The world is becoming increasingly aware of how to become environmentally friendly, and this is reflected widely in housing trends. Recent years have seen an increase in people looking to build eco-friendly homes and convert their house with green features such as solar panels. This trend has not slowed down in 2019 however, and here are some of the top trends of the year so far.
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Tiny Homes
With many people looking to lead a simpler life in favor of the environment, tiny homes focus on allowing you to lead a less materialistic life that is connected closer to nature and your surroundings. Tiny houses are miniature homes that are normally smaller than 400 ft in surface area and can be rented, bought or constructed DIY. If you are looking to invest in the tiny house craze yourself, you can purchase tiny house kits, which provides wall and roof, sheathing, weatherproofing, and even a loft to ensure that you can revel in your own creativity once you have the basics of your tiny house installed.
Eco Homes
While many homeowners opt simply for solar panels and reusable energy, you can take this a step farther by building an eco home for you and your family. Eco homes are designed so that their water supply, energy usage, building materials are sustainable, ensuring that the residents that live in them can impact the environment as little as possible.
There are many different types of eco home. Whilst fabric first homes intend to block heat loss in your home and by doing so, reduce energy demands, Biophilic homes are designs that are created to connect its residents to nature. Other popular eco home designs include Earthship Biotecture, which looks at ensuring that all building materials are natural and recyclable, and cradle-to-cradle homes, which help to reduce the impact of the lifecycle of materials.
Natural Housing Materials
However, there are many different ways to protect the environment, and first-time homeowners should look into investing in a house that is built from all-natural building materials. Popular options for building materials include bamboo, wood,and stone. From finishes in the interior of your home such as furniture and fireplaces to the exterior walls, natural housing materials can be used to reduce the impact of any aspect of your home on the environment. Not only this, but they also make stylish decoration if you intend to make your house look traditional.
Outdoor Living Spaces
More and more people are looking towards their connection with the environment, and so are opting for the inclusion of outdoor living spaces in their homes. Unlike having large gardens, these are spaces in which people can generally spend a longer amount of time in and which have all the facilities that you will need. Some outdoor living spaces even have kitchens in them, as well as more traditional options such as a dining table or bar, meaning that you can go about your daily life while being surrounded by the nature that you are attempting to protect.