Three words that seem to influence everyone’s list of Fall home design trends are comfort, function, and efficiency. Kitchens and bathrooms remain at the top of renovation wish lists with the goal to increase living space. We’ve compiled a list of all the must-have design trends for the new season.
Open-concept kitchen
The trend to open up cramped spaces will continue. An open-space kitchen that integrates family living space for entertaining and cooking remains high on the design trend list.
Specialty function within the kitchen
Inside the kitchen, the current trend calls for special areas such as butler’s pantries, double islands, and wine and beverage stations. These special areas allow homeowners to put their personal stamp on a renovation.
Outdoor kitchens
Even homes with small outdoor spaces can accommodate an outdoor kitchen area on a deck, patio, or porch. Homeowners with large spaces are adding outdoor fireplaces to create an extension of indoor living areas.
Spacious bathrooms
Once homeowners focused on the number of bathrooms in a home. The current trend is toward size and function of the existing bathrooms. Homeowners are asking for large showers with seats, shelving, and specialty shower heads. Accessibility is important with many homeowners seeking walk-in, door less, barrier-free showers with no threshold. These showers have the added advantage of being maintenance free, easy to clean, and less likely to attract mold.
Flex Room
One very new on-trend item many homeowners are requesting is the flex room. This can be a separate room, but is more often just a nook off other living spaces that can serve as home office, library, or sitting area.
Decorating trends
With the arrival of Fall and cooler temperatures, home decorating trends tend to adapt. The crisp, cool blues used in spring and summer won’t disappear, but we may also see moody navy tones, especially in accent wallpaper in powder rooms and dining rooms. As the leaves turn gold, many homeowners will embrace gold accents in plumbing and lighting fixtures. Fabrics and furnishings tend toward more texture and leather.
Fall Checklist
Before you settle in for winter and dream of your next home renovation, remember that Fall is a great time to tackle those home chores that tend to get put aside during the warm weather months when we’re busy planting, watering, weeding, and mowing. If you take care of these tasks now, come spring, you’ll be glad you did!
Store or cover outside furniture
Fall is the perfect time to entertain around the firepit or outdoor fireplace. Once the weather becomes too cold, bring in pillows and throw blankets and cover or store furniture so it is protected from wind, ice, and snow.
Clean gutters
Let’s be honest. No one looks forward to cleaning gutters, but keeping water draining away from your foundations is vital. Gutters that are clogged with fall leaves get heavy and can pull away from the roof causing damage. When temperatures drop below freezing, standing water in gutters will freeze and the added weight will cause gutters to pull away.
Check caulk and weather stripping
It’s true that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. According to the U. S. Department of Energy, air leaks around your windows and doors can add 10% to your heating bills. Weather-stripping is very inexpensive, but comes with a high payoff for reducing drafts that cause most of us to turn the thermostat up higher.
Don’t neglect signs of a leaky roof
It’s tempting to ignore that small drip, especially when we can’t immediately identify the source. Snow, ice, and wind can compound the problem of a once-tiny leak. If you can’t find the source of a pesky leak, call in a roofing professional. This is one place where being proactive will pay off.
Sweep the chimney
Resist the temptation to have a fire when the first crisp fall weather arrives until you have the chimney inspected. If you have a wood-burning fireplace, flammable creosote can build up in the flue or chimney. This build up can cause a very dangerous fire. A professional chimney sweep will inspect, clean, and check for other obstructions such as bird’s nests.
Shut off outside faucets
If your faucets are not freezeproof, make sure your outside faucets are shut off at the shut-off valve before freezing weather arrives. Open the faucet the drain the line. If you have an inground irrigation system, make sure it is ready for winter.
Schedule a furnace checkup
Before switching over to heat, schedule a HVAC professional to inspect your system. Because these appointments go fast, schedule your appointment early in the season.
“Autumn is a second spring when every leaf is a flower.” ~ Albert Camus
Fall is a transition season, so it’s the perfect time to start thinking about the transitions you want to make in your home. Whether it’s small home maintenance tasks like those above or a large home renovation project, there’s no better time than Fall to turn your dream into reality.