The world  is rapidly changing, and this affects how we live and even the homes we live in.   From the green movement to spending less because of economical hardships, the way we live now is very different than the past.

But what about the future?  What do we have to look forward to? What should we prepare for in the context of our homes.  Will they be different 5-10 years from now?

eLocal posed this question to its panel of experts as part of their Blog Off Series.

Here’s my take on this topic:

I believe that the most significant change you will see within the next 5 to 10 years in the design of our homes will be the incorporation of a layer of foil somewhere in the structure of the roof, and perhaps even in the construction of pergolas to cover us while we in our outdoor space. The purpose of the foil is so that we don’t have to wear foil hats while in our home living space, so aliens won’t be able to easily read our minds.

I’m kidding of course (or am I?), but I take the discussion here to a bizarre new level as I believe that some of the suggestions from our experts are just a little utopian given the relatively short time frame of 5 or 10 years. Think about what has really changed in the last 5 or 10 years, and I think you will agree. Change, no matter how positive and desirable, takes time and those in the construction industry are notoriously slow to adapt.

What I have seen from my own experience of purchasing a home for my retirement years, and from helping other friends and family in doing the same is that single level ranchers or bungalows are a must, and 2-story homes are not even given mild consideration. No steps and smaller homes are what I see on the search criteria, and along with that the open floor plan with less “living rooms” and a more common entertaining area focussed around the kitchen and outdoor living patio areas.

Energy efficiency and green options and solutions will make it into the design and construction process, but only if pressed for by the consumer demanding these changes, putting pressure on legislators to implement these initiatives that are generally more expensive and less understood, and changing development guidelines and requirements.

The technological changes that are here now, and more coming at an alarming rate, will work their way into the system by retrofitting existing infrastructure to accommodate the conveniences, and will get incorporated into design and pre-wiring of homes as they become commonplace.

As cool and novel as some of the technological innovations are, such as adjusting sound levels of the entertainment system, and turning off, on, or adjusting the level of light in a room using a mobile device app., people are still quite comfortable with the old remote control, or using that switch on the wall as you enter and exit a room.

5-10 years from now? Have you noticed just how quickly time goes by after we reach a certain age? Remember that 10-year old child you were just picking up at grade school the other day? He’s 20 now.

————————————————–

Wonder what the other experts had to say?  Read eLocal’s blog – click here to view it. Do you agree with this?  How do you think your home will look 5-10 years from now?