21 Home Design Trends for 2021, Part 1

With so much change behind us and (no doubt) still ahead, developers and builders are eager need to know what homebuyers will be looking for in the months to come.

Fortunately, the experts at the New Home Trends Institute have put their minds together to identify the 21 trends for 2021. Here’s a rundown of the first nine (in the categories of value, smarter tech, and personalization), with the rest to come in a subsequent post. You can watch the entire 21 Trends for 2021 webinar here (short registration required).

RELATED: 21 Home Design Trends for 2021, Part 2

Trend 1: Frugality is in. That’s about the best value, not the cheapest deal.

“Going out of your way to make sure you’re getting the most value for your money has been almost completely destigmatized,” says Mikaela Sharp, director of the New Home Trends Institute. Seventy-five percent of U.S. consumers say they’re more careful spenders now than a year ago, according to a 2020 OnePoll survey. For one thing, that means the DIY market will thrive.

But frugal doesn’t mean cheap. Frugal shoppers will go the DIY route only within reason. “They know when they’re better off bringing in a professional,” Sharp says. They’ll also invest in services and products, such as energy-regulation technology, that will lead to savings down the line.

Watch Now: 21 Trends for 2021 webinar from the New Home Trends Institute (short registration required)

Trend 2: People are on the move, and they’re after more than homes. They want a lifestyle.

“People are moving in all sorts of ways,” says Ken Perlman, managing principal. Motivated by health and safety concerns and financial prospects, people are moving across state lines, from cities to suburbs, and from apartments to single-family homes.

Developers need to build more than the houses these buyers want. They need to create the lifestyles they crave. That can include amenities such as well-curated parks and open spaces. Master-planned communities must consider “both the physical environment in which people live and what has the most meaning to people in their lives,” Perlman says.

Trend 3: A lot more time spent at home means a lot more need for efficient spaces.

“As we’ve all been stuck in our homes this year, we’ve found that every square foot of space needs to work a little bit harder for us,” says Jenni Lantz, director. Homes will need to include more multipurpose spaces, such as a laundry room that doubles as a mudroom, or an underused hallway that can also serve as a storage space by lining its walls with cabinets.

Trend 4: Buyers will search for their homes virtually—only if builders leverage tech.

The need for social distancing won’t go away overnight. Homebuyers will want to search for their new homes virtually. So developers and builders will have to help them do that. They’ll need to create videos, virtual tours, and even live drone tours of their communities, models, and amenities. For instance, in Dallas, Hillwood Communities offers virtual home shopping on its Find Your New Home, From Home site. Builders also will use live chat and social media to connect with buyers directly.

“Today’s developers are hyper-focused on creating connectivity through public forums like Instagram and Facebook that authenticate the lifestyle and experience of the masterplan, even in social distancing,” Perlman says.