Homes are changing. Designs are getting sleeker and in some cases more minimalistic, appliances are getting increasingly “smart” and energy-efficient, and the general aesthetic is closer to what we might have called “futuristic” some 10 or 20 years ago. This is not to say that you have to get a home that fits this description if you’re in the market. Ordinary, traditional homes are still the most prevalent and likely will be for some time. But it’s clear that we’re at least beginning to transition to a more modern style of home design, and it can be nice to be ahead of the curve.
That can mean any number of things. But these are some starter tips, if you will, for how to create the perfect modern home.
Embrace Smaller Lots
While there are certainly some larger modern home designs, one thing that we tend to associate with such homes is a minimalistic approach. Today’s cutting edge homes tend to take up a little less space, making the most of it in creative ways. Thus, if you’re looking to start from scratch, consider smaller lots and tighter spaces. They may not seem like much at first, but when you look into narrow lot home designs you’ll find that some of the sleekest and most modern properties are built into relatively little spaces.
Focus On Modern Design Trends
If you have a say in the actual building of your home, or you’re simply looking into interior designs, do some research and get a feel for the kinds of trends that make such properties recognizable and appealing. Some of the popular ones are angular borders and furnishings, open space, bare, energy-efficient lighting, and lots of window space for natural light. But if you look through modern home designs (which you can do anywhere from Pinterest to sites like Houzz), you’ll probably find more elements and trends to latch onto as well.
Power Your Home
It sounds a little bit futuristic now, and perhaps it is. But home battery power is just around the corner, and will likely become significantly more prevalent over the course of the next decade. With trendy tech giant Tesla leading the way, the idea of combining natural solar energy with batteries that can power homes is efficient, affordable, and mostly just cool. Particularly if you’re starting a modern home from scratch, this is something to strongly consider.
Embrace The IoT
The IoT (or Internet of Things) is expanding rapidly, and it’s largely responsible for what we now think of as “smart homes.” You’re probably aware of things like learning thermostats and home “assistant” devices like Google Home. But the IoT goes well beyond these gadgets, and may soon connect just about everything electronic in our homes. We’re not far from a world in which modern houses have alarm clocks that start coffee machines when they wake you up, or refrigerators that turn on cars to warm up in the winter as soon as you put away your breakfast ingredients. These are just a few loose concepts within a very broad picture. But to put together a true modern home, you’ll need to consider which IoT devices to integrate, and how.
Opt For Smart Furnishings
There are plenty of ways to enjoy cutting edge technology in your home furnishings as well. For instance, there are now beds that respond to your needs and can even mold themselves differently for you and a partner. There are also voice-activated smart sofas hitting the market. But perhaps best of all in designing a modern home are the different options you have with custom made shutters and blinds. You can always opt for a more traditional approach, but a lot of the sleeker modern homes come with automated rolling blinds, or even windows that can simply cloud over at the touch of a button to block the outside.
Don’t Sacrifice Comfort
As a final, casual reminder, don’t sacrifice comfort! There’s really no need to. It would be understandable to assume that with their sharp angles and minimalist designs, modern homes aren’t meant to be comfortable. On the contrary, however, comfort should be emphasized. The beauty of a lot of modern furniture, for instance, is that it doesn’t need to look deep and cushiony to provide a soft, relaxed feeling. Meanwhile, other elements such as IoT temperature controls are actually meant to make the house cozier than ever before.