Your wish is coming true: you’re ready to start building your dream home in the Durango or Pagosa Springs area. If you’re one of the many who have waited a while to make it happen, you may have an overwhelming number of ideas. How can you choose the best of them at this point?
Home trends don’t change quite as quickly as fashion trends, but they do change. As you begin planning your build, acquaint yourself with current directions. Then you can better decide what makes sense for your new Southwest Colorado home—where to follow up-to-the minute trends and where to go your own way.
Watching Flooring Directions
Flooring is one aspect of home design that does tend to change. Ultra-dark wood floors have been popular for years, but many flooring experts believe that medium to light colored wood is more on trend today. The whitewashed or very light gray look is very popular, especially in areas where a beach-y appearance is appropriate.
When building a home in Southwest Colorado, you can still go with lighter flooring and fit into a mountain aesthetic. Blond colored wood gives an airy appearance while still looking warm in our winters. You can choose from ash, bamboo, and other flooring to get the lighter look. White oak is another option that’s gaining momentum.
Creating Useful Rooms
Not too long ago, home theaters or media rooms signaled the utmost in luxury. Today, they’re often looked at as wasted space. Think about it: you probably have a few rooms with a television at your house, and with so much streaming media available it’s easy to plop down in a comfortable family room or den and watch that movie you’ve been waiting to see.
Since people of all ages are spending substantial time at home nowadays, spaces that might have become media rooms in the past tend to be designed as game rooms, art studios, or music rooms today. Most often they are planned so they can accommodate several activities, with closets and cabinets to house the gear and minimize clutter.
Going Greener
Homeowners are becoming more motivated to make their living spaces as green as possible, especially when building a dream home. Four Corners residents are embracing new technology to help with energy efficiency—you’re probably already thinking along these lines.
Here are some related considerations. Soaker tubs are quickly becoming passé. This trend suits many western families just fine, as water conservation is top of mind these days. Air quality is an issue more residents and builders consider today too. While you may not be ready to give up the idea of having a fireplace in your mountain home, you might be ready to go with natural gas or a gas/propane stove. They are easier to keep clean as well as healthier.
Pursuing Cost Savings
Given what we’ve been seeing over the past couple of years at the Home Builders Association of Southwest Colorado, we urge home owners to be as flexible as possible in material selections. As you probably know, the pandemic has impacted global supply chains and driven up prices of some key ingredients for building a home.
Listen to the experts you choose to work with. For example, you may want the same hardwood for the entire first floor of your home, but if your builder suggests a change in one or two rooms due to supply constraints, it may very well make sense. Lean on your architect, lead contractor, and subcontractors for advice in getting your home built on time and on budget.
You can lean on us too! If we can be of any help—whether suggesting some of our members to contact or helping with other resources, fill out our short contact form and we’ll get back to you.
