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Jenni Nichols

Jenni Nichols is VP of Design-Lens for the New Home Trends Institute at John Burns Research & Consulting. She scouts and analyzes the best housing collections and master planned communities from across the country to feature in the DesignLens database and serves as chair of NHTI’s Housing Design Trends council. Along with supporting clients with their design and trends inquiries, she also consults with developers and builders planning their communities and fine-tuning their home designs. Email her at [email protected] or visit newhometrendsinstitute.com.

Image: Chris Mayer Photography
A kitchen with a generous island at Landsea Homes' Rohe at Neuhouse
Design Best Practices

6 Kitchens Consumers Will Love

Over the years, kitchens have evolved from being behind-the-scenes, utilitarian spaces to out-in-the-open entertainment hubs, which is great if you like to entertain—but what ...
8th Oct. 2024
Image: Jess Blackwell Photography
In Home Office Near The Kitchen In A Shea Homes Model Home
Design

Designs for Dedicated Work-From-Home Zones

Are you tired of all the discussion about working from home? Me too, but that doesn’t mean we stop thinking about designing better homes to support homeowners’ hybrid or full-...
13th Aug. 2024
Photos: Tsutsumida Pictures
Design ideas for dual-income, no kids (DINKS) home buyers
Design Best Practices

Design Trends: What Do DINKs Want in a Home?

I was digging into some demographics in preparation for an upcoming presentation with Seth Hart from DTJ Design and my colleague Peter Dennehy. It sparked a conversation about...
13th June 2024
Image: Davide Angelini / stock.adobe.com
A Recent Survey Of Gen Zers Over The Age Of 18 Revealed Some Valuable Insights, Including (unsurprisingly) That Housing Attainability Is A Key Concern
Demographics

What Gen-Z Buyers Really Want in a Home

Believe it or not, but Gen Z—the generation born between 1997 and 2012—is dipping the toe of its 68-million-strong cohort into the new-home buying market and builders are getting...
14th April 2024
Photo: David L/peopleimages.com / stock.adobe.com
Kid Friendly Home Design Is, Ultimately, Family Friendly Design To Offer Families A Truly Appealing Product, Home Builders Must Focus On Consumer Needs, And Those Include The Needs Of Kids, Too
Design

Kid-Friendly Home Design Four Ways

Do your ‘family’ homes really deliver great design for parents and their children? Here are four clever home design ideas that consider kids and adults alike
13th Feb. 2024
From galley-style kitchenettes to classic window niches, these tucked-away spaces are both cozy and functional, and can help enrich the livability of a home. | Image: Davies Imaging Group
From galley-style kitchenettes to classic window niches, these tucked-away spaces are both cozy and functional, and can help enrich the livability of a home. | Image: Davies Imaging Group
Design

Niche Design Ideas for Greater Livability—and Coziness

As homes become more compact, builders and designers are getting more creative with space. Niches offer cozy, clever hideaways that can help make a house a home
5th Oct. 2023
Minto Communities' Conch Collection of Cottages caters to the needs of today's consumers in the 55-plus demographic. (Alloha model, shown.) | Image: Rob Harris
Minto Communities' Conch Collection of Cottages caters to the needs of today's consumers in the 55-plus demographic. (Alloha model, shown.) | Image: Rob Harris
Design

Home Design That Differentiates

Shifting consumer attitudes and lifestyle needs demand new thinking in home builders' approach to designing homes
4th Aug. 2023
The forward-thinking municipal leadership of Windsor, Colo., enabled Brightland Homes to build its Bounty series of attainable carriage houses in the RainDance master planned community. | Photo: Eric Lucero
The forward-thinking municipal leadership of Windsor, Colo., enabled Brightland Homes to build its Bounty series of attainable carriage houses in the RainDance master planned community. | Photo: Eric Lucero
Design

Attainable Housing Options: Rethinking the Starter Home

Three rapidly emerging design and development trends are helping to make housing more attainable without sacrificing style or convenience
4th June 2023