I got to thinking about home design the other day. OK, that’s not quite true. I often think about home design. I love picking up magazines and reading what’s hot and what’s not. And if I’m being real honest, I absolutely love to scour magazines for ideas for my garden too – but more of that another time.
It’s interesting, having just remodeled my kitchen recently I realize that, like many people, I want our home to work for my family’s lifestyle. It’s a trend we’re seeing more and more. It’s about creating a home that is just perfect for you. For example, even though interior design gurus are predicting the end of days for the formal dining room, I’ve just created a beautiful new one! What we’re seeing now is a desire for really flexible living spaces tailored to individual requirements.
There are lots of reasons for this shift. People’s lifestyles are changing and they want their houses to change with them. Sure, the economy is also making people think twice about moving and they’re looking at remodeling their home to better fit their needs. And there’s a demographic reason too. According to the “people-that-know-stuff” at the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) it’s because baby boomers are dominating home design trends – and they’re changing their homes to accommodate their needs as they age.
Now, I’m not about to enter old age, but I do understand that as families change, homes need to adapt too – and that’s why people want their spaces to be flexible. After all, what we needed when our two girls were toddlers and what we need now when they’re heading to college, are worlds apart. That’s why people are creating flexible living spaces – which not only combine the inside, but also integrate my other favorite space – the backyard, patio and garden.
By harnessing the great outdoors and integrating it with your home you’re creating a room which you can potentially use all year round. And here’s where, if you don’t mind, I am going to shamelessly plug our Executive motorized retractable screen. It’s a fantastic automated screen for creating screened-in porches or patios – which is a great way to create flexible living space. When you’re entertaining in the summer there’s no need to feel constricted or have to fight off annoying bugs – with our screens you can enjoy the best of outdoors, indoors!