Close to home: Floral design workshop, millennials at home

Learn about floral design and bring home a bit of spring at a Bachman's workshop Feb. 21.

Bachman's floral designer Diane Enge will lead the hands-on class from 2 to 4 p.m. The $50 cost covers all materials used in your take-home floral creation, which will feature a variety of beautiful blooms, branches and accent flowers such as pussy willow, tulips and forsythia.

Register by calling 612-861-7711 or by visiting www.bachmans.com.

There's nothing like a mega demographic to make people sit up and take notice. This year's Better Homes and Gardens survey on the attitude and behavior trends of home buyers in the U.S. focused on the "next generation" of buyers and their preferences.

The research shows the millennial generation is — not surprisingly — more sold on the value of smart technology than those 55 and up. The majority of millennials believe that it's a good investment and that smart technology can be integrated with their personal style, while the majority of older homeowners did not.

Slightly more than 1,600 U.S. female homeowners living in single-family homes were surveyed by Better Homes and Gardens late last year.

Millennials have greater interest than those who are older in investing in security products, edible landscaping, play space for kids and larger/wider stone-made paths and patios.

Nearly half of millennials have a fire pit or fireplace in their outdoor living space, as opposed to only one out of five of those over age 55. Twenty-five percent of millennials have an outdoor sound system installed, and 22 percent report using a TV outdoors — as opposed to 13 percent and 6 percent, respectively, of those over age 35.

While millennials were very focused on outdoor living, they were less concerned with curb appeal. A third of them report that exterior makeovers are expensive and not worth the investment, as opposed to 16 percent of those 55 and over.

Martha Buns