The Washington Post has a report from the International Builders Show, the Kitchen & Bath Industry Show and the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas.
The verdict: Millennial homebuyers are the big target, and they want a mix of rustic and modern.
It’s actually called – wait for it – rustic-tech chic. We’re talking natural wood cabinets that lower at the push of a button, or automated barn doors. In fact, barn doors are now a big deal for Millennials, who crave a dash of country living in their cozy modern homes.
Also big: farmhouse sinks, leather, wood-panel walls and recycled material.
Of course Millennials won’t be able to afford all these things, but watch your favorite HGTV shows: every designer is doing farmhouse chic. It’s a way to bring small doses of character into a space, and even urban dwellers don’t mind farmhouse ethos (durability, timelessness, Americana). Clean lines and other minimalist elements are still hot, but now the style is to mix and match.
Also, the 1960s seem to be on their way out: mid-century modern is nowhere to be found (unless you want to drop leather into it).
Moreover, not much talk here about environmentalism (except the material of kitchen counters …), which you’d think is high on the Millennial list. It’s not, though. Not even close. Not when moving into a house.
In fact, many of the interiors shown with the article look straight out of the 1990s, just updated with that farmhouse chic style. That further tells me that, even in homebuying and decorating, Millennials are shaping up to be just like their parents, the bloated Baby Boomers.