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Top House Building Trends 2021

July 29, 2021

Top House Building Trends 2021

The pandemic changed virtually every aspect of our lives, including how we design, decorate and use our homes. If you're interested in a home design overhaul but aren't sure what's on-trend, you're sure to get some inspiration from this article, in which we'll share current design trends and new construction ideas in 2021. 

Multi-Functional Spaces

The stay-at-home measures of the pandemic turned our living spaces into much more — our schools, gyms, offices and recreation spaces. 

One of the biggest home interior trends in 2021 is creating convenient multi-use areas in our homes that accommodate various needs without changing floor plans or adding to costs. In addition, considering all the people who telecommute these days, many home interior designs in 2021 include quiet areas that allow you to work and complete schoolwork in private without interruption. 

If your home has an eat-in kitchen and separate dining room you only use on major holidays, you could store the dining table somewhere else and use that room instead as a place for working or studying. If your bedroom includes a smaller space that serves as a sitting room, think about converting this area into an office. There are many ways to get creative with the space available in your house.

A pergola adds visual interest, extends the entertaining area of your home and provides privacy.

Outdoor Areas

In 2020, many homeowners reimagined their outdoor spaces, and one of 2021's most popular exterior house trends is the pergola. If you're not familiar with the term, a pergola refers to an outdoor structure with columns that hold up a roof consisting of rafters and beams. These structures are similar to cabanas.

If your yard is just grass, trees and bushes, you may not be taking full advantage of your outdoor space. A pergola adds visual interest, extends the entertaining area of your home and provides privacy. Some other benefits include: 

  • They offer partial shade: Pergolas partially block sunlight, which means you can avoid direct sunlight while still allowing in ample natural light.
  • They allow for ventilation: Unlike a fully enclosed space, pergolas enable air to flow freely, which is especially useful if you need ventilation for an outdoor kitchen or grill.
  • They can define space in your yard: Like a rug in an indoor space, pergolas help outline a section in your yard. As a result, you can dedicate one area to relaxing and eating, while another section is for your garden or shed.
  • They can take the place of a patio or deck: If you don't have an outdoor seating area, you can use a pergola as a way to create that space.

Exterior House Trends

Several other exterior house trends have emerged recently, with the most prominent perhaps being extra windows. Airy, bright interiors are all the rage right now, so it probably comes as no surprise that extra exterior windows are also a major trend at the moment. 

It can be surprising how adding additional windows can make a home look more modern. However, if you're planning to add windows to your home, make sure the new windows match the original architecture of your home. Essentially, you want the new windows to appear as if they had always been there. By respecting the architecture of your home when you add windows, your home will look trendy and classic at the same time. 

Some other new home trends for exteriors are:

  • Creamy white paint: White on your home's exterior will always be in style, but you have to pick the right shade. That's sometimes challenging because you have to consider factors like undertones, but once you come upon a shade that harmonizes perfectly with the fixed elements of your home, you'll see it's worth the hard work. One of our recommendations is to pair an attractive white color with wood accents.
  • Contrasting garage doors: High-quality garage doors with paneling, windows and other architectural details can add an eye-catching pop to your home. Consider painting your garage doors a contrasting color from your house to highlight them as a design element. 
  • Interesting architectural doors: Your front door should serve as your home's focal point. In 2021, the trend of painting front doors bright colors to reflect personality is still popular, but neutral-colored doors with distinctive architectural styles may begin to take their place.
  • Straight lines over curved lines: Straight lines will likely be one of the defining design features of 2021. Although arched windows were common in the 1990s — and still work well on certain types of homes — swapping out curved lines for straight ones is an easy way to make your home look more modern and updated.
  • Front porches: While back porches have long been popular for grilling, dining and entertaining guests, in 2021, more homeowners are thinking about front porches. People need more places to hang out outside, and front porches are a great way to meet neighbors and see what's going on in your neighborhood. 
  • Painted brick: Although you often hear painting over brick is bad, if you don't want brick anymore, you can paint it without any negative consequences. Paint has seen many advancements in recent years and, if you use the right brand and apply it correctly, you can transform your exterior with minimal maintenance.
  • Natural wood accents: This year, many homeowners have started to do away with their light lament siding and replacing it with composite or natural wood. Wood accents make for an attractive feature on varieties of architecture from contemporary to farmhouse. If you're interested in incorporating a trend that will stay around for a while, find a spot on the exterior of your home to install some composite or natural wood type, whether it's soffits, siding, columns, a front door or fencing. 
  • Darker colors: In the past several years, an increasing number of homeowners have been using darker paints for their home interiors and exteriors. It's not hard to understand why — darker paints are attention-grabbing and dramatic.

Popular Home Decor Color Trends in 2021

A number of new interior color trends have emerged in 2021, as well. A few of these trends are as follows:

  • Going bold with a primary palette: In 2021, using two primary colors against a muted palette will give an artistic edge to your interior.
  • Using yellow and gray: According to Pantone, the two most defining shades of the year are Illuminating, a yellow shade, and Ultimate Gray, a pale shade of gray. This selection of two, independent shades illustrates how different elements come together to convey hopefulness and strength.
  • Warm tones: In winter, when temperatures are colder and days are shorter, we all appreciate a cozy, uplighting interior — and one of the most effective ways to achieve that is through warm colors. Warmer colors make spaces more welcoming in warmer months, especially peacock blues and burnt oranges. Darker shades like navy and gray work well with the warm colors while simultaneously giving the space more depth. 
  • Ocean blues: Inky and aqua blues capture the essence of beach getaways and relaxing poolsides, giving your home a calm and contemporary appearance. Aegean teal is a particularly popular color this year and is often associated with comfort, calm and peace. Ocean blues are a fantastic way to create tranquil atmospheres.
  • Nature-inspired hues: Regarding the pandemic, most of us have wanted to spend more time outdoors rather than stay cooped up inside. Outfitting your house with colors that remind you of nature can help you feel at peace when you're inside working or hanging out. Think about greens, neutrals and other shades that make you and your family feel grounded. This trick is one of the more comforting new trends in housing design.

