One of the greatest things about buying a newly built home is that it’s going to have the most up-to-date interior possible. But this doesn’t always mean following the latest trends. While some designers may lean toward incorporating the latest colors, textures and technology, others aim for a more timeless look that will need fewer updates in the future. 

While both of these approaches have their merits, today’s home buyers are seeking a little something more in the homes they buy. “They want color and personality and things that reflect them,” says Eva Knezovich, principal, Knez Morgan. “They don’t want the cookie-cutter look that everyone else has. It’s all about personal touches.”

Knez Morgan, based in Pittsburgh, provides full-scope interior design services including conceptual design, design development, furniture packages, art procurement, space planning and architectural design.

According to Ashley Morgan, principal, Knez Morgan, their goal as designers is to not only make spaces beautiful, but to work with the client to determine how the spaces should function. 

“In a lot of the homes we’re working in, there are multiple living spaces and common rooms, and we need to determine how to make those spaces distinct for the different experiences that people have there,” she said. “We want to tailor it to ‘where you read a book,’ or ‘where you spend time with family.’ Each space functions differently.”

She added that Knez Morgan tries to sway people from leaning heavily into trends and to instead opt for a more classic and timeless design.

“You want your choices to last for a long time,” she said, noting that trends tend to change about every five years. “It’s a big investment and you don’t want to be ‘untrendy’ five years from now.”

Heather Delaney, interior designer at Douds Furniture, agrees that it’s important for home buyers to consider how they want their home to look in the long run.

“Choose products you will like for a long time, or if you’re going to be trendy, choose wisely where you use that trend,” she explained. “If you make choices that will stand the test of time, they should last for close to 20 years.”

Douds Furniture, located in Plumville and Greensburg, offers everything for the interior of the home, including furniture (indoor/outdoor), flooring, carpeting, tile, wallpaper, draperies, mattresses and accessories. The company, now celebrating its 75th year, also provides kitchen, bathroom and whole home renovation services as well as new build consultations. It also carries a number of cabinetry lines.   

While many people hesitate to unleash their creativity in order to preserve the home for resale value, Delaney doesn’t believe this is as important as it used to be.

“I think people are paying less attention to resale value and creating spaces that work for the way they live now,” she said of today’s home buyers. “They are not worrying as much about the next buyer because most new buyers end up making changes anyway.”

Color is Making a Comeback

Gone are gray floors and boring beige walls. Today’s homeowners want something bolder, brighter and more welcoming, and are choosing to put color in a lot more places—including the ceiling.

“Color and pattern are back, which allows designers to really make their mark on a project,” said Delaney. “In terms of wall color, I like to see flow; not every room has to have a different color. But I really prefer wallpaper, even if it just adds texture to a room.

“Adding it to the ceiling is fun when it can work,” she added. “Everything doesn’t have to be so matchy-matchy anymore!”

Delaney said that she tends to go for more of a timeless look overall, and wants to create interiors that homeowners won’t tire of after a short time.

“I do like to add a trendy/fun piece here and there, like a statement furniture piece,” she said, noting that she is seeing designers using more fun patterns on upholstery. “Still, I always try to use fabrics that are durable/stain and fade-resistant performance fabrics on the pieces that get a lot of use.”

As for flooring, she notes that many home buyers are choosing engineered wide plank wood flooring and luxury vinyl plank (LVP) due to its high durability and waterproofing capabilities. 

Weaver Homes Design Specialist Megan Pittman is seeing these same requests from her customers, who are looking for low-maintenance lifestyles. The company’s demographic is typically 55-plus, looking for ‘right sizing’ at this time of their lives—preferably one-level living with the option to add additional floors for space if needed.

“Luxury vinyl flooring is still our most popular offering, because homeowners love the low maintenance, seamless flow of this flooring in their homes,” she said. “It makes the space look more vast.”

She recommends it in bathrooms because of its low, no-grout maintenance and the warmth it provides. “Colors seem to be leaning toward the warmer wood tones such as honey, taupe, chestnut and greige (a neutral color combining beige and gray), because home owners want to create a cozier atmosphere,” she said. “There is less interest in cooler colors or grays.”

Pittman notes that buyers are also “absolutely” moving away from stark whites and grays in cabinetry, and are choosing warm neutrals and moody stains, including warmer whites, taupes, greiges and lighter maple stains.

“I featured green cabinets in one of our models, and I got so many compliments on it,” said Pittman, adding that a number of new home buyers then chose this inviting color.

According to Knezovich, homeowners have begun to realize that being in a gray space doesn’t make them feel as good as a home that is more warm and cozy. “Gray can be a little depressing,” she said, “which is why we’re seeing this push for more color.”

