US housing trends in 2014 to include simple and clean lines, high-performance building, open floor plans, says builder; NAHB's 2014 New American Home--to be unveiled at International Builders Show in Las Vegas on Feb. 4-6--will set tone for future trends
Allison Oesterle
STAMFORD, Connecticut
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January 28, 2014
(press release)
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The Plan Collection sees simple, clean lines and high performance building among hot trends in home building, design and floor plans.
As the National Association of Home Builders unveils its 2014 New American Home at the International Builders Show in Las Vegas on February 4-6, The Plan Collection, the leading online house plans provider, says simple, clean lines and high performance building are some of the year’s defining trends in home building, design and floor plans.
“These are exciting times for the housing and building industry,” said Brian Toolan, chief executive officer, The Plan Collection. “The NAHB’s 2014 New American Home sets the tone for hot trends in house plans and designs not only for 2014 but well into the future.”
The New American Home
Not just the showcase piece at the Las Vegas Trade Show, the NAHB’s New American Home also highlights innovations in home building and living for the future. At 6,700 square feet, “the New American Home will be comfortably spacious and inviting with warm interiors…” Its design is relevant to today’s living and how we will live in the future.
From exteriors to interiors, The Plan Collection looks at what to expect:
Inside and out, the trend is toward the simple and sleek look – very modern with classic touches and accents. There is less ornamentation, less wall cabinets in the kitchen and living areas and more open shelving.
As consumers seek more efficient homes, energy efficiency and durability are now a necessity in the home building industry. From walls, windows, doors, roofs and basements, designers are integrating green or organic products into the overall structure of homes. For optimum durability, homeowners are using brick and stucco for exteriors and other natural materials that are resistant to natural disasters.
As The Plan Collection reported in December, the trend is toward contemporary/modern designs with flex space and open floor plans, especially for the kitchen/living and dining areas. There are several options for the flex space.
The most common is transforming the space to accommodations for young children, older ones who have chosen to live at home, and in-law suites. With sliding doors or a moveable wall, the space can also be utilized as a den or home office.
Beyond terraces, decks and patios, the screened porch has become very popular with homeowners who want to create the perfect connection between their home and the outdoors. Today’s screened porches not only keep insects out and allow great views, they have become more multi-purpose.
They can be furnished like open porches – with comfortable seats, area rugs, dining tables, fireplaces – for year-round living comfort. Some screened porches are also equipped with a sink, refrigerator and hybrid grills for cooking with gas and wood. As Toolan states: “Some of today’s house plans include chef quality BBQ porches… with high-efficiency glass windows and doors to make them energy-smart and seamless with indoor rooms.”
About The Plan Collection (http://www.theplancollection.com/house-plan-collections)
The Plan Collection is the leading online house plans provider driven by the simple idea that great house design should be affordable and readily accessible to everyone. The company provides homeowners, prospective homeowners and builders with more than 20,000 house plans selected from the nation’s leading designers and architects along with tens of thousands of instructional images and inspirational photos.
From the days of printed house plan books to PCs, the Internet, social media, and now tablets – The Plan Collection and its founders have been dedicated to providing users with a better, more convenient and more valuable home building experience. Customers enjoy the benefits of a broad selection of high quality home plans and detailed how-to information, an easy-to-search site and knowledgeable customer service.
TPC understands what homeowners are looking for, and delivers better search results to its users. As a result, thousands of houses have been built at a lower cost using pre-drawn house plans that meet homeowners’ specific needs and desires.
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