 To invite in sunlight, install some sheer curtains or blinds, or invest in quality blinds that give you the perfect mix of privacy and natural light.

Window Treatments — Let Light In

This year is the time to open your windows up and take down heavy curtains. More homeowners have been focusing on allowing in as much sunlight as possible into their homes, especially in winter. To invite in sunlight, install some sheer curtains or blinds, or invest in quality blinds that give you the perfect mix of privacy and natural light. These are simple ways to let in more light, making your home feel more comfortable. Skylights get bonus points! 

After spending many months mainly confined to our homes, we've never wanted to fill our homes with sunlight more. Experiencing natural light also has health benefits — for one, it leads to an increase in serotonin levels, which helps boost your mood. As you might have expected, new construction homes feature larger windows, with some of them extending from the floor to the ceiling. If you have to stay home for long periods, letting in more light will improve the moods of you and your family. 

Wallpaper Is Back

Wallpaper has been gaining popularity in the past few years, and it's taken the stage for home design trends in 2021. However, wallpaper is being used in different ways this time around. It's used for making statement walls, providing cabinets with an interesting backing, lining shelving and various other applications. You can use wallpaper in many creative ways — even on the ceiling to add some excitement and dimension to the room. 

If you're a renter or someone who likes to change your space frequently, removable wallpaper is a great decor choice. Think of it as a big sticker. Then, when you want to change the style, just remove it and swap it for another.

Homey Feel of Houseplants

Homey Feel of Houseplants

A quick look on Instagram and Pinterest is all you need to know houseplants are more in than ever before. From beautiful, blowsy blooms to 1970s-style hanging creepers, there are a lot of plants to consider, and you'll have no trouble finding one to suit your living space.

An assortment of plants throughout your home can bring in some much-needed greenery to your space. It's a great way to bring the outdoors inside, especially if you live in a home that doesn't have a backyard. Some of the most popular plant species to adorn homes in 2021 include: 

  • Calathea rattlesnake: This plant species features spotted, strappy leaves with purple undersides. Its leaf patterns are similar to that of a rattlesnake, hence its name.
  • Polka dot plant: The polka dot plant, or begonia maculata, has two striking features — distinctive silver spotted leaves and red undersides. Like all begonias, it requires little maintenance.
  • Lady palm: The lady palm, or rhapis palm, is a fan-style palm that originated in China. As long as you provide it with bright, indirect sunlight, growing this plant indoors is relatively low maintenance. Similar to many other palms, lady palms thrive in moisture and humidity and their tips will become brown if the air is dry or they don't get enough water.

Kitchen Is the Focus

Kitchens have long been the most used room in the house. It's where we prepare food and, for many of us, it's where we eat with and entertain our families and friends. It's also a favorite spot for many kids to play or for our guests to enjoy a cocktail. 

It's easy to understand why one of the 2021 house trends is giving the kitchen more prominence, which includes increasing its size and connecting it with the living and dining room. Adding an island and a bar area is a popular move. However, you can also make small changes that have a big impact, like updating the color of your cabinets and swapping out the hardware for modern fixtures.

A few other 2021 kitchen trends include the following:

  • Sink skirts: Once thought to be outdated, sink skirts are all the rage once again, as they provide an excellent opportunity for pattern and texture and add a bit of nostalgia. If you're not familiar with the concept of sink skirts, it refers to replacing cabinet doors under the sink with pleated curtains, which sometimes hang from an attractive rod. A sink skirt also allows you to update a feature of your kitchen frequently without much work.
  • Marble countertops: Marble has also made a comeback, especially the heavily veined variety. This elegant stone is synonymous with luxury and is a terrific choice for bathrooms and kitchens. It's also sustainable, durable and can withstand passing trends. Marble that has naturally strong veins can make a statement and create a texture contrast with other surfaces.
  • Black walls and accents: Black cabinetry, walls and other surfaces have made their way into kitchens everywhere. Black makes a space luxe, inviting and, in combination with textured woods, rustic and homey. Consider adding black matte hardware to your cabinets, or if you're more adventurous, black soapstone countertops to make a statement.

Whether you're looking for a smaller starter home or the ultimate dream house, SK Builders will build you a place you'll be happy to call home.

Build Your Upstate Dream Home With SK Builders

Here at SK Builders, we build more than homes — we build relationships. For more than 25 years, we've been serving upstate South Carolina with a special commitment to efficient design, high-quality craftsmanship and top customer service. Whether you're looking for a smaller starter home or the ultimate dream house, SK Builders will build you a place you'll be happy to call home. 

Based in Greer, we build homes across the upstate area, which includes Anderson, Greenville, Travelers Rest, Seneca, Taylors, Simpsonville, Powdersville, Easley and Fountain Inn. Let us know what you're looking for in your home by filling out our form or calling us at (864) 292-0400. 

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