NINE HOME DESIGN TRENDS TO WATCH IN 2016

The National Association of Home Builders recently announced the winners of the Best in American Living Awards (BALA) – a prestigious program recognizing excellence in designs that influence the residential building industry.

Award recipients are lauded as the nation’s most creative and inventive builders, remodelers, architects, developers, land planners and interior designers.

Below are some of those trends in home design that buyers throughout Greater Chattanooga will see in the coming months and years. Some of these elements are sure to inspire your next design project.

Low-Impact Design. A growing number of area builders include sustainable and green features in their designs, including permeable pavers, rain gardens and landscaping with native species.

Intimate Outdoor Spaces. Many singlefamily custom and production homes include intimate outdoor gathering spaces, complete with outdoor fireplaces or fire pits and cozy seating, taking the place of the extended family-size backyards of the past.

Troughs and Spouts.

Outdoor tables with open, trough-like water channels add interest, often culminating in a delicate waterfall off the edge of the table into a pool or water feature below.

Indoor-Outdoor Convergence. What was once a distinct line between two living areas – indoor and outdoor – has been replaced by floor-to-ceiling retractable glass walls and screens.

Mid-Century Modern Detailing. Mid-century modern is now 21st century chic in furniture, elevation design and detailing.

Interior Board and Batten. This technique adds a three-dimensional layer to interior finishes

and provides an interesting alternative to paint and wallpaper.

White with Exotic or Repurposed Wood

Accents. Many winning interiors feature stark, modern white paired with rich wood accents, a striking combination in flooring, ceilings and cabinets.

Modern Industrial Accents. This trend combines sleek lighting and furniture with the brick, glass and steel elements of a building’s shell and skeleton.

Barn Doors. Barn Doors offer an alternative to traditional left- or right-hung doors and become a design feature of the home, unlike pocket doors that tuck away.

To find an industry professional who is ready to bring these exciting new trends to your new home or remodeling project, contact the Home Builders Association of Greater Chattanooga at 423-624-9992 or www. hbagc.net.