As the new decade draws near, custom luxury homes will impress visitors with nods to nature and innovative design that combines materials of the past with the technology of the future. Let’s take a look at some design trends and features we expect outside 2020’s new homes.

Solar Innovation Heats Up

Renewable energy has a bright, sunny future in California. The state’s solar mandate requires PV solar on almost all new single-family and multi-family homes up to 3 stories tall. For building permits filed on or after January 1, 2020, most new dwellings in California will require photovoltaic solar systems. While the reliance on solar is by mandate, the product and design trends will be driven by the industry, builders, and site specifications. We expect California to lead the way with creative methods to incorporate solar without making it a focal point of design. We’re looking forward to advances in thin-film technology and stealthy installation and design techniques that allow solar to make a difference without always making a statement.

Nature Sets the Tone

Opulent is out. Design, materials, and colors will take their cues from nature. Expect more (and darker) earth tones, use of natural stone instead of highly polished, and water features that mimic natural pools to eclipse fancy fountains and splashy spas. The use of exterior metalwork will remain popular, with a focus on structural materials with earthy-looking oxidized finishes rather than shiny, ornate fabrications.

Siding Shakes It Up

Shake siding and its close cousin shingle siding experienced bursts of popularity at the turn of the 20^th century and again in the 1970s. Today, they’re back on the design scene. Whether used exclusively or bundled with vertical siding, stone, or brick, shake and shingle sidings are adding dimension and interest while softening appearances. Expect to see both traditional cedar and durable, low maintenance alternatives such as cement fiber.

The Indoors Come Out To Play

For a while, it was all about bringing the outdoors in. Now, we’re bringing the indoors out. Here on the Central Coast, our temperate climate makes outdoor living not only possible but often preferable. Outdoor kitchens are being joined by wet bars and natural gas fire pits with comfortable seating for cozy communal meals with friends.. Simplified by portable smart home technology, it’s even easier to manage outdoor entertainment, nature-inspired water features, and variable lighting to match any mood. Add landscaping that provides protection from excessive sun or wind, and you’ll be California dreaming through most seasons.

The year 2020 will make its mark with graceful, welcoming dwellings. Home exteriors will be built to impress not through outspoken ostentatious calls for attention, but with understated, yet lusciously livable form and function. We expect architectural design to continue to draw inspiration from across decades and around the globe while refining the integration of nature, durable materials and evolving technology. Are you ready to meet the team of luxury home builders who will turn your 2020 vision into a lasting reality? Contact us today. 

At Abbott | Reed, our passion is building yours. From renovating your space to starting from the ground up, our custom home builders have the expertise to execute any project. We pride ourselves on staying on top of trends, and finding ways to craft modern spaces that are uniquely yours. Our San Luis Obispo builders are here today to lay down the basics on a trending custom home feature: luxury lofts and game rooms. Regardless of whether you want to create a modern man-cave or simply a space to sit and relax, these are four key things to keep in mind while dreaming up your perfect loft.

Lighting

Because of the open floor plan of lofts, it is important to keep the space well-lit. Oftentimes ceilings are quite high, but this gives you the opportunity to be creative with fixtures. Pendant lamps can be a key touch to a game room, especially over a pool table, while string lights and modern chandeliers give a unique visual appeal to a quiet reading room.

Furniture

Furniture, particularly the positioning of it, is a challenging aspect of designing a loft. These rooms are best kept spacious, and less is more when it comes to keeping the integrity of lofts. If your loft has brick or concrete walls, particularly exposed walls, materials such as a blend of glass, chrome, steel, and wood will fit best. For a modern-man cave, moldings, columns, upholstered furniture and some antiques create a contemporary pool hall feel.

Storage

Storage presents another challenge to loft design. Whether you choose to minimize or not, it is important to consider where miscellaneous items will go because a loft is open and lacks many corners and closed rooms. This way, the room won’t seem cluttered or clumsy. Consider furniture pieces that can also function as storage, like trunks which can function as coffee tables.

Sound

A really competitive round of ping-pong in your game room may call for celebration, except when it keeps others from sleeping. Furthermore, a quiet moment in your loft reading room could easily be disturbed by the clanking of pans downstairs in the kitchen. When crafting your loft, it is important to incorporate noise reduction in the design. There are many ways to accomplish this, and our San Luis Obispo custom home builders would be happy to help you out.

Know that at Abbott | Reed, our team has what it takes to build a house you can truly call home. Give one of our friendly builders a call today at 805-316-5046, and check out other custom homes we have built here in San Luis Obispo.

When dreaming up your new home in San Luis Obispo, know that luxury doesn’t always have to mean mid-century modern. Luxury features can be incorporated into almost any home style, so you can be creative when selecting a space that is true to you. Our custom home builders are here today to lay down six compelling luxury architecture styles, all of which can be perfectly shaped into your own unique space.

Ranch Home

The ranch home is one of the most common styles found here on the Central Coast. Typically one story, this style embraces a free and open floor plan that embodies the cheap land and sprawling suburbs of the 1950s. They are often rectangular or L-shaped, and rooms feature many windows and views of the outdoors. Modern ranch homes are on the rise, and allow for easy renovations or additions.

English Cottage

For those into a classical and striking look, the English Cottage style might be the perfect fit. Cottages are generally 1-2 stories, with asymmetrical faces with overscaled chimneys, and decorative bricks. Closed entryways and rounded doors are common, and rooms are cozy, unusual, and feature built in features like kitchen seating or storage spaces.

Cape Cod Home

The classic Cape Cod style is typically seen in smaller homes, and incorporates a symmetrical facade. They have little ornamentation and frills, and are characterized by cedar shingles or clapboard. They are usually 1.5 stories, and feature a chimney, shingles, and a formal, center-hall floor plan. If you are drawn to charming, intimate and cozy styles, the Cape Cod home may be the fit for you.

Craftsman (or Bungalow)

The craftsman home was originally inspired by Asian elements, and features natural materials and symmetrical design. Handcrafted stone and wood are used as decor, and roofs are often low-pitched with gables. This style first appeared in California around the 1920s, and is ideal for those wanting a simplistic, yet elegant design.

Pueblo Revival

Pueblo Revival homes are influenced by one of the oldest and most ingenious forms of architecture, created by the Pueblo tribes of North America. This style was reinvigorated throughout Arizona and New Mexico, and exalts a smooth and geometric design, with simple landscaping and heavy use of earthy materials. Traditionally these homes were built with sun-dried mud, but now are built with concrete, stucco, or mortar. Roofs are flat, and feature grandiose wooden doors and internal beams. These homes are ideal in locations with extreme summer heat, and are naturally insulatory and protected from the elements.

Spanish Style

Drawing from many elements similar to adobe style homes, Spanish style incorporates adobe, stucco, or concrete facades. The exterior is smooth, with iron features and red tile roofs. Exteriors are often painted white, and have interior courtyards with small gardens and fountains. Spanish style is ideal for larger homes and families seeking a traditional elegance with earthy features.

The beauty of building your own home is that you have total control over every aspect of the design, so you can draw from various styles to create a space that is perfect for you. At Abbott | Reed, we pride ourselves on innovation and communication. Whether it’s helping you realize your dream of a Spanish style subterranean wine cellar or helping to pick the perfect plumbing fixtures, our passion is building yours. Get in touch with one of our San Luis Obispo luxury home builders a call today at 805-316-5046.