Enjoy a little light reader before the Halloween weekend.
Want to Start a Debate? Bring Up the Subject of Drying Laundry on Clotheslines
21 Recent Design School Grads Who Will Change Business
Homeowners Find Bargains in This Year’s Remodeling
Apply the Fun Theory to Your Home
According to Remodeling Magazine, findings from a survey recently conducted by ServiceMagic reflect a surge in optimism among homeowners and service providers as it relates to state of the home improvement industry.
In addition to getting a pulse check on consumer sentiment, the Remodel & Repair Survey also allowed ServiceMagic to identify the following three trends based on comparing service requests by industry for the first quarter of 2009 with the same period from 2008.
While these trends are not necessarily earth-shatteringly new, they reiterate what we have been hearing in the home industry for a while now. Reports like these serve as further evidence that while homeowners may be feeling more optimistic about the economy, they are not ready to spend money on large, expensive and unnecessary remodeling projects.
Earlier this week, we had the pleasure of speaking with Sarah Susanka. In addition to being an eight-time bestselling author, architect and cultural visionary, Sarah Susanka is redefining the American home with her approach to every day living and thoughts on maximizing square footage.
Her “build better, not bigger” approach to residential design has been embraced across the country and her “Not so Big” philosophy has sparked international dialogue.
Leading up to the NAHB Green Building Conference this weekend, we wanted to whet your appetite with insights from one of the most influential figures responsible for promoting a more sustainable approach to building.
Below is the transcript from our interview.
What inspired the “Not So Big” concept?
Years ago, I polled my clients and found that over 85% of people said that they never use their formal living areas but insisted on keeping them for resale.
While people assumed that these spaces were necessary for resale, the reality is that very few potential buyers actual look for formal spaces when they shop for a new home. That said, I set out to help people get the most house for the least amount of money and redefine views on how much square footage is really needed.
Simply put, what is the point of your “Not so Big” philosophy?
”Not so Big” is all about making the best use of the dollars you have available and making your home fit your lifestyle to a tee so that it lives larger than it really is.
The idea is to experience the quality of spaciousness without having to spend all of the money on the square footage.
Do you find that people are embracing this way of living more today given the current state of the economy?
Since 9/11, there has been a surge of interest in returning to home, friends and family. With all of the uncertainty in recent years, consumers are not approaching life with the same “bigger is always better” philosophy. Instead, people are looking to “right-size” their lives and their homes.
In terms of housing, homeowners are cutting back to what feels right, not oversized. People are finding that they are feeling more comfortable and safe in homes that are smaller and more reasonably sized.
Beyond the economy and peoples’ need to downsize, what has driven the success of “Not so Big?”
In the past, people thought that a bigger home was a better home, but they found themselves underutilizing the space and longing for something more. The “Not so Big” approach really points toward the thing that we long for – the feeling of home – that we cannot put our finger on with square footage alone.
Second of all, there is a segment of the population called “cultural creatives” that have emerged and reshaped what we care about today. Now, people want smaller, better-designed houses that are sustainable and live in harmony with the planet.
What other trends are you noticing in the home industry?
One trend that is very apparent today is energy efficiency. A lot of people have a hard time determining how they can make their homes more energy efficient, so I encourage readers to hire an energy auditor.
Another trend is that people are tailoring their homes so that they actually feel better inside them. By playing with ceiling heights, for example, people are crafting a space so that it evokes a sense of intimacy.
What is on the horizon for you?
I have several things in the works. Many large-scale builders are looking to downsize best-selling home plans to try and fit into the “not so big” space, so I am trying to put some designs into the marketplace that will allow developers to build smaller homes that people really want.
I am also looking to upgrade my current housing plans through better explanation and sell them online, which I have been quietly doing for a number of years. My goal is to help people design houses that will last centuries, not decades.
When it comes to designing a home or even remodeling just one room, there are plenty of ways for homeowners to find inspiration. Between all of the gorgeous magazines and blogs dedicated to helping people beautify their homes, a person could spend weeks flipping through stunning photography and gathering ideas that could be incorporated into their own living spaces.
Mydeco makes it easier than ever for homeowners to act as their own interior designers with their Moodboard application. The tool allows users to create their own moodboard by using the mydeco database or uploading their own photography. What makes this tool even better is the fact that it is free and intuitive.
Take a look at fun examples created by users or even design your own.
Photo Courtesy of Mydeco Moodboard
As consumers deal with the recession by cutting costs on everything from haircuts to home remodeling projects, retailers and manufacturers are using color to attract customers in a whole new way.
Today, color is being applied to nearly all consumer products from handbags, appliances, cars, electronics and furniture. While retailers hope to attract customers through vibrant end caps and product displays throughout their showrooms, manufacturers are also looking to eliminate the “sea of sameness” and appeal to their customers’ sense of style.
Photo courtesy of appliancist.com
While the average American consumer is carefully watching every penny they spend, the hope is that they may splurge on items that make them feel good.
Trend experts agree that applying color to products is a smart and timely move for manufacturers given the fact that people want to be cheered during this current economic downturn.
The Boston Globe recently referred to paint as an “anti-depressant in a can,” which makes sense when you think about how colors like yellow, orange and red can literally boost your mood and instantly evoke feelings of warmth and happiness. Likewise, color palettes that incorporate shades of blue, green and beige can bring to mind a calm, serene feeling.
Although neutral shades like white and beige remain the top-selling interior paint colors, homeowners are undoubtedly becoming more adventurous. Whereas bright colors may have been reserved for the areas of the home where the children played at one point, homeowners are now incorporating bold hues in main living spaces such as the kitchen and living room.
In fact, when Benjamin Moore identified its “hot colors” for 2009, the company’s experts chose St. Elmo’s Fire 362 yellow as the “it” color for interior décor because the hue is “evocative of flickering firelight” and “conveys a sense of optimism about what lies ahead.”
Luckily for homeowners, painting a room is a relatively inexpensive but very powerful way to update the look of the space. While the major remodeling projects will most likely have to wait for a few more months, painting is a task that any weekend warrior can tackle without breaking the bank.
A Look Inside the “Bigger is not always better” Philosophy
Photo courtesy of inspiredaustin.com
In her most recent book, “Not So Big Remodeling,” Sarah Susanka emphasizes that bigger is NOT always better when it comes to designing, building or remodeling a home. In fact, Susanka claims that a space that is about “one-third smaller than you thought you needed “can evoke the feeling of “home” that we all crave. The trick is to fill the space with special details and personal touches so that it is customized to meet your daily needs.
According to a recent article in USA Today, Susanka is not alone in her “not so big” philosophy. As outlined in the article, homebuilders and homeowners alike are noticing a shift in average home sizes as more and more people reevaluate their living habits and realize that they simply do not need a large home.
Additionally, CEPro reports that recent data from the U.S. Census Bureau shows that the average size of a new home in Q3 2008 dropped 9% from Q2 2008.
There are three main reasons why people are adjusting their views on the average home size and determining that a house under 2,000 square feet will do just fine. These reasons include:
Photo courtesy of Targetwoman.com
To ensure that your marketing strategies are in-line with this changing consumer landscape, consider the following:
