Earl and I recently attended the local Parade of Homes sponsored by various developers and builders in our community. It’s an annual opportunity to visit approximately fifteen newly constructed homes and learn about the latest trends in building and decorating. And it’s always an eye opener.
Big is the word for bathrooms these days. Regardless of whether we visited a condo development or an 8,000 square foot house (No, that’s not a typo), we saw bathrooms that formerly would have housed extra bedrooms. In many instances, the commode had a little room all to itself.
I also noticed that access to closets was frequently through the bathroom, instead of on a wall by themselves. While I think super-large bathrooms are silly not just because they require more maintenance, I like the idea of having my closet be part of the bathroom area. In fact, my current home is on the cutting edge even though it was built over thirty years ago, because you actually enter the closet from the bathroom. I guess what goes around comes around.
Three- and four-car garages have come into their own, while coat closets near the front door have almost disappeared. Mudrooms are becoming fashionable; formal living rooms are leaving the scene in favor of master bedroom suites on the first floor. And the phrase “master bedroom suite” is being replaced with “owner’s suite,” although I’m not sure what the psychological value in that is.
Many people who attend the Parade of Homes already own a home and have little intention of moving. They’re out there to see what’s going on, what makes their house old-fashioned, and what they can criticize as unnecessary. Thinking about it, I fit that category.
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