Here Are 4 Features the Modern-Day American Dream House Has, According to Architects
Once upon a time, the house that was considered an integral part of “the American dream” was pretty uniform—and quite easy to describe. Along with 2.5 children and a dog, many Americans aspired to own a modest, single-family home with a white picket fence in the suburbs.
Today, people’s hopes and dreams are a little more diverse. For one, increasing numbers of young Americans are not interested in homeownership at all. According to a 2019 survey by Trulia, just 71 percent of Americans between ages 18 and 34 said homeownership was part of their personal American dream, down from 80 percent in 2015. Participants cited inability to save for a down payment, rising home prices, and having poor credit history as factors that prevent them from purchasing a home.
For those who do prioritize home ownership and manage to make their dream a reality, the cookie cutter homes that once represented success are not necessarily what they’re after.
To get the lowdown on the types of homes that are reflective of the modern American dream, we talked to some architects to get their perspective. Here’s what they had to say about what Americans want in their dream homes in 2020.
Open floor plans
In the past, the traditional American home often included a separate formal dining room. Particularly in the last decade, open floor plans that allow for a flow between the kitchen, dining, and living spaces have become increasingly popular.
“Family life has changed, and much of that change is driven by women in the workforce,” says Ashley Baskin, licensed real estate agent and advisory board member for Home Life Digest. “When more women did not work outside the home, the kitchen was a dedicated workspace where some privacy and separation from the kids and family was desirable. These days, the open layout works better for working parents to multitask.”
With an open floor plan, parents can easily make dinner while keeping an eye on the kids playing in the living room. Compared to homes from the 1940s, today’s homes are a lot larger and more open overall.
“In the past, closing off rooms was the best way to be energy-efficient for heating and cooling,” explains Baskin. “Advanced materials in contemporary homes are more structurally sound and energy-efficient, allowing for aesthetically-appealing features like wide open spaces, vaulted ceilings, and massive bay windows.”
Eco-friendly features
Today’s homebuyers are interested in reducing their carbon footprint and doing their part to preserve their environment.
“Through good design, environmental architecture and interiors can serve both the environment and human wellbeing,” says Nina Edwards Anker of New York City-based Nea Studio. “For example, an all-wooden house built without metal structural parts alleviates the carbon footprint and is also healthy for human lungs. This trend will continue to dominate as society becomes more aware of the global environmental crisis.”
“Through good design, environmental architecture and interiors can serve both the environment and human wellbeing,” says Nina Edwards Anker of New York City-based Nea Studio. “For example, an all-wooden house built without metal structural parts alleviates the carbon footprint and is also healthy for human lungs. This trend will continue to dominate as society becomes more aware of the global environmental crisis.”
She notes that mid-century and older homes were much less energy efficient than modern homes as they often lacked proper insulation, which enables efficient heating and cooling.
As more people jump on the environmentally-conscious bandwagon, Edwards Anker predicts that the United States may adopt policies similar to those in Germany, where the government provides robust tax incentives for the installation of renewable energy systems like photovoltaic arrays.
Unfussy outdoor spaces
While many modern homebuyers are interested in some type of outdoor space, they may be less keen on the intensive upkeep that comes with a traditional yard. Instead, today’s homeowners are experimenting with new, low-maintenance outdoor setups.
Jim Rill of Bethesda, Maryland-based Rill Architects says he’s seeing more large sliding doors and walls both on the interior and exterior.
“There are strong connections between interior rooms and the outdoors, such as a porch and a family room, a kitchen and a terrace, a front yard and a foyer,” he explains.
Scott Specht of Specht Architects agrees and says that people have moved away from lawns and plant arrangements that require regular watering, mowing, and a ton of upkeep to the use of native, climate-appropriate planting that are installed in a more natural setting.
The Goldilocks effect
For a long time, the typical American home just kept getting bigger and bigger. According to Specht, the average size of an American home in 1950 was just 983 square feet. By 2014, that number ballooned to more than 2600 square feet.
Despite the rise of the tiny home trend, Specht says that more people are looking for a “just right” size home that’s not too big and not too small.
“I think that the trend toward ‘right-sizing’ houses will continue, with more value being placed on the quality of the space rather than just pure square footage,” he says.