Across the country, home shows act as a show-and-tell for local housing markets by showing the latest trends in construction and design, but also telling the story about consumer confidence. For this week’s BuildChat, we interviewed Bryce Johnson, the executive vice president for the Home Builders Association of Fargo-Moorhead. We wanted to hear what Johnson [...]

We’ve long been a fan of architect Sarah Susanka and her “Not So Big House” philosophy, and it seems we keep seeing more evidence that a significant number of American homeowners are more interested in craftsmanship, quality and fine design than they are in raw square footage. Affluent, mature homeowners especially fit this profile. The more [...]

Remodeling has been a bright spot in the homebuilding and design industry, and a recent report by the Harvard Center for Joint Housing Studies suggests that the long-term trend will continue to be favorable. Several factors are converging to produce the positive outlook. First, as Baby Boomers age, the turnover of their homes will generate remodeling [...]

Many people don’t like to think of growing old, and the uncertainty that comes with age. Can you live at home? Should you? With the “Silver Tsunami”  crashing home as the Baby Boomers age, there are concerns with the elderly being able to live in their own homes. This represents a prime opportunity for savvy [...]

After several years as a senior editor at Hanley Wood, Leah Thayer founded Daily 5 Remodel in 2010 to provide a daily resource for building professionals interested in industry news, trends and best practices. She’s fostered an ever-growing online community, leading to a constant conversation about the happenings of the remodeling industry. For this week’s [...]

The American Institute of Architects recently released results from the Home Design Trends Survey for the fourth quarter of 2010, finding consumers are demanding larger kitchens and more accessible bathrooms. Kitchen size had been trending downward the past few years, but Q4 marked a turnaround. Kermit Baker, AIA’s chief economist, writes the larger kitchen is [...]

An article in the March 2011 issue of Qualified Remodeler, a magazine for the home remodeling trade, dove into the issue of using technology to make effective home lighting easier and more energy-efficient: According to the Energy Conservation Enhancement Project at Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, 20 percent of all electricity produced in the U.S. [...]

According to the Listed blog, up and coming young homebuyers have some specific wishes, and they aren’t what you might think. Gen Y apparently doesn’t want things like soaker tubs and living rooms. Instead, they seek multi-use spaces and wireless connectivity. Location is important, too: Gen Y wants to be able to walk to their favorite local [...]

We spoke to designers, architects, builders and others in the home and fashion industries. As we had those conversations, some topics kept cropping up. Here’s what your peers are talking about: the top trends for 2011 in home building and design. Let us know if this matches what you’re hearing. What would you add? Trend [...]

A few weeks ago, Daily5Remodel reported on a McGraw-Hill Construction study that showed green building soaring as a segment of the building industry while total construction starts plummeted by more than a quarter in the past two years. Of course, new construction isn’t the only realm in which energy efficiency and sustainability are important players. [...]