3 Min Read
When planning your new custom home, staying up-to-date with the latest trends in the industry is crucial. As custom home builders in Central New Jersey, we’re always looking out for new developments and approaches that are impacting the future of custom home design.
From innovative design features to updated best practices, check out these 7 home design ideas to consider for your new custom home in 2023.
1. Honoring Traditional Floor Plans
Open floor plans have been popular for many years now—when the great room, kitchen, and dining areas all share one large space. However, homeowners are now seeking more defined spaces that offer privacy and optimized functionality.
Traditional floor plans usually feature distinct rooms, such as formal dining rooms and separate great rooms. With this style, your builder has more flexibility in designing your home’s layout and can avoid dedicating most of your square footage to a single room. Families can be more intentional about gathering and spending quality time together. At the same time, plans can include quieter living spaces to better escape the busier parts of your home.
In Central New Jersey, we can draw inspiration from the best of what traditional floor plans can offer directly from our region’s rich heritage—with historic styles ranging from Colonial or Victorian to Craftsman or Farmhouse.
2. Functional, Personalized Room Designs
Although the isolated early days of the COVID-19 pandemic are well behind us, many people still spend plenty of time at home. Homeowners in 2023 need rooms that better serve their specific lifestyle—in every square foot.
Functional designs in 2023 include in-home dedicated workspaces, home gyms, art studios, quiet studies and reading nooks, outdoor cooking and entertainment spaces, and even guest rooms with their own ensuite bath. With a strong emphasis on functionality and personalization, these spaces allow homeowners to effectively work, exercise, entertain guests, and unwind without having to leave the comfort of their own home.
3. Sustainable Build Materials
Sustainability is a major consideration for many homeowners in 2023. Materials like bamboo, cork, and recycled glass are being used more frequently, while low-VOC paints and energy-efficient lighting fixtures are becoming standard. Homeowners are interested in sourcing lumber that’s local or recycled, as well as landscaping that features plants and trees native to their home’s region.
With more sustainable and locally sourced build materials, you can minimize your project’s environmental impact, reduce your carbon footprint, and support a greener future. The desire for sustainable construction materials and interior finishings has become so popular, eco-friendly homes are in high demand and have become a considerable investment opportunity.
4. Energy-Efficient Home Design
Energy efficiency has been a growing concern for homeowners over the last decade, and it remains a top priority in 2023. From the overall design of the home to the appliances and fixtures used inside, homeowners want to minimize their energy usage and reduce their utility bills. Custom home builders are incorporating energy-efficient features like solar energy systems, tankless water heaters, and smart home technology systems that allow homeowners to control their energy usage.
5. Indoor-Outdoor Living Spaces
One of our favorite luxury home design trends is biophilic design features that find ways to seamlessly blend indoor and outdoor living spaces. Homeowners are asking for features like retractable glass walls, outdoor kitchens, primary suite balconies, and covered patios.
Throughout the rest of the home, interior designs incorporate inspiration from natural materials like wood, stone, and glass. They’re also leaning towards neutral, Earth-toned color palettes. Fantastic natural lighting is currently in huge demand—with homeowners installing beautiful skylights and large, South-facing windows.
6. Multigenerational Living Additions and Designs
In 2023, more and more multigenerational families are choosing to live together or visit each other more often and for longer periods of time. To meet this need, custom home designers are adding additional living spaces and features that can accommodate families of all sizes, ages, and abilities.
Add-ons like separate entrances, private living spaces, and multiple kitchens are becoming more popular. For aging family members, designs like single-level living or elevators, wider doorways, grab bars in bathrooms, and other features are becoming increasingly popular.
7. More Resilient Construction
Climate change is a growing concern, and homeowners are looking for homes that can withstand the impact of severe weather events. Custom home builders are incorporating features like reinforced windows and doors, energy-efficient roofing materials, and improved insulation to make homes more resilient and better able to withstand the effects of climate change.
Here on the East Coast, homeowners are asking their builders about how they can improve their new home’s resistance to hurricanes and flooding.
Your Custom New Jersey Home
From sustainable construction materials to improved functionality and energy efficiency, the needs and priorities of homeowners today are constantly evolving. As an experienced design-build team in Central New Jersey, we’re committed to staying up-to-date with new trends so that we can provide you with the perfect home that’s personalized and built to last for years to come.
Ready to build your dream home in Mercer County, Hunterdon County, Ocean County, or Somerset County? Contact GTG Custom Home Builders to schedule a consultation and let us guide you through the complex process from start to finish.
