Coastal is Always Classic
Trend Worthy Details
Whether remodeling a residence you already love or building a dream home from the ground up, trends can always offer guidance. Of course, since they’ve taken the time to learn your tastes, particular needs and expectations, your architect, builder, interior designer and landscape specialists are your strongest allies. Take care to ask lots of questions and share your vision clearly, and then trust those professionals to execute the plan.
Regardless of where you are in the planning process, following is a bit of food for thought.
Experts predict 2017 will continue to emphasize the addition of casual settings that draw people into well-planned outdoor living spaces. Comfortably furnished porches, patios and verandas will continue to blur the line between indoors and out. Designated storage areas are popular – purpose specific “garages” for surfboards, wetsuits, beach gear. Especially in our warm climate, outdoor showers represent a touch of luxury that delivers convenience by keeping sand outside.
According to local custom builder, Bruce Carrell (President/Founder, The Carrell Group, www.CarrellGroup.com), “in the last thirty years of building homes in this area, I’ve never seen expanding unconditioned spaces so popular in new construction. Whether we’re building outdoor living areas for entertainment reasons, optimizing attic spaces for excess storage, or enlarging garages for golf carts and other large vehicles, 90% of our new clients seem willing to devote a larger percentage of their overall budget toward unconditioned square footage.”
Susan White (President/Founder, Classic Home Building and Classic Interiors, www.ClassicHomebuilding.com) had this to say: “The most important space in today’s home is the open kitchen/living room. The kitchen has always been “the heart of the home,” but now it is an even more integral part of the living area boasting cabinetry, countertops, appliances, etc. fit for entertaining as well as everyday living.”
Important as they are, bathrooms and kitchens are no longer getting ALL the love. According to Forbes, splurging on laundry rooms is currently all the rage. It seems homeowners have finally grasped the realization that a whole lot of time is spent managing the unending cycle of laundry. That means the laundry room is a space that should look good, feel good and function like a million bucks. The 2016 Houzz & Home Report confirms record numbers of folks are remodeling their laundry rooms – and building fancier ones when starting from scratch.
Smart homes are a trend worthy of embracing. In fact, these days, upping a home’s IQ is so easy the Jetsons are undoubtedly green with envy. There are oodles of products that allow owners to manage their happy homes via cell or computer from anywhere in the world. The WiFi-enabled Nest Learning Thermostat controls your HVAC system and saves major dollars on electric bills. Nest Cam helps deter and identify home intruders by providing a glimpse of family or just showing you who’s at the door. Door locks can be managed with Kwikset Kevo. You can assign these virtual keys permanently or temporarily, monitor ins and outs and receive activity alerts. Philips Hue is a wireless lighting system that enables the operation of lights – from their color to how bright they are. And that’s just a beginning.
Hurricane smart construction also remains a focus of clients along the Carolina Coast. Bruce Carrell and his team at Carrell Group have been building hurricane smart homes for years. If fact, they recently won ICF Builder Magazine’s “2016 Best Residential Home in America.” According to Bruce, “2016’s Hurricane Matthew reminded many of our prospective clients about the risks of living along the coast. Over the last six months, we’ve seen a resurgence of interest in items like IMPACT glass, Fortified for Safer Living construction, Insulated Concrete Form (ICF), and generators.”
Energy efficiency is still a top priority for homebuyers and builders, and eco-upgrades are easy and smart with green products that include everything from flooring to paint. “Multigenerational” is definitely a buzz word this year. Some noteworthy statistics show that incorporating “aging in place” bells and whistles is the construction industry’s top trend.
Interiors decorated in soft neutral shades – a palette long considered classic in the Lowcountry – remains both elegant and inviting. Here on SCs coast, “the more things change, the more they stay the same.” Organic, unfussy colors from the beach – crisp whites, soft sand, sage green grass and seashell grays are can’t-miss choices. Serene shades of blue rule, and navy blue is a current designer darling for a strong accent color. When paired with pops of red or yellow, or even purples in shades you’d find inside an oyster shell, a casual beach vibe is easy to achieve.
And, if you know anything about Fixer Upper, the wildly popular HGTV show with Chip and Joanna Gaines, you know shiplap is here, there and everywhere. Since it instantly creates a casual and relaxed vibe, it’s perfect in coastal settings. Expect to see more of it and in different applications. And feel free to exercise your own taste and imagination! It’s not a faux pas to paint shiplap in colors other than white.
From high-end to laid-back, updated to old-fashioned, indoors to out, building and remodeling is more fun than hassle. There’s so much to choose from – from materials and textures, flooring, colors, appliances and amenities, the list is endless. Let that detail excite you versus intimidate you! Find a builder and designer you trust and hold on tight for the ride. This is going to be more fun than you ever imagined!