AIA Survey Finds Homeowners Making Better Use of Space
The American Institute of Architects second quarterly Home Design Trends survey shows that American households continue to opt for smaller homes with less property and invest in low-maintenance home improvements. Also changing is the way members live in and use spaces in their homes.
The survey, which focuses on home layout and use in the first quarter of 2010, suggests that practicality is becoming a big concern for homeowners, triggering a drop in the use of high-end products like decorative water features and formal landscaping. People are also using their living spaces more wisely.
Sixty percent of people surveyed reported an increase in in-home accessibility, with 56 percent of respondents preferring an open space layout. Forty percent of respondents opted for a single-floor plan, which offers better access to the rest of the house.
Outdoor living has not gone unscathed. Sixty three percent of survey participants are aiming for more low-maintenance landscaping, compared with 67 percent in 2009. And outdoor living spaces has seen a decrease in the first quarter in 2010, down 4 percent from last year.
While specific housing markets (first-time buyers, luxury homes, vacation homes, etc.) are seeing a decline, home improvements have increased. Forty one percent of respondents reported kitchen and bath remodels, with 37 percent reporting home additions or alterations.
The AIA Home Design Trend Survey is conducted quarterly with a panel of 500 architecture firms that concentrate their practice in the residential sector. Business conditions are also monitored on a quarterly basis. The next survey will take place in September and focus on specialty rooms and systems, followed by December’s survey on community design trends.
— Kaitlin MacRae
