Rooftop Terraces, Golf Sims, and Walk-In Pantries Top Emerging Home Trends

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Searches for rooftop decks soared 1,555 percent. (Dave Perry-Miller)

Results of a recent Houzz home trend study revealed a common theme. For today’s owners, creating new living areas to better fit their current and future lifestyles is top priority.

Areas of interest include rooftop living spaces, bathrooms with better accessibility, and industrial-style and entertaining kitchens. Respondents also mentioned the desire to repurpose underutilized areas. And then there were some surprising stats worthy of a deeper dive.

Interest in outdoor rooftop terraces is up a whopping 1,555 percent.

“They definitely add value to a home,” said award-winning Dave Perry-Miller Realtor Sharon Quist. Case in point: she recently listed 2630 Welborn Street, a multi-level 3,993-square-foot townhouse in coveted Mansion Park. “The views of downtown are spectacular. The deck, one of the home’s three outdoor spaces, is a real plus for buyers.”

(Dave Perry-Miller)

Additional amenities include a full grill kitchen, multiple seating areas, fireplace, and air-conditioned half bath. An added bonus: elevator access to the home’s four floors. “Everything about this property is first class,” Quist added. Asking price: $1,769 million.

Searches for indoor golf simulators spiked an astronomical 1,905 percent.

Who’s buying? It’s an interesting mix, according to Bo Freeman, managing member of locally owned 19th Hole Golf Simulators. Actor Kevin Sorbo (Hercules) is a client; so is the guy simply wanting to improve his swing. An intuitive user interface is designed for all skill levels. “You can enjoy a realistic golf experience from the comfort of home.”

(19th Hole Golf Simulators)

State-of-the-art features include high-resolution screens and advanced ball tracking technology. Additionally, simulators feature a variety of game modes so users can challenge themselves or compete against friends.

Prices start at $25,000 and go to “whatever you want to spend,” said Freeman. Clients can even customize the environment to match their favorite golf course. “You can play Pebble Beach even when it’s 20 degrees outside.”

Walk-in kitchen pantry searches jumped an astounding 2,636 percent.

Following a kitchen renovation, three in five homeowners use their kitchen for entertaining, according to a 2023 U.S. Houzz Kitchen Trends Study. Walk-in pantries top a list of trends which also includes large islands with seating, beverage stations, and scullery kitchens.

(Dallas Closet Design)

Frisco-based Dallas Closet Design adds “fresh flavor” to kitchen pantry makeovers with myriad customizable options. “Whether you’re interested in open cabinets, new easy-sliding drawers, custom sizing for shelves, or specialty accessories, we can create an efficient and gorgeous kitchen setting for you,” touts the company website.

Houzz findings by the numbers…

Thanks to a renewed interest in overhead design, searches for “high-gloss ceiling” skyrocketed 816 percent. “Tongue-and-groove ceilings” were up 74 percent; “painted ceilings,” up 68 percent.

(One Kings Lane)

Industrial kitchens are hot – searches for track lighting increases 203 percent; pull-down faucets, +200 percent; stainless steel countertops, +113 percent; and brick kitchen walls, +93 percent.

Homeowners are renovating their spaces for the long run. Searches for “aging-in-place bathrooms” and “handicap-accessible bathrooms” both more than doubled compared to the same period in 2022.

Elaine Raffel left the corporate world to become a freelance creative focused on real estate and design in Dallas.

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