home + garden

We don't have a crystal ball, but we consulted local experts from a variety of professions and industries, and asked them to ponder what's ahead for home and gardens in the new year and beyond. What are the emerging trends? Which innovations are gaining momentum and most likely to demonstrate staying power? What concepts will likely influence the way we live in 2004 and in the years ahead? Here's what we learned.
The spa at home

"We're getting older, our bodies ache . . . and [we] don't have time to go to the health club," said Kathe Ostrom, president of remodeling company C.N. Ostrom & Son Inc. That's why she predicts that aging baby boomers and other busy nesters will continue turning master bathrooms into soothing wellness retreats, "like a health spa, only in your own home."

Spa-like features available include steam units in showers, full-body spray showers "for a stimulating massage-type shower," whirlpool tubs that shoot soft air bubbles rather than hard jets of water, tubs equipped with pulsating neck pillows, and rainfall shower heads that mimic the effect of standing in a gentle rain.

Cut the glare

Form will follow function with an increase in finishes and materials that promote a soothing, spa-like atmosphere. Although bathrooms are getting bigger, with more features, they're also less glitzy, said Craig Plekkenpol, owner of Plekkenpol Builders Inc. "In the past, people wanted their bathrooms to look like ritzy hotels." Now the desired look is more "south of France," he said, with muted, satin-finish stone, tile and plumbing fixtures, and softer shapes.

Room for change

Remember the "mother-in-law apartment?" Well, the concept of a small home within a home is returning, but under a different name: flexible design or flex space. Homeowners are creating living areas, often complete with baths and small kitchenettes, that they can convert to various uses as their needs change over time.

"They're contemplating the possibilities," Plekkenpol said. "They might start out using the space as a hobby or sewing room, with the idea that it could double as an extended-stay space for the generation above or below."

All about you

Homes will be tailored to fit their owners like a well-cut suit. The trend away from standard homes and toward personalization that began a few years ago is now "roaring," said Dale Mulfinger, founding partner of SALA Architects Inc. In a globally franchised economy, "home remains the one thing anchored in place, where we can make something special that represents us."

There's less concern about resale, he said; people are choosing things they like and that reflect the way they live, such as bold-colored stucco or eliminating formal rooms they rarely use.

Factory fresh

These days, manufactured housing isn't just about cutting costs. "Some things can be made better and smarter in the factory than they can by a carpenter working in 20-below weather," Mulfinger said. One example: structural insulated panels (SIPs), sheets of factory-made wall material including studs, that offer the potential of better insulation and a shorter construction cycle than traditional on-site construction.

Aging in place

Baby boomers, it appears, are no longer in denial: They will grow old, and their homes will reflect that. Universal design, aimed at making it easier for people to remain in their homes throughout their life cycle, has been the buzz in the building industry for several years, Plekkenpol said. "But we hadn't seen it catch on with consumers." Until now. "There's less talk, more action," including wider doorways, accessible showers, lever door handles and faucets.

FURNITURE & INTERIOR DESIGN

In-home getaways

No time for a vacation? Pick your destination and create it at home. "I'm seeing a trend toward vacation-themed rooms," said Jim Gabbert, CEO of Gabberts Furniture and Design Studio. "There's less desire to travel, and home is a place to retreat."