Every year, there’s a celebration of the most novel home designs and construction ideas at the Kitchen & Bath International Show (KBIS) and the International Builders Show (IBS). Compared to the virtual presentation last year, Orlando’s in-person presentations of the latest in home building and renovation were a welcomed and breathtaking review of excellence in the real estate market.
Over 200 entries were considered for the “Best of the IBS” awards this year. Each of the 24 judges from various walks of the homebuilder’s industry (and even the media) used the following specifications to select which entries fit the qualifications for the best the home design industry has to offer in 2022:
- User-friendliness
- Practical Use
- Design Appeal
- Innovation
2022’s Honorable Mentions
The following trends in homebuilding made the cut for being the best ideas of 2022.
The Best of Smart Technology
Smart Locks for Home Security
And the Best Window and Door award category goes to Panolock for its highly versatile smart lock system. These smart locks are compatible with all types of building materials, and they are also compatible with the typical doorknob, door handle, or door lever.
The days of getting locked out of your home are a thing of the past. You can design your smart lock system to work with your fingerprint a mobile phone app, which gives you remote access to your smart lock system. The ability to monitor lock and Wi-Fi activity on your mobile app will give you an extra layer of security and peace of mind about potential hackers.
Currently, the Panolock smart lock system is only available to home building manufacturers and is not available for sale in stores.
Swidgets for Smart Kitchens and Bathrooms
Worried about whether you left the curling iron on in the bathroom? You can use an app on your smartphone to turn the bathroom switch off. The Swidget, which won the Best Kitchen and Bath Product category, is a smart switch that uses your voice or a mobile application to control various devices in your home. You can use your voice to turn off your bedroom lights and turn on the television. You can use your smartphone to start your coffeemaker before you get out of bed. If you have to work late, you don’t have to worry about turning on the lights in the entryway until you’re ready to enter your home.
SPAN Panels for Smarter Home Energy Efficiency
The winner of both the Best Energy Efficient Product and Best Home Technology Product awards goes to SPAN Panel. According to SPAN Panel, once you install these panels, you won’t have to upgrade your home’s energy efficiency design ever again. Because these panels save on your utility costs, and they are also easy to install in existing homes. The design is weather-resistant, and it’s a great home living enhancement that allows you to monitor your energy consumption. Because these are smart panels, all you need is a smart device to turn off and on your home’s appliances.
The Best in Design Ideas
A Nice Flush Pantry Door Idea for a Practical Kitchen
The Best Indoor Product category goes to Murphy Doors for their simple and practical flush pantry door design. Flush doors are ideal for locations that have limited space such as the kitchen area, and they help to accent the beauty of adjacent designs. You can choose to install a glass pantry door with a frosted design, or you can make the back of your pantry door more practical by adding extra pantry shelves.
Stone Decorations for a Chic Look
If you want a great ROI on your home’s exterior finishing material, then stone is the way to go—especially if it is lightweight and easy to install. But stone is typically a heavy material that takes mortar for proper installation, which is why the Mortarless Series by Evolve Stone won the Most Innovative Building Material category with the creation of their mortarless stone finishing material. This material only requires a finish nailer to install the stone-like material, so the builder doesn’t have to bother with using mortar to install each piece of finishing. Therefore, this mortarless finishing material can be installed quickly (and it’s also much lighter than other companies selling similar products).
Updating Your Backyard with Decorative Panels
Thanks to the quarantine experience of COVID-19, many people have invested in upgrading their home entertainment centers—especially the ones outdoors. Barrette Outdoor Living takes the award for Best Outdoor Product with its outdoor screen panels that are both stylish and practical for enduring harsh weather conditions. You are sure to love the comfort and beauty these panels evoke when installed in your outdoor living areas.
Innovating with Solar Power Roofing Materials
Although the economic and environmental benefits of solar panels are well-known in 2022, GAF Energy’s creation of solar shingles takes the award for the Most Innovative Construction Tool. Solar shingles allow homeowners to take greater advantage of solar power by turning the entire roof into an energy-efficient power source. No solar panels are needed when using these shingles since they cover the entire roof. As a design novelty, these shingles come in your usual roofing colors (such as slate gray), and they are made to withstand climate change. You are sure to appreciate the increase in home value solar shingles will give your home because innovative energy options are highly trending in the real estate industry.
2022 Homebuilding Panel Discussion
The International Builders’ Show is an award show and so much more. Those in attendance also get a chance to hear informative discussions on the year’s most popular trends. Here are a few of the trends that stood out this year.
The Outlook of Home Building for 2022
The IBS addressed the question: What trends can we expect to see in the home building industry in 2022? House Plan Zone’s Jonathan Boone expressed concerns about the pandemic causing the potential to have higher interest rates, higher material costs, supply chain conflicts, and limited home inventory for the next few years. Nevertheless, most panelists agree that despite these industry setbacks, the popularity of home design will not suffer.
Home Design after Covid-19: A Look at 2022 Industry Trends
Thanks to COVID-19, the home design industry will never be the same. According to the IBS, the isolation of quarantine life and remote work generated a desire to focus more on home office space and home entertainment. You can expect to see more homeowners investing in having big media rooms and home studios for various hobbies.
Barndominiums: What they are and why they are Trending in 2022
Farmhouses in the days of old would include living space to cut expenses. In 2022, the trend to combine barn space with living space has returned with the concept of the barndominium. What makes these homes so popular is their affordability, simplicity in housekeeping, and energy efficiency. We can just imagine some of the ideas that were generated during the panel discussion on the best practices in designing these modern farm creations. We would go for a design that closely resembles the traditional farmhouse, and we’re quite sure they discussed the idea of giving your barndominium a name.
Small Homes with Big Popularity
A representative from Design Basics, Greg Dodge, discussed the growing trend to build homes that are much smaller than the typical home. In his discussion of small homes, Dodge remarked that most homeowners are leaning towards building homes that are smaller because these homes are proving to be very efficient. Because these smaller homes consume fewer natural resources, are easier to relocate, and require little upkeep, we can expect the popularity of smaller homes to increase in the next few years.
This cottage-style home is just 800 square feet and has a living area, 2 bedrooms, and 1 bathroom. This home plan includes a nice front porch that is pleasing to the eye
The Road Ahead in the Home Building Industry
Home Plan Zone’s Jonathan Boone is confident that despite whatever shortcomings may exist due to the recent pandemic, the home building industry will continue to be a lucrative market in 2022 and beyond. This year’s featured trends in home design are evident that the passion for home design is alive and well.