When you are tasked with designing a home for someone as an architect, it can usually go one of two ways. Some people know what they want and simply need your skills and experience to come up with something that is realistic and will stay standing. Other people will give you a blank canvas and a budget to create a home of their dreams.
As an architect, you need to consider the things that people want from their homes and try to put your own unique spin on the design if you can. Think about things like open plan layouts, antique decora and more. Is your home energy design energy efficient? These are all things that need to be considered when designing a home.
Here, we are going to tell you about some of the must-have home features that architects should know about. Keep reading to find out more about this.
Solar Panels
In 2019, many people who are buying homes are looking for properties that have energy efficient features. In CA, one of the most common features that you should know is desirable is solar energy. Buyers want to be able to do their bit for the environment and find a way to save some money while they are at it. Solar panel companies in Vacaville are the perfect place to start when looking at solar panels for the property that you are working on.
Solar panels can come in a variety of sizes and some homes will need more than others. If you are planning on building a home in Vacaville or one of the other CA cities then you should take a look at sempersolaris.com. This company offers solar power in Vacaville and access to solar tax credit Vacaville wide.
When designing the home, you need to make sure that there is space for the solar panels to go. This is why it is often a good decision for the architect to consider solar panels in the initial stages. For those looking for features that buyers are on the hunt for, solar panels are the way forward. Make sure to find the right company and give these people the high-quality energy saving solar panels that they need. They will even be willing to spend more on the property because of this so make sure to check it out.
Laundry Chutes
Another must-have home features that architects should know about in 2019 are laundry chutes. While this might seem like a minor feature, they can actually come in very handy for those who are living in large homes and don’t want to have to carry their laundry all around with them. Having a laundry chute in your home is often seen as a luxury but it can be very easy to build into the design in order to sell a few more homes.
If you are thinking about adding a laundry chute to the design of the home, you are working on then you should consider carefully the location. Is there a designated laundry room that you can send it to? Should you create one? Laundry rooms are also in demand and so this might be something that you want to think about. Place the laundry chute in a convenient place and don’t forget to make room for it through the various floors. Make sure to consider the different elements of the laundry room when designing it and consider consulting the homeowner on the kinds of appliances they are likely to have in there. Some people want to have a sink, so this is definitely something to consider in the initial stages.
If you can add a laundry chute to the CA home, you are designing then you will be sure to get a high price for it in the future.
Outdoor Outlets
One of the things that people struggle with when trying to use their garden is the lack of outdoor outlets. This is because most homes only have outlets on the interior as this is usually where you’ll use your electronics. Of course, sometimes, you want to listen to some music outside or cut your lawn and this can be very tricky if you are unable to plug these devices into the sockets on the inside.
This is why you should consider adding some outdoor outlets to the homes that you are designing in the future. This is a more recent must-have home feature, but it is really quite simple to do. Make sure that you are choosing outlets that can stay safe when outdoors and keep them out of the rain. Of course, you won’t have much danger of this in California but there is a chance of pool water getting in.
Take a look online at some of the best ways to incorporate outlets into the exterior of the home and this will help you out a lot. You should be able to find plenty of information to help you come up with a safe solution for this particular property.
Hardwood Floors
For many years, homeowners have been on the hunt for the perfect hardwood floors and these are starting to become less common which can be an issue. For this reason, we suggest that you add some hardwood floors into the properties that you will be designing in the future. In California, homeowners like their properties to be grand and a hardwood floor can help to achieve this. A hardwood floor can make a home look more expensive and this is something which many people hope for.
There are many different flooring options that you can choose from when designing a home and it can be tricky to find the right one. Of course, you need to think about the location of the floor and the purpose of the room. If it is a bathroom then it is best to avoid a hardwood floor because of the water that will be present there. For a stunning design, try tiles in the bathroom and hardwood floors around the lounge area and the hallways.
If you can add even a few hardwood floors into the initial design, the value of the property will increase a lot. Make sure to consider this must-have when designing a home in the future and you will be happy with the results.
Open Plan Layout
Next up on our list of must-have features in homes in California in 2019 is an open plan layout. Architects and homeowners have been playing with this idea for a long time, but it appears to be a popular choice this year. While it can be useful to be able to claim that a home has multiple rooms, an open plan layout can make a home appear as though it is more spacious which can be advantageous if you only have a small amount of land to work with.
Often, the best open plan homes combine the lounge area and the kitchen with some even having a dining area included in this. When designing an open plan layout, you need to think carefully about the function of each room and the location of each element. Try to keep it as spacious as possible and don’t cram the lounge area in too close to where the cooking will happen.
You should also consider the kind of furniture that is going to be used in this kind of a layout because some kinds of couches can work better than others. While you might not be in charge of choosing the furniture, you can talk with the interior designer or the client and discuss the best layout for what is going to be put in place once the home is completed. Try an open plan layout and you might just see how great this can look in the next home you design.
Exterior Lighting
When you are working on a home design, you should try to make sure that you are thinking about the lighting both inside and outside of the home. Many people only consider the interior lighting which can be quite grand but often these homes lack in exterior lighting which is quite desirable.
There are a few reasons why exterior lighting has become so popular over the years including the security aspect of this. Many people believe that they can feel safer when they have lighting outside their home in the evenings. While CA is a bright place, it can get darker at certain times of the year and the added security feature can come in handy.
Another reason why exterior lighting is useful is that it can be used for entertaining. When you have guest over in the evenings, you might want to be able to turn your lights on outside. This is why exterior lighting has become such a must-have feature for homes and architects should take note.
Smart Home Features
As technology has advanced, the way that we live our lives has changed a lot. We are now using technology for everything including talk to our friends, applying for jobs and doing simple household tasks. Smart homes are becoming much more popular as people recognise the importance of this technology and realise just how useful it can be to have a smart home.
Smart home features come in all sorts of shapes and sizes and they definitely should be something that you are thinking about when designing a home. Smart home features can include everything from extra smart smoke detectors to having a home assistant that can turn on lights and open the blinds.
While smart home features can be expensive, they can be very useful for adding value to a property and setting it up for the future. Make sure to consider this and you will not regret adding some smart home features into your design.
Ceiling Fans
The final must-have home feature that you should consider is something which is very important to the people of California. This state is extremely hot all of the time and so the need for proper circulation of air is very high. This is why ceiling fans have made it onto our list of must-have home features that you should be considering.
According to research, 86% of home buyers have reported that they would like to have ceiling fans in their new home and this kind of research is very important to those who are in charge of designing the homes.
If you are going to be spending a lot of time in your home during the summer, then you are going to need to be able to rely on your air-con and fans to cool down. This is why many people are on the hunt for a property that can promise this, and you can be the one who delivers on this.
Final Verdict
Trends in home design come and go but some features are more in demand than others. If you are tasked with designing a home, you need to make sure that you are considering the popular features that people are not only looking for now but also that they will want to have in the future. This is why smart home features are one of the best places to start because this technology will likely be around for a very long time.
You should really consider the addition of energy efficient features like solar panels when designing the home. Make sure to design a roof that can hold these panels and this will make the home more desirable.
If you are planning on assisting an architect in designing your dream home, then you should also consider everything that we have discussed here in this article. Think about the features that you would most like to have and consider common trends to come to the right decision.
Soon, you’ll have a home that is suitable for the long-term and you’ll be happy with the final result.