Survey: Home Offices, Theaters Gaining in Popularity

WASHINGTON, DC - The rise in telecommuting and flexible work arrangements, plus the rise in gasoline prices, has led to home offices becoming the most popular "special-function room" that architects - and other design professionals - are being asked to design.

Simultaneously, the increased availability of audio and video technology options, coupled with a decline in cost for that equipment, has translated into a surge in popularity for media rooms and home theaters.

Those trends, along with others, were identified in the most recent "Home Design Trends Survey" conducted by the American Institute of Architects. The survey, conducted by the Washington, DC-based AIA as part of a quarterly series, focused on "special-function" rooms, along with overall business conditions reported by residential architecture firms.

The results of the survey, released in late August, point to possible increased opportunities for kitchen and bath specialists looking to market their design and product specification skills beyond just those two rooms.

"The overall theme gleaned from this survey is that home features are now emphasizing convenience and informality," said Kermit Baker, AIA's chief economist. "Upscale entryways and hallways have waned a great deal in popularity, while home features such as siding, decking, countertops, and floor and wall finishes are being designed for flexibility and ease-of-use."

Other key results of the AIA survey include the following:

• The housing market continues to be strong, based on the business conditions reported by survey respondents - and their increase in inquiries for new projects and average "backlog" of projects in the pipeline is more than five months, pointing to sustained construction activity in the coming months. Conditions were seen as the strongest in the South for the second consecutive quarter; in contrast, they were viewed as weakest in the Northeast.
• The remodeling and condo markets remain the strongest residential business sectors for architects, with kitchens and baths high on the list of top remodeling projects. Other top projects include home additions and second/vacation homes (see bar graph, above left).
• Some 30% of the surveyed firms reported an increase in the popularity of hobby/game rooms. Mud rooms, kid's/guest wings and au pair/in-law suites are also seeing increased emphasis. In fact, 22% of the surveyed firms reported an increase in dedicated wings or additions for in-home child care providers, and for bringing elderly parents into the home. Also found increasing in popularity were laundry rooms and exercise/fitness areas (see bar graph, above right).
• Homeowners are seeking low-maintenance materials and storage, including pantries, in home features.
• Cognizant of ever-increasing energy costs, consumers are becoming increasingly sensitive to energy usage within the home. More than 40% of survey respondents reported an increase in the popularity of efficient energy-management building principles and materials, such as solar, geothermal and renewable electrical energy sources.

The AIA Home Design Trend Survey is conducted quarterly with a panel of 600 architecture firms that focus their practice in the residential sector. The AIA represents nearly 75,000 licensed architects and related professionals.