2021 was a banner year for luxury home sales and new construction starts. With this wave of luxury home activity came a renewed focus on novel luxury trends in the upscale market. Some of these trends included the renewal of designers’ love affair with the open floorplan, a sincere desire for exposed beams and trusses, and several other trends that defined the luxury market. Let’s take a look at a few of the most memorable luxury trends of 2021. 

1. Home offices are back in a big way.

The pandemic renewed interest in that everlasting staple of the American luxury home, the trusty home office. This desire for better home workspaces largely came from pandemic pressures, when millions of us found ourselves working from home. Rather than being a place to get a few things done on the weekend or evenings, the home office has become a full-fledged workspace for one or more people within the household. Many custom floor plans now include two separate office spaces for adults, as well as dedicated study spaces for the kids, or some other combination that expands the abilities of families to work from home. 

2. Open floor plans continue to be popular. 

Despite some pushback from designers and the world at large, open floor plans are here to stay. The concept tends to get a bad wrap from white-collar workers who find an open floorplan to be an impediment to productivity- however, office buildings are not residential homes. Having dedicated spaces for specific uses works most of the time- but an open floor plan can be very advantageous for other uses, like entertaining or using your living room TV while cooking dinner. 

3. Furniture-esque Cabinets and Open Shelves find a place throughout the home.

Marie Kondo advises all of us to keep what sparks joy- and get rid of everything else. While you may not want to take her advice literally, there is value in decluttering your home and presenting a more spartan aesthetic. Open shelves help the room flow and can fit well in the right design scheme- hence the focus on keeping only what you need on your kitchen shelves.  In keeping with this same concept, furniture-like cabinets, islands, and bathroom vanities are also replacing full cabinets, creating a stylish look with a conscientious use of space. 

4. Barn doors are still all the rage, on the ranch and in your house.

Barn doors are not simply the province of industrial, farm, or mountain homes. While they do offer up a unique design statement, they’re also practical- you can use barn doors to close off private spaces if pocket or swing doors will not suffice. If you feel like barn doors might clash with your home’s aesthetic, you can use millwork to completely hide the doors, turning them into something more akin to a surface-mounted sliding door. 

4. Exposed Beams, millwork, and paneling all make an appearance.

Many home buyers and homeowners want to feel a greater connection to nature in their home design, particularly in the higher end of the marketplace. Exposed wood elements, such as trusses, beams, millwork, and paneling, continue to be a popular way to inject character into spaces in a diverse array of spaces, including your entryway, kitchen, living room, bathrooms, and more. 

5. Mud rooms- for more than just taking off your shoes.

First impressions are important, hence the existence of exquisite facades, fanciful foyers, and all manner of ostentatious additions meant to make a big impression on visitors to your home. However, not everyone is going to come in through the front entrance- you’ll find quite a few folks entering your home through the mud room, typically connected to the garage. Utilitarian and design-focused mud rooms will continue to be a focal point for new design features. 

6. Butler’s pantries are de rigueur. 

A butler’s pantry provides a stylish and functional way to access kitchen appliances, nonperishable food, and other kitchen-centric items. Over the past few years, we’ve seen them included in many custom home plans- and the butler’s pantry will likely continue to be a mainstay of the upscale kitchen. 

7. Ensuite bathrooms are a must.

Hall bathrooms are a thing of the past in many custom homes. In most cases, guest rooms, children’s bedrooms, and most bedrooms have their own ensuite bathroom- which is an awesome convenience whether you’ve got kids in the house that need their privacy, or you’re welcoming guests into your home and don’t want crowded hall bathrooms. 

8. Luxe owner suites replace the standard master bedroom.

Step aside master bedroom, owner suites are the new hotness in 2021. Rather than simply being a space with a walk-in closet, master bathroom, and sleeping area, owner suites offer up an oasis within the home, from personal in-suite gyms to dedicated yoga areas to meditation spaces. 

9. High-tech home gyms and spas make an appearance in 2021. 

Two design trends heavily influenced by the events of 2020 and 2021 are in-home gyms and spas. When local fitness clubs closed at the start of the pandemic folks had two options- get out in the great outdoors or take a second look at the capabilities and usefulness of their home gyms. From digitally-enabled tech like Peloton bikes with guided classes to “Pumping Iron” worthy Weidertech lifting setups, 2021 was a banner year for the home gym. 

10. Kid-exclusive spaces abound.

Your kids might be lucky enough to have their own room- but do they have a dedicated creative/play space within the home? Like most other rooms within a custom home, you have the opportunity to build a unique space to help foster creative, constructive play and activities for your family. Include built-in cabinets for easy toy storage, as well as play-oriented furniture built into the space. 

11. Outdoor entertaining makes it to a new level.

Our final item also continues to be influenced by pandemic living. With in-home gatherings presenting some level of danger, over the past year, many custom homeowners made regular use of outdoor living spaces to entertain guests and even simply spend time with the family. Adding outdoor features like fridges/freezers, gazebos, home entertainment systems (audio and TV), bocce courts, and other items to help you maximize the use you get out of your outdoor spaces.

The Last Word

Trends are fickle. That’s what makes them trends. The popular design features we saw in 2021 were largely influenced by how many of us had to live last year- i.e. working, exercising, and spending a lot of time at home. Next year, as the pandemic hopefully wanes, we’ll see design reflect that new reality- but the multifunctional use we’ve collectively found in our homes will likely continue to be a focal point of new custom and luxury home design.  

Interested in more luxury homebuilding trends in 2021 and beyond? We’ve got you. 

Check out our website for more information, or reach out to us on Facebook or Twitter– we’d love to hear from you!

-Thomas Sattler Homes

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