The new year can mean a lot of things, but for us here at Stonehenge, the new year means new style trends for our customers to explore and enjoy in their custom homes on LBI. With the hectic year behind us, not much has changed amongst the major trends that families and custom homebuyers have come to expect in their homes. But 2021 has brought change to the way we style our homes and plan our spaces. Let’s take a look at some of the ways people are moving forward and sprucing up their design needs when building a house on LBI.
Kitchen: The Heart of the Home
2020 saw the kitchen take on a variety of responsibilities not typically associated with a kitchen. From school room to home office to a master chef kitchen and meal prep space, a home’s kitchen is no longer just a kitchen. Taking the lessons we learned from the year before, kitchens in 2021 are being redesigned to accommodate daily life as a central hub for families, professionals, and those looking to settle down. Open kitchens with visibility and good sightlines as well as large islands and good lighting are the spotlight needs for modern kitchens. Partnered with easy to clean countertops and easy to reach storage, these kitchens can easily function for busy families or people looking to remain in their homes as they age into retirement. Upgraded appliances are a must, especially since the kitchen is the heart of any home where families come to gather, dine, and do everything in between.
Smart Technology
Let’s face it: life is as busy as ever, and that’s why smart technology and digital tools are making a huge difference in the work-from-home life or aid those looking to stay in their homes for years to come. Technology can help manage a home with voice-activated appliances, smartphone integration and controls, or automatic/motion sensing lighting so you never have to worry about the small things again. Not only can smart technology help run your household, but it can help you keep in touch as well, something aging Americans desire more now than ever as we form deeper connections with our communities (and there is no tighter-knit community than that on LBI).
Eco-Friendly Isn’t Just a Passing Craze
We know we’ve talked about the importance of eco-friendly options to custom homeowners before, but this year, eco-friendly doesn’t just mean alternative energies or energy efficient appliances. In 2021, eco-friendly means going green for improved home health. From eco-friendly or chemical-free cleaners and paint options to home gardens, people are embracing eco-friendly lifestyles into their daily lives for their health. We expect to see more houseplants to help purify the air in your home, such as aloe or spider plants (but make sure the plants you choose aren’t harmful to your pets!) and improved outdoor spaces with outdoor kitchens, spacious patios or decks, and thoughtful landscaping to get you in the fresh air to lift your spirits on nice days.
Design: Less is More
Even though minimalism is sharing the stage with maximalism this year, less is still more. Decluttering and creating targeted storage spaces are the key to successfully managing multipurpose rooms and achieving a calm house. Paired with calming and neutral colors, we expect to see lots of subtle colors that invoke peace, optimism, harmony, and bring the outside in, like Benjamin Moore’s Color of the Year: Aegean Teal, to reign supreme in 2021. Dedicated home gyms and play areas are the perfect way to inspire balance and encourage wellness to break up the day from work or school. Comfortable and cozy elements such as brass or copper fixtures and hardware can be mixed with soft textures like velvet or textured wallpapers to bring an inviting space together. But most importantly, home is a sanctuary, your sanctuary, and your home has to serve your priorities.
As a builder on Long Beach Island, we work with our homeowners to create the custom home of their dreams. We build every home with the best and latest building materials and standards in the industry today. The greatest design advice we can offer any homebuyer is to strive for harmony and features that make you and your family happy. A home is a sanctuary, one that should strive to represent your style, but each trend or style choice should be able to coexist and flow seamlessly together for a peaceful and harmonious look that instills a bit of tranquility after a long day at the beach, working from home, or helping out in the kitchen-turned-classroom. Stonehenge Building & Development is one of the few builders in Manahawkin with an office in Harvey Cedars to better help you build the custom home of your dreams. With over two decades of roots building and developing Long Beach Island as well as building custom homes in Stafford Township, we take you through the process of home building and designing without the hassle of a learning curve. If you are considering building a new custom home on LBI or a neighboring town, contact us today for more information.