Let’s start off by addressing the elephant in the room. “Why millennials? Why this particular generational cohort?” The answer is incredibly simple. Market trends. Demographics. Statistics.
The new home buyers in the real estate sector are mostly Millennials. This means that architectural design trends are going to adjust according to the preferences of Millennial home buyers. And well, that’s not a bad strategy at all, is it?
But before we get into the meat and potatoes of the article, we need to clarify some things first. Starting with:
Who Exactly Are The Millennials?
By popular definition, Millennials, also known as “Generation Y” are people who are born between the early 1980s up to the early 2000s. They are the largest generational cohort since their predecessors, the Baby Boomers.
According to this article, Millennials are said to be well-versed in the use and development of technology. This is because they were exposed to technology from an early age, which also means that they were exposed to various forms of mass media early on. This is what explains their unprecedented resistance to almost all types of marketing tricks. They are also deemed to be the most educated of all generations thus far.
They are also more likely to do their own research than any other generational cohort. They make good use of the Internet, whether it’s to check on Allstate home insurance reviews or the latest dos and don’ts of home buying, and it’s best to assume that they’re going to do at least some research.
It’s these traits that architects take into consideration when designing homes for Millennials. So, what design trends came as a result of this? Read on:
A Renewed Focus On Kitchen Design
Millennials seem to prioritize the kitchen since they now prefer to cook their own meals at home. This is because of the ease of which they’re able to make use of the Internet to search for recipes that would otherwise be difficult to find. Not only that, but Millennials are more health-conscious versus previous generations. Also, let’s face it, it’s much cheaper to cook your own meal than to eat out.
Dual Purpose Rooms
One trend that has quickly risen among Millennials comes in the form of work-from-home-jobs. Whether it’s because they’re freelancers or because companies are now recognizing the benefits of allowing their staff to work from home is unknown. What is known, however, is that Millennials want their living spaces to also double as a workplace, and the designs have adjusted to accommodate both in one space.
Resource-Saving Technology and Smart Home Compatibility
The key word here is “technology”. Millennials are incredibly technology-savvy. Energy-saving features such as low-emission appliances and solar panels, as well as water-preserving fixtures all appeal to this generation. And with the advent of the Internet of Things (IoT), the smart home is also bound to become the main consideration when it comes to Gen Y home design. Internet-controlled security systems, voice-controlled doors and lights, and all sorts of smart appliances are bound to be part of the new standard.
Simple and Low Maintenance
Sure, this may sound a little anticlimactic, but it’s true. Given how quickly people move in the modern world, there isn’t going to be much time for home maintenance and elaborate design trends. Simple design, both in structure and in interiors, is key here.