Recent trends towards buying smaller homes seem to be tapering off, with more consumers seeking to refurbish their existing homes, says the new Home Design Trends Survey by the American Institute of Architects.

 

The biggest increase since the previous survey of its kind is in the trend for outdoor living space, closely followed by that of indoor-outdoor space. More than 60% of architects questioned in the survey said that they had seen an increase in outdoor living space requests, a rise from 56% the previous year.

“Over the years, people are moving away from upgrading and instead looking into refurbishing their existing homes, adding outdoor living space,” said Scott Greeson of Woodlands Outdoor Living in New York.

Interestingly, the average size of new homes began to increase at the beginning of the last decade, only to decrease again after 2005. Recently however, a number of architecture firms have noticed a decrease in the demand for smaller homes.

“The fact that homes and lot sizes appear to be increasing again is a sign that perhaps the worst of the housing market crisis is over and that things are stabilizing finally,” said Kermit Baker of AIA.

 

“However, it still seems as if there is a preference for the open-space layout overall, as it amounts to more flexibility. People are showing less interest in formal rooms and spaces.”

Another trend shown in the survey was increased request for kitchen and bathroom makeovers. For further information about the survey, check the results here.