The appeals of a custom home are many, offering homeowners a unique opportunity to design a house according to their wishes and secure the proverbial “dream” home. However, while a custom home allows you to create a home that is uniquely yours, it is still important to build in line with market trends to help ensure resale value should the need arise. To this effect, modern homeowners are increasingly looking for features that increase energy efficiency, lower maintenance, and enhance the functional space of a property. Keep reading to find out more about 5 specific trends in custom homes.

Composite Roofing

Many modern homes are eschewing traditional roofing materials, such as asphalt shingles and wood shakes, in favor of more innovative composite roofing tiles. Fabricated from a mixture of asphalt, fiberglass, and recycled paper compounds, composite tiles can be designed in many attractive designs that mirror the appearance of classic roofing products. However, they also come with a much more favorable 50-year warranty, as well as the highest impact and fire ratings on the market.

To further protect the home’s roof, homeowners are also adding polyiso insulation, metal step flashing, and cover board for roofing. Each of these materials helps increase the R-value of the home while adding a layer of moisture protection that will secure the custom home’s building envelope for years to come.

Concrete Flooring

For decades, concrete floors were seen strictly as a utilitarian choice, reserved for garages, outbuildings, warehouses, and other types of high-traffic commercial facilities. Fast forward to 2022, and high-quality epoxy paint for concrete floors and innovative polishing techniques are helping make concrete floors a trending option in custom homes.

Using concrete paint and modern polishing practices, homeowners can create an attractive finish that will work well with a wide range of interior design schemes. The stunning aesthetics with all the low maintenance benefits of a concrete floor. Concrete floors do not harbor allergens and can be easily cleaned with a broom or wet mop. Furthermore, thanks to their durable fabrication, they can better withstand moving furniture, maintaining their appearance during seasonal interior makeovers.

Inorganic Siding

Similar to modern roofing innovations, siding options have undergone a major evolution in recent years. Rustic brick and cedar shake siding are being replaced with inorganic products that maintain a homey appearance while coming with none of the maintenance requirements. A couple of trending materials include fiber cement and steel log siding. These modern materials can be fabricated in designs that mimic natural wood and masonry but can last decades without any attention. Thanks to their inorganic composition, fiber cement, and steel log siding do not have to be painted and sealed to avoid pest, fire, moisture, and rot damage that threaten classic siding. And unlike vinyl—another common inorganic siding choice—these materials do not crack and become brittle in the face of extended UV exposure, making them a preferred choice for high-end custom homes.

Gravel Driveways and Sidewalks

Thanks in part to the COVID-19 pandemic, modern custom homes are redoubling the attention paid to exterior elements. It is not uncommon to see homeowners adding decks, patios, pergolas, and outdoor kitchens as part of their custom home packages.

Another exterior trend that is gaining momentum is bypassing concrete driveways and sidewalks in favor of gravel and other types of masonry pavers for landscaping. While concrete surfaces undoubtedly look good when new, they easily stain, crack, and erode when confronted with heavy moisture. Modern gravel surfaces, held in place by innovative permeable pavers, provide elite drainage for the home’s exterior, maintaining the natural stone appearance regardless of what the elements bring.

Decorative Screen Panels

One of the most pervasive trends in custom home design is the installation of oversize windows to increase natural light flow throughout the home’s interior. This approach provides many benefits, such as:

• Decreased reliance on artificial lighting, helping homeowners control utility costs
• Positive vibes and mood-enhancing endorphins activated due to sunlight
• Tying together of the open interior concept that is popular in modern living areas

Although the benefits of large windows are plentiful, there can be times when the sun’s radiation can be too intense, causing the air conditioning to kick into overdrive. To help mitigate this situation while still allowing natural light to pass into the home, some homeowners are choosing to install decorative metal screen panels in exterior areas of the home that receive intense sunlight. In addition to providing an element of architectural intrigue to the home’s exterior, metal screen panels can absorb much of the heat’s radiation while still allowing light to pass through, securing a naturally lit interior without an accompanying spike in temperature.

5 Trending Design in Custom Homes

Although building a custom home gives homeowners the opportunity to create their own unique dream home, it is nonetheless important to keep an eye on prevailing market trends to optimize the potential resale value of the property. With this in mind, composite roofing, concrete flooring, inorganic siding, gravel driveways, and decorative screen panels are 5 trending designs in modern custom homes. 

Andrea Erickson is a freelance writer that loves sharing her knowledge and expertise with her readers. She lives in her hometown of Austin, Texas where she enjoys spending time with her husband and decorating with her children. Andrea’s work as a freelance writer can be found on Building Product Advisors, a new construction industry resource launching in Fall 2022.