Modern Home Design Ideas

Owning your own home gives you the freedom to let your design ideas go crazy. Whether you’re in a home that was just built or if you house is 50 years or more old, you can add todays design tends. From adding wallpaper to adding new furniture pieces, your design choices are endless. Some trends will only be around for a couple of years and some design ideas are timeless so be careful when decorating your home.

While the fundamentals of design have changed little over time, some home design trends come and go, get reinvented, or are completely new based on today’s technology and ecological demands. Let’s look at some modern home design ideas.

Multifunction Areas

Since the 1990s, the open floor plan concept has not slowed down. The idea of having a formal dining room separate from the living area seems to be fading. Many home owners are opting for a large open floorplan that accommodates the living, dining, and kitchen areas. Usually the kitchen is separated from the living area by a large island. These islands generally have space for seating as well. Lots of families take their meals right in that kitchen area, eating at the island.

The kitchen being opened to the living area is great for entertaining. An open concept lets whoever is in charge of meal prep still be involved with the family or other company. Having a dining area that is not walled gives the feeling of vastness. Even if you don’t have a ton of square footage, you can still make it feel like you do.

New builds from architects like A1 Home Builders can be designed to accommodate large, all-in-one areas. Adding big windows that allow natural light into your home also expands the feeling of space.

Smart Homes

The capabilities of smartphone technology mean that it is now easier than ever to control your home electronics with your phone. Todays smartphones are perfect for smart home control since they are fast, reliable, and are always with you.  

It’s true that smart home appliances can be a bit pricey but a bit of planning and saving can make the purchase a little easier. There are refrigerators that can keep running grocery list for you, remind you of calendar appointments, and more. Lightbulbs and alarm systems can be operated with voice controls using your smart home assistants.

You can save on your energy bills by having a smart thermostat that can be programmed to come on and off based on your at home schedule. Many of them even learn your habits and adjust to fit your normal routine. You can even use your smart devices to change the channels on your TV, dim the lights, and lock your doors.

Sustainability

Whatever your stance on climate change, you cannot deny that we should be good stewards of the earth. Using materials that have been recycled or that need little to no upkeep is always the best choice. We can make our homes better and still be mindful of what our choices may mean in the long term. Our homes need to be built to last so we don’t have to use valuable resources to rebuild and repair things every few years. 

Choosing energy efficient appliance helps keep the drain on our resources to a minimum. Water saving faucets and toilets help with sustainability as well.  Adding solar panels to reduce electric use is something home owners are doing more and more. After your initial investment is met, you’ll love the savings on utility bills month after month. We should consider how we use limited resources and do our best to reduce that use.

Choose wisely

These modern home design ideas are just scratching the surface of all you can do to make your home beautiful, functional, and sustainable. When remodeling, building, or simply purchasing new appliances, choose wisely.