Smart Storage and Smart Space
Author: Betsy Dell
Word Count: 875
Date: 6/25/09
As we enter the second half of 2009, home improvement trends continue to focus on the family even as homeowners become increasingly frugal. Since the doom and gloom reporting of the past six months has often implied that Americans have stopped spending altogether and have taken to stuffing money under their mattresses, the word frugal might be interpreted as miserly. In reality, we have not stopped spending, but we are spending very differently.
According to Wharton professor Stephen Hoch, we are discovering real satisfaction in becoming more discerning shoppers. We are placing a premium on value for the dollar. So in the context of 2009 homeowner spending, the word frugal is synonymous with being prudent, careful and penny-wise. Home improvement trends continue to be marked by a pattern of eliminating waste, making better use of our resources and planning ahead. This is particularly apparent in the two trends we are examining today: smart storage and smart space.
Smart Storage
We had storage issues before the recession began; we just weren't especially concerned about them. But as we spend more time at home with our families, we are discovering that togetherness works best when we're not tripping over each other's stuff. Attractive built-in cabinets and efficient closets are an increasingly important component of every room in the house.
Storage is deemed smart when it efficiently houses the maximum amount of stuff in the minimal amount of space. When we increase the effectiveness of our storage, we eliminate wasted space. Builders are currently using smart storage to decrease the size of new builds by 200-500 square feet while making them feel as spacious as homes built in the boom years. In existing homes, smart storage is viewed as a space buyback. It is, without a doubt, the most economical way to add living space.
The smart storage trend overlaps with movement towards smart space because it is being used to make our rooms work harder. With the right storage solution, a small home office can accommodate multiple users with individualized desk space. Wall beds, which are making a big comeback, can turn an office or family room into a guest room without compromising the rooms' regular purpose. By adding storage cabinets to our garage, we're creating space for hobbies, crafts and exercise.
Garage storage is doing more for us than eliminating wasted space. It is also making that space function properly. Built-in cabinets get our mounds up off the floor, making it easier to find what we need when we need it. Overhead storage has become the preferred storage solution for things we rarely use because it reserves wall storage for things we need access to more regularly.
Smart Space
Smart space is a design principle that works to make better use of our existing space. As already discussed, smart storage does that. Here, we will talk about the structural changes we're making to make our space smarter and why we're making them.
More time at home, more time with family and eating in (versus dining out) are all contributing to a rash of kitchen remodels and makeovers. The term eat-in is being replaced with the term live-in because it more accurately describes how we're using this space. Since we are doing more cooking at home now, particular attention is being paid to the time and space management of food prep areas. Increased functionality is a design priority. Adequate storage, including a pantry, is also important.
Area builders report that the great room concept remains a popular way to open up small, cramped, ground floor spaces and increase family connectedness. Watch for a new twist on this idea. The cunning use of French and sliding doors allows segments of a larger space to be closed off as needed. This increases flexibility while maintaining a spacious feel.
Families that need more living space continue to push out into their back yards by building outdoor rooms. Outdoor rooms are a great example of taking ill or underused space and putting it to work as a multi-purpose gathering area. Their already strong popularity is growing because they give so much bang for the buck.
Like outdoor rooms, garage conversions are an incredibly cost effective way to add space and they are on the rise for three reasons. First, grandma (or pa) is moving in. Statistics indicate that the number of multi-generational households has increased 55% since 2000. As state-budget cuts slash the services that enable seniors to stay in their own homes, that number will increase. Second, we expect our college-aged children to boomerang.
Jobs are scarce and starting salaries are at recessionary lows. Analysts predict that it will take up to 10 years for the salaries of young adults entering the workforce in 2009 to catch up with the starting salaries of workers hired in the boom years. Third, more folks are working from home as companies close offices to save money while retaining staff.
The significant drop in the cost of building materials has made remodeling extremely attractive and very cost effective. Homeowners are being quick to take advantage of what is viewed as a window of opportunity to eliminate wasted space, make better use of existing space and plan ahead for lifestyle changes we can reasonably anticipate.
Good Morning on Friday July 30, 2010
