8 Popular Home Design Features for 2022

There’s a lot to consider when selling your home, from market conditions and appraisals to where you’ll go next. Don’t forget, however, the importance of design. It’s often one of the first things buyers notice when they walk into a home, and it’s also a detail that you, as a seller, can easily control.

According to Realtor.ca’s 2022 housing market forecast, October of 2021 saw record home sales.1 Even with the pandemic igniting new restrictions in some provinces, the Canadian housing market is expected to remain hot. This means if you’re looking to sell shortly, now is the time to consider how you can stand out.

Updating your home design is one way to do that. Changes like eco-friendly fixtures or upgraded siding can add value to your home now and be highlighted when you market it for sale later. To get the most out of your updates, focus on these popular home design features that will wow buyers in 2022.

Keep in mind not all of these will work well in every house. If you plan to buy, list, or renovate a property, give us a call. We can help you realize your vision and maximize the impact of your investment.

Eco-Friendly Fixtures

Canada’s most significant demographic, millennials, has been a driving force in the country’s real estate market for the past few years. One thing that remains top of mind for this cohort is sustainable living features. A recent Deloitte survey found that one-third of millennials initiate or deepen their consumer investment in products or services that help the environment—this also includes the houses they choose to live in.2

Here are a few eco-friendly design features that will be attractive to these millennial buyers in 2022. Bonus: they can net a significant return on investment (ROI) for you, as a seller, too.

Energy-Efficient Windows: Windows and doors account for up to 25 percent of home heat loss, according to nrcan.gc.ca.3 Therefore, upgrading to energy-efficient windows can help homeowners save money.
Low-Flow Water Fixtures: National Resources Canada also recommends replacing your water-consuming fixtures like showerheads, toilets, and faucets with ones that have flow rates of about 7.6 L/minute, 4.8L/flush, and 4L/minute, respectively.4 If you want to take it a step further, ENERGY STAR® certified appliances like dishwashers and washing machines would also make a dramatic difference in water bill savings.
Native Landscaping: Perhaps unexpectedly, another eco-friendly ‘fixture’ is native flora. Local greenery helps combat biodiversity loss, creates a better habitat for wildlife, and has more excellent resistance to pests, according to HGTV.5. These benefits of native plants add to the eco-friendly appeal of your home.

Wellness Retreat Nooks

As many of our homes became “all-purpose” territory for the entire family, we now lean towards fully implemented interior zoning efforts. From designated offices to closed-door playrooms, everyone needed their own space. Add in mental health concerns, competing schedules, and reduced access to health and wellness facilities, and the result is a massive prioritization of personal care spaces.

At-home wellness amenities, once viewed as luxuries, are now on many homeowners’ must-have lists. Intrigue buyers and improve your quality of life in your home with reading nooks, spa-inspired bathrooms, and exercise or meditation spaces. Even if your house doesn’t have the square footage to section off an entire room for relaxation, making simple tweaks by adding more natural light, air purifiers, and indoor plants can help you feel better in your home. These simple changes can also enable future buyers to see the opportunity for their own space.

Calming Paint Colours

Paint colours that produce a calming atmosphere will also be a key selling point in 2022. Soft earth tones and natural hues will prevail this year, including various shades of blue, green, brown, and beige. Recent research suggests steering clear of trendy paint colours in favour of a more classic palette to bring the feel of nature indoors subtly and soothingly.6

A survey of American homebuyers found that particular paint colour could increase a home’s value by 1.6%.6 If we Canadians see even a 1% increase, that’s $7,208 more for the average home, which is priced at $720,850, according to the Financial Post.7

A crowd-pleasing hue to refresh the walls with is BEHR’s 2022 paint colour of the year, known as Breezeway.8 This shade of green with silver undertones was created to mimic sea glass. As the BEHR website describes it, Breezeway “evokes feelings of coolness and peace, while representing a desire to move forward and discover newfound passions.”

Outdoor Living Updates

Don’t forget to think about your yard when considering design changes for your home. As interiors become more productive, many Canadians look to the outdoors for a break. HGTV predicts the “exterior living room” trend will continue in 2022, so making outdoor upgrades in the spring when the ground thaws could reap profound benefits.9 Whether your exterior square footage looks like a balcony, small patio, or expansive yard, it only takes some imagination and effort to turn it into a comforting oasis.

