Building a custom home is, for many, a dream come true. It offers you the ability to create a home that is completely distinctive and designed to enhance your unique lifestyle. This journey is often one of the biggest investments for most people and can provide the perfect environment to raise a family, entertain guests, and even retire for years to come. In this article, local builder Mueller Homes discusses the architectural designs, construction materials, sustainability considerations, and trends that have been most popular with our clients this year. Perhaps, it will even give you a little food for thought if you’re contemplating this once-in-a-lifetime journey.
Curtis Martin
MUELLER HOMES / PINE BROOK FARMS
This design, characteristic of mid-west lake house architecture meets modern farmhouse design in this custom home built by Mueller Homes.
Multi-Functional Spaces
Most custom homes are now designed with one or more “multi-purpose” rooms. During Covid, we realized that our homes need to be adaptable and able to change the way we use the home. Some clients have opted for a larger space that can double as a den, man cave, impromptu office, or dedicated learning space. Incorporating hidden storage, acoustic materials, and ample lighting allows the room to be transitioned in a moments notice.
The dining room is another area of the home that has been transformed by multi-functional design. Over the last few decades, dining rooms have largely been incorporated into an open kitchen design. Recently, dining rooms have been making a comeback. Why? Perhaps more and more people value simple occasions to share a meal together or have a desire to get back to a daily or weekly family gathering place. Many of our clients have been reinventing the dining room as a multi-functional space by incorporating elements that allow them to utilize the dining room for more than one purpose. We have added custom built-ins to accommodate a quick virtual meeting, a work-from-home desk, or a quiet home learning area. Additionally, some clients choose to add comfortable lounge furniture or sliding double doors to create a private parlor for after-dinner drinks or other quiet social activities like puzzles.
Sustainability
Over the past decade, there has been a conscious effort to incorporate sustainable materials throughout the home. Today, EV charging stations are a given while geothermal systems are one of the biggest “must-have’s” in our client’s custom homes. While the up-front cost of geothermal is more than a typical HVAC system, “it is estimated to reduce heating costs by as much as 50% and cooling costs by as much as 35%” by energy.gov. Home automation can also help your home be more energy efficient, as discussed below. Metal roofs are also being added as an accent or on the entire home. These eco-friendly materials are becoming stylish and last 40-70 years. What could be more sustainable than that?
Luxury Home Automation
Home automation or domotics is the integration of technology throughout your home to enhance your lifestyle while conserving energy. Motorized window shades and climate control systems can automatically help you save energy by lowering shades on hot days or adjusting your thermostat during sleeping hours. Home automation also allows clients to create room scenes that set the music, lighting, and room temperature automatically. Motorized mounts and invisible speakers allow the architecture and design to shine without visible electronic elements, while providing everything a luxury home needs, at the touch of a button.
Mixed Metals
Another design trend that is not exclusively transitional is mixing metals. While gold accents are making a big come back, you can easily interchange or use accent metals in the same room. Some clients utilize gold lighting and plumbing fixtures, while the hardware on doors and cabinets is bronze or nickel. Mixing metals provides intentional diversity in your overall design and has been a fan favorite among our clients, in recent months.
Architectural Design Trends
While the modern farmhouse is still a popular architectural design, there is a lot of buzz around transitional design which blends modern and traditional styles seamlessly. Think modern design elements that merge with traditional elements for a softer, more practical approach. Instead of harsh lines and corners, that are typical of modern design, imagine blending these elements with softer woods, curves, and textures. For example, in one of our recent clients’ homes, (photo included) transitional design elements included a modern ceiling element and kitchen cabinets with clean lines. More traditional elements were incorporated with curved archways and wainscoting on the island to bring the transitional design together.
Curtis Martin
MUELLER HOMES
This transitional design includes a modern ceiling and cabinets with clean lines while traditional elements like curved archways and wainscoting on the island bring the design together.
We work collaboratively with our clients and architects to incorporate unique architectural design elements throughout the home for a more transitional design.
Would you like more home and design ideas? Check out our photo gallery! If you’re thinking about building a custom luxury home in Maryland, contact us today and let’s start the conversation.
