberry-pink shade may showcase a room's accent pieces rather than a standard red. Yellows complement blue-grays and host a background for many home settings. Paint colors move in cycles every five to 10 years and follow other home-décor categories, and fashion trends.
Green Energy Homes That Are Well Insulated
: Home renovations that incorporate efforts to conserve energy for a greener home continue to be popular. Improving the level of a Minnesota home's insulation and installing better functioning furnaces in new home construction make a healthy difference in enjoying your home and utility savings over the long run. Slar panels are more integrated into roofs so they’re less of an eyesore.
One-Of-A-Kind Custom Home Elements
Liz Sprenger, Destiny Homes designer, creates a personalized look by featuring unique home elements such as incorporating reclaimed specialty wood, an heirloom antique piece of furniture or sports collection to stage a homey, inviting atmospheres.
Landscaping and Out-Door Living Spaces
A well-designed landscape with use of drought-tolerant plants and replacements for impermeable hardscape allow greater water retention and lower summer's water costs. Essentials are healthy soil that allows for the proper drainage, and readily available water for routine care for designed landscape beds of shrubbery and perennial plants. A backyard pavilion and outdoor dining areas are frequently requested as homeowners prefer staying home more and enjoying family times.
Incorporating Elevators Into A Home's Design
At at heart of the housing trend away from one-story ranch houses and toward multistory, multi-generational houses, elevators are making a comeback in newly built homes. Residential Elevators Inc. builds a beautifully compact elevator that is the perfect size for single-family residential with interiors furnished in mirrors, luxurious leather or high-end wood. They are capable of up to 50 feet—or five stories—and hold up to 950 pounds.
Home Spas
Many Americans are following the European craze for luxury spas as health conscience individuals want to enjoy having their own spa at home. Today's vast selection allows buyers to select their size and wood type and decide if they want the unit incorporated into a bath or pool area or to function more as a stand-alone room.
Twin Cities Desirable Established Neighborhoods
Destiny Home projects that 2013 home remodeling projects will include additions and whole-house remodels. "People are buying and renovating houses in the Twin Cities desirable older neighborhoods as well", says Sprenger. The Twin Cities are characterized by steady housing prices and building permits. Home remodelers are enjoying the more consistent workloads and backlogs of home remodeling projects from homeowners who were sitting the fence in previous years.
Home Design Buzz and Bright Spots
According to statement released today in an article titled "Plenty of Bright Spots in Housing, But Threats Remain", while there is plenty of housing trend buzz and almost no housing market indicators show weakness, "Still, the housing market is about 52 percent as strong as it was prior to the 2008 housing crash, according to one housing index by Trulia, which factored in data from the National Association of REALTORS®, U.S. Census construction, and Lender Processing Services.
Painting a home increases home values.