Front porches, in particular, are seeing a significant revival, says Greenhouse Canada.10 Power-washing your siding, adding a fresh coat of paint on the door, brick, or floorboards; and finishing it off with some exterior lighting will go a long way in upping the curb appeal.11 Don’t forget to add window boxes, big planters, and young trees that require minimal maintenance but add more life to the space.

Finish off the space with some comfortable outdoor furniture to make the outdoors as well-designed as the indoors. If you need help deciding how to update your outdoor area, let us guide you.

Designated Work Spaces

According to Statistics Canada, it may come as no surprise that after the pandemic is over, 80 percent of new teleworkers want to continue to work at least half of their hours from home.12 However, this desire needs to be weighed against the availability of space in a home.

If you can, try turning a bedroom or den into a work-from-home office. When designing the space, make it both functional and aesthetically pleasing. Position a desk near the window for natural light, install a bookshelf unit, arrange a few succulents on the work surface, and hang a few framed posters or a cork bulletin board on the wall. You want the space to foster productivity and be a place in your home you enjoy spending time.

When you get ready to sell, we can help you highlight your designated workspace. Given the high demand for this design feature, it can help you interest more buyers and attract more competitive offers—if marketed creatively.

Plus, Canadians who transitioned to working from home because of the pandemic may be eligible to claim a $500 deduction for home office expenses—making this renovation that much more feasible.13

Luxury Kitchen Retouches

The kitchen has always been a main focal point of interior design, and that’s no different in 2022. Families will always need this space to come together in their own homes.

This year’s buyers want a kitchen with new upgrades and retouches, but you don’t have to renovate the entire kitchen to make an impact. If you’re not sure where to start, here are a few tips on how to create a kitchen that buyers will love without spending too much money on renovations:

Repaint the kitchen, keeping the calm and nature-inspired colours in mind that are most popular right now. Taking a kitchen from dark to light by painting cabinets and walls can make all the difference.
Update the hardware. These kitchen “accessories” stand out and add personality to an otherwise standard kitchen.
Update light fixtures to bring in more light while also adding a fresh look and feel to the space.

Unique Accent Walls

An accent wall gives a home character while balancing it with the calming feel of natural- and neutral-coloured walls. But, we’ve seen accent walls before, so bolder moves are expected for 2022. Here are some on-trend options that go above and beyond a solid-colour accent wall:

Jewel or metallic tones
Textured wallpaper
Painted ceilings
Built-in shelves
Wood paneling14
Sprawling wall tiles 15

If you’re planning to sell next year, talk to us before adding an accent wall. Depending on your target buyer, it may be a design feature that hurts your home’s value. We can run a free Comparative Market Analysis on your home to help you understand what would resell best in your neighbourhood.

Exterior Siding Updates

An exterior siding refresh can make an old home feel entirely new and significantly impact its resale value. This primarily affects curb appeal, but it’s also an essential factor in keeping interiors warm and protected from Canada’s harsh winters. The average cost for new siding ranges from $4.80 - $51.60 per square foot.16 That variation depends on which of the many siding materials you choose, from fibre-cement to brick, wood, vinyl, metal, or stone.

While all these options can infuse the exterior with character and curb appeal, there are a few other factors to consider before taking on this project. While brick adds more sophistication, it is on the pricier end and is susceptible to salt erosion, making it less enticing for those on the coasts. On the other end of the cost spectrum, vinyl is a smart option that does not fade, is easy to maintain, and comes in many colour options.17 However, vinyl will crack over time after facing harsh Canadian winters.

Give your home this attractive and straightforward facelift before putting it on the market. If you’re not sure how to get started yourself, our team can connect you with a trusted vendor to guide you through the process.

Keep These Home Design Features on Your Radar in 2022

These design features can infuse personality into your home while helping to close the deal if you plan to sell in 2022. The average buyer knows just what they’re looking for in a space they plan to call home, so with some investment and foresight, you can give your house an edge over the competition—and boost resale value in the process.

However, you don’t need to make these changes to attract more buyers. We can help you determine which design features you should add to your home by sharing insights and tips on maximizing the return on your investment. We can also run a Comparative Market Analysis on your house to determine how it compares to others in the area, which will help us decide what changes need to be made. Contact us to schedule a free consultation!

Penny Rudderham

HomeGeeks eXp Realty and Cornwall Realtor (servicing SD&G)

since 2008

www.HomeGeeks.ca