Enduring Home Design Trends

Katherine Salant, nationally syndicated columnist and author of The Brand-New House Book,says houses designed with both a master and second bedroom on the first floor have become the most popular because they appeal to all age groups.

Young couples use the second bedroom as a nursery. Middle-age couples use it to keep aging parents close by, and older couples like the design because their differing sleep patterns make sharing a bedroom difficult, Salant says.

Here are other trends Salant points to:

• The newest variation on the home office is a completely separate office space, connected to the house by a hallway or a breezeway.
  
• Kitchens are getting smaller, but they are connected to much larger dining areas, often with a center island where family members can sit while they have an informal meal.
  
• Oversized family rooms with high ceilings are giving way to smaller, cozier rooms with lower ceilings.
  
• Home theaters have lost much appeal because people don't want to watch television in a separate area of the home. TV viewing is a more informal activity that people engage in while they're doing other things like cooking or getting ready for work.
  

Source: The Washington Post, Katherine Salant (10/18/2008)