As the once struggling residential market continues to steadily improve, the size of homes has grown in response. This is the case for both high-end and custom homes as well as additions to existing homes. In addition, preferences for accessible spaces in homes—such as open-space layouts and single-floor design—also continue to rise.
Led by continued improving consumer confidence in the housing market, business conditions at residential architecture firms are at their strongest growth levels since the economic downturn. These findings are from the American Institute of Architects (AIA) Home Design Trends Survey for the first quarter of 2013, which focuses specifically on overall home layout and the use of interior and exterior space.
“We’ve seen over the past few years, an increased interest in seamlessly blending indoor and outdoor spaces and building in more informal spaces into homes,” said AIA Chief Economist Kermit Baker, PhD, Hon. AIA. “Because lot sizes don’t show any signs of increasing, it’s clear that homeowners want to maximize their current square footage to its highest potential, as opposed to increasing it.”
Overall home layout and size trends
| Residential elements (% of respondents that reported increases) | 2013 | 2012 |
| Volume | 24% | 20% |
| Square footage | 12% | 8% |
| Lot size | 3% | 5% |
| In-home accessibility | 64% | 64% |
| Open space layout | 56% | 55% |
| Informal space | 60% | 51% |
| Access in/out of home | 55% | 47% |
| Single-floor plan | 46% | 45% |
Outdoor living and landscaping trends
| Residential elements (% of respondents that reported increases) | 2013 | 2012 |
| Low irrigation landscaping | 61% | 65% |
| Outdoor living space | 63% | 64% |
| Blended indoor / outdoor living | 55% | 53% |
| Rainwater catchment | 52% | 48% |
| Exterior / security lighting | 35% | 33% |
Housing market business conditions
AIA Home Design Survey Index for Q1 2013 (any score above 50 is positive)
• Billings: 67
• Inquiries for new projects: 74
Baker added, “With business conditions at residential architecture firms at the strongest growth level since 2005, this is a very encouraging sign for the housing sector and broader economy in general, especially when you look at the year-over-year improvement in the marketplace.”
| Specific residential segments* | 2013 | 2012 |
| Kitchen and bath remodeling | 63 | 53 |
| Remodeling additions / alterations | 63 | 51 |
| Custom / luxury home market | 16 | -2 |
| Move-up homes | 32 | -3 |
| First-time buyer / affordable home market | 21 | -7 |
| Townhouse / condo market | 7 | -17 |
| Second / vacation home market | -15 | -36 |
* Index score computed as % of respondents reporting improving minus % reporting weakening conditions