Hot Home Design Features And Emerging Trends Usher In New Age Of Home Building

by David Weekley Homes

As the pace of consumer lifestyles accelerate, Home Builders are, in turn, responding to the needs of consumers with exciting new designs and high-tech features to help satisfy the needs of homebuyers around the country.

Based on customer comments, extensive design experience and consumer focus group research, David Weekley Homes, one of the nation's largest Home Builders, highlights the current hottest trends and coolest design options in homebuilding. For consumers looking to buy a new home, the following options will likely land on their list of "must haves" this year.

• High-Tech Wiring - Homes pre-wired for the Internet and cabling equipped to handle multiple phone lines are a must for tech-savvy homeowners.
• Front Porches - This neo-traditional look is a Southern favorite, highlighting a sense of community and southern hospitality.
• Bonus Rooms - Bonus rooms with built-in desks, entertainment centers and shelving can account for an additional 500 square feet, providing a flexible living area.
• Casitas (Currently available in Houston and Tampa) - A detached room located in the front or rear of the property is extremely convenient for relatives and guests, as well as a home office option.
• New Flooring Alternatives - In addition to the ever-popular hardwood floors, homeowners also are opting for the durability and aesthetic appeal of granite, slate and ceramic tile flooring.
• Home Office Options - Contemporary families are feeling the need for a home office and are saying good-bye to the age-old tradition of formal living rooms.
• Second Master Suites - Homeowners are opting for a second master suite or a "home within a home" to accommodate aging parents, extended family or children returning home from college.
• Open Floorplans - Homeowners short on time are craving open areas between the living room and kitchen, saving time and increasing family interaction.
• Elegant Home Décor - Days spent struggling with hard-to-handle wallpaper are things of the past with the new faux painting quickly gaining popularity, as well as crisp, clean, neutral paint colors that help maintain a home's re-sale value.
• Modern Kitchens - Elegant granite countertops, light cherry cabinets and stainless steel appliances top the list of homebuyer preferences.
• Frieze Carpet - Shag is back, but not like you remember it! This blast from the past is reminiscent of old-school shag but has been recast for today's lifestyles as a tightly woven and durable carpet that comes in several neutral solid colors.

Houston-based David Weekley Homes, Texas' largest, privately owned, single-family Home Builder, as well as the third largest, privately owned Home Builder in the U.S., is engaged in the design, construction, marketing and sales of single-family detached homes. David Weekley Homes currently builds in 18 markets across the nation, including Atlanta, Austin, Bluffton/Hilton Head, Charleston, Charlotte, Dallas/Ft. Worth, Denver, Fort Myers, Houston, Jacksonville, Orlando, Palm Coast, Panama City, Phoenix, Port Charlotte, Raleigh, San Antonio and Tampa. For more information about David Weekley Homes, visit the company's Web site at www.davidweekleyhomes.com.