Top COVID-Influenced Features and Design Trends for 2021

As a result of new homebuyer demand in the wake of COVID-19, several key trends have reversed from steadily declining to strongly increasing. One of those key trends is the size of a home. Lot and home sizes have slowly been declining over the years, but in 2020, the average home size remained at 2,486 square feet, according to The National Association of Home Builders. In addition, homes with more bedrooms are increasing. The share of homes with four or more bedrooms jumped to 46% and homes with three or more bathrooms jumped to 33%.

“The primary reason is that COVID-19 has led a segment of home buyers to desire larger homes and to move out to the suburbs,” said Rose Quint, NAHB assistant vice president of survey research.

An increased number of rooms within the same footprint means home owners are becoming more creative in how they use the space within their homes, and using features such as windows to help make these spaces feel larger.

“The space works harder rather than larger,” said Donald Ruthroff, AIA, principal at Dahlin Group Architecture Planning. “Open spaces are better defined, and spaces are flexible.”

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