By Jules Yap
Wealth of Geeks
The American Dream is smaller than it used to be. The National Association of Home Builders of the United States (NAHB) reports that new homes built in 2023 are, on average, smaller than homes built 15 years ago.
In fact, in their 2024 study, “What Home Owners Really Want,” new home buyers are looking for even less space. New homes were 2,411 square feet in 2023, the smallest average size in 13 years – but buyers only want homes around 2,070 square feet.
Modern-day America is witness to the death of cookie-cutter homes and the traditional idea of the suburban neighborhood. Americans don’t want to share a house layout with their neighbors or have to look twice to see which house is theirs. They want something that’s uniquely theirs.
Self-expression inside and out
In a world where everyone carries around the same phone in their pocket and spends all their time using the same few apps, people look to differentiate themselves in other ways. They showcase what makes them unique through the clothes they wear, the items they purchase, and the causes they support.
Bell bottom jeans were the rage in the ’70s, and denim or Members Only jackets ruled the ’80s. But no more. Gone are the days of a whole generation being known for an item or style of clothing. You’re just as likely to see someone walking outside today in a head-to-toe anime print as you are in a three-piece suit.
The rise of the tiny house movement, the van life movement, and digital nomads increases the importance of product choices made when space is limited. Like creating an office or storage space under the stairs. So, it makes sense that consumers are more discerning and take their time to find the perfect item that reflects who they are.
Social media gives everyone more choices in how to express themselves and a platform to show off the choices they have made. It is no surprise that this type of individualism and customization is finding its way into people’s homes.
Even the building materials used to construct a home can now express the owner’s attitude. A desire for sustainability has building firms responding with more eco-friendly buildings – using materials like bamboo, cork, and hemp.
Revolutionary builder Alquist 3D uses 3D printing technology to build houses from the ground up. It’s faster, less labor intensive, and, most importantly, cheaper than traditional building methods. 3D printing builds a house one layer at a time. This lets architects and designers customize the build to suit the needs of their customers. They double down on their commitment to the environment with a carbon-neutral cement alternative.
A new generation of designers is ready to produce unique pieces for discerning customers in ways that weren’t possible even ten years ago. Designers like Theo Jansen can create innovative chairs and tables with complex, lightweight structures unachievable with traditional methods.
While it can be pricey, it doesn’t need to be.
Wealth of Geeks
The American Dream is smaller than it used to be. The National Association of Home Builders of the United States (NAHB) reports that new homes built in 2023 are, on average, smaller than homes built 15 years ago.
In fact, in their 2024 study, “What Home Owners Really Want,” new home buyers are looking for even less space. New homes were 2,411 square feet in 2023, the smallest average size in 13 years – but buyers only want homes around 2,070 square feet.
Modern-day America is witness to the death of cookie-cutter homes and the traditional idea of the suburban neighborhood. Americans don’t want to share a house layout with their neighbors or have to look twice to see which house is theirs. They want something that’s uniquely theirs.
Self-expression inside and out
In a world where everyone carries around the same phone in their pocket and spends all their time using the same few apps, people look to differentiate themselves in other ways. They showcase what makes them unique through the clothes they wear, the items they purchase, and the causes they support.
Bell bottom jeans were the rage in the ’70s, and denim or Members Only jackets ruled the ’80s. But no more. Gone are the days of a whole generation being known for an item or style of clothing. You’re just as likely to see someone walking outside today in a head-to-toe anime print as you are in a three-piece suit.
The rise of the tiny house movement, the van life movement, and digital nomads increases the importance of product choices made when space is limited. Like creating an office or storage space under the stairs. So, it makes sense that consumers are more discerning and take their time to find the perfect item that reflects who they are.
Social media gives everyone more choices in how to express themselves and a platform to show off the choices they have made. It is no surprise that this type of individualism and customization is finding its way into people’s homes.
Even the building materials used to construct a home can now express the owner’s attitude. A desire for sustainability has building firms responding with more eco-friendly buildings – using materials like bamboo, cork, and hemp.
Revolutionary builder Alquist 3D uses 3D printing technology to build houses from the ground up. It’s faster, less labor intensive, and, most importantly, cheaper than traditional building methods. 3D printing builds a house one layer at a time. This lets architects and designers customize the build to suit the needs of their customers. They double down on their commitment to the environment with a carbon-neutral cement alternative.
A new generation of designers is ready to produce unique pieces for discerning customers in ways that weren’t possible even ten years ago. Designers like Theo Jansen can create innovative chairs and tables with complex, lightweight structures unachievable with traditional methods.
While it can be pricey, it doesn’t need to be.
Homeowners are finding ways to achieve unique designs
Interior design firms are often outside the budget limitations for the average person looking to make their home their own. An unending amount of decoration and design advice is available online for free. The Design My Room subreddit has more than 600,000 followers who swap tips on furniture arrangement and room layout, and Mr. Kate, an interior design YouTube channel, has almost 4 million subscribers.
Purchasing one-off pieces of bespoke furniture is one way to revamp a living room, but most people can’t afford to furnish a house that way. The rise of a new trend – IKEA hacking – may be the answer.
Consumers buy home furnishings without breaking the bank and then achieve the one-of-a-kind style they want by modifying it with IKEA hacking. This lets them personalize their furniture without breaking the bank. Adding paint, fabric, or new hardware can create stylish furniture that reflects your taste.
It’s not only the furniture that gets transformed. Your home’s interior quickly becomes unique, unlike anything found next door.
“We wanted a long desk for three people but couldn’t find exactly what we were looking for in stores,” says Monica Fish, founder of Planner at Heart. So, we bought a butcher block countertop and two gold designer table legs and created it ourselves. It is one of our favorite pieces in our house.”
Interior design firms are often outside the budget limitations for the average person looking to make their home their own. An unending amount of decoration and design advice is available online for free. The Design My Room subreddit has more than 600,000 followers who swap tips on furniture arrangement and room layout, and Mr. Kate, an interior design YouTube channel, has almost 4 million subscribers.
Purchasing one-off pieces of bespoke furniture is one way to revamp a living room, but most people can’t afford to furnish a house that way. The rise of a new trend – IKEA hacking – may be the answer.
Consumers buy home furnishings without breaking the bank and then achieve the one-of-a-kind style they want by modifying it with IKEA hacking. This lets them personalize their furniture without breaking the bank. Adding paint, fabric, or new hardware can create stylish furniture that reflects your taste.
It’s not only the furniture that gets transformed. Your home’s interior quickly becomes unique, unlike anything found next door.
“We wanted a long desk for three people but couldn’t find exactly what we were looking for in stores,” says Monica Fish, founder of Planner at Heart. So, we bought a butcher block countertop and two gold designer table legs and created it ourselves. It is one of our favorite pieces in our house.”
There’s no going back
The demand for more individual, made-to-measure products isn’t going anywhere, and advancements in production technology, like 3D printing, will only increase what’s possible.
It’s true that some fashion trends come back around, but the idea that builders will return to creating neighborhoods of identical rows of houses seems highly unlikely.
So, what will the neighborhoods and living rooms of the future look like? One thing is for sure: they won’t all be the same.
The demand for more individual, made-to-measure products isn’t going anywhere, and advancements in production technology, like 3D printing, will only increase what’s possible.
It’s true that some fashion trends come back around, but the idea that builders will return to creating neighborhoods of identical rows of houses seems highly unlikely.
So, what will the neighborhoods and living rooms of the future look like? One thing is for sure: they won’t all be the same.