Morgan added that even if a person wants to preserve a home’s neutral look for resale value, there are still ways to give it personality, while making it feel classic and timeless. “You can bring in personality through paint colors and finish, which don’t have to be loud—they can be more textural,” she said.

In the past, home buyers were less likely to invest in wall coverings as they could damage walls. But with today’s peel-and-stick, removable options, there are more choices than ever before.

“You no longer have to use paint in every room; wall treatments can change between spaces,” said Knezovich. “Our clients want everything from lime washes to Roman clay to wallpaper.

Home buyers are also now paying more attention to the “fifth wall” or ceiling, and using paint or wallpaper to make it part of the whole home experience.

The designers note that they are seeing a decrease in the number of people looking for open floor plans, instead opting for spaces that are better defined.

“People still want openness between spaces, but are putting in walls here and there,” said Knezovich. “Each room is now its own space, which makes it easier to function and furnish, and allows for each space to have its own personality as well.”

As far as lighting, home owners are beginning to move away from recessed lighting to instead use flush mount fixtures at different levels within each room.

“The family room should not look like a surgical center; you want it to be soft,” said Knezovich. “For that reason, we’re looking at multiple levels of lighting and ambient lighting, as well as lighting individual features of a room.”

She added that because there are now ‘thin’ lighting options, lights can be used to accent items in the home; for example, as toe-kicks in cabinets or as under-cabinet lighting.

Colorful, Comfy Kitchens

Kitchens are the heart of the home, and are also one of the biggest remodeling investments. So creating a timeless, beautiful space is extremely important when designing a new build for potential homebuyers.

“Flippers may slam in a Pinterest kitchen, but most people don’t want that,” said Knezovich. “People want that ‘wow’ factor, and they don’t want their kitchen looking like anyone else’s.”

According to Morgan, a kitchen can be timeless and still be playful. “When you look at the space, it’s not good if you can gauge that it was designed in 2015,” she said. “Instead, you can incorporate elements from different eras like the 1920s or 1970s, interspersed with clean, nice, modern appliances. That type of design will hold up forever, and you just replace the appliances as they wear out.

“Some of the best projects I’ve seen in Architectural Digest are from 15 years ago, and they still have the same magic today,” she added.

Function is also important in kitchens, as is storage. Today’s home buyers are looking for the convenience of rollout trays for under-counter cabinets that have shelves that are hard to access, and are also looking for more ergonomic options to make working in the kitchen more comfortable. Many are requesting custom cabinets to maximize function and storability.

As for finishes, homeowner’s choices run the gamut, from those choosing unique slabs of natural stone such as marble and quartzite for the “wow” factor to highly functional manmade options like quartz. After decades of popularity, granite no longer reigns supreme.

“For our clients, quartz is still the clear winner as it is less porous and the variation is more predictable than granite since it is man-made. You don’t need to seal it either, so that’s a bonus,” said Pittman. “Quartz has also stepped up their game lately with bold veining designs.”

“I still have those homeowners that love the look of granite with warm, earthy neutrals and its more natural, flowing colors and textures,” she added. “Not the ‘blotchy’ granites, but ones with more flow and interest.”

Pittman has also noted a turn back to more textured backsplashes such as travertine and other natural stones, which give kitchens more depth and interest. “People also want full-height backsplashes with no grout as they are easy to maintain,” she added. “They also want outlets hidden under the cabinets for a completely smooth surface.”

Shaker-style cabinet doors are still popular, as are larger lighting statement pieces over kitchen islands. And mixing metals is also welcome.

“Homeowners like a statement on their cabinets for hardware,” said Pittman. “A dark pull on a honey cabinet makes a bold visual pop!”

Cost vs. Quality

Depending on a client’s budget and tastes, homes interiors can vary greatly. But one thing that hasn’t changed is wanting the best possible products at the best price.

Kitchens are the heart of the home, and are also one of the biggest remodeling investments. So creating a timeless, beautiful space is extremely important when designing a new build for potential homebuyers.

“What we’re seeing is that people are more willing to spend money on items that have a big impact like furniture and rugs—thing that add personality and are more permanent,” said Knezovich. “If anything, they are buying more custom pieces, tailored to their personalities.

“It feels like an investment that you can take with you,” she added. “And you can have it designed to your heart’s desire, with just the right fabric and colors.”

The designers are also seeing a return to heirloom-quality pieces that give a sense of permanency to a home.

“The design industry moved quickly into mass production, and people spent money on not-great-quality pieces that disappointed,” said Knezovich. “If you spend more on a piece that will last 100 years, you can pass it down to your kids, which creates a personal connection.

“It doesn’t have to be every piece,” she added. “There are manufacturers all over the spectrum, so you can find retail pieces and personal pieces that balance.”  NH