Tag: wellness design

Wellness-Friendly Laundry-Mud Rooms 2024 Home Trend Prediction

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Laundry and mud rooms are combining in contemporary homes for wellness design enhancement.

Karen Berkemeyer Home, Sandy Effren, Greyrock Homes (c) Houzz

The 1930s house I grew up in had its laundry machines in a dark, unwelcoming basement area, two flights down from our bedroom closets. Today’s laundry rooms tend to be brighter, more welcoming, more functional and usually better located! That’s a huge benefit for both young families and older homeowners who may have a hard time lugging loaded laundry baskets up and down stairs. It’s also a huge boost for a home’s functionality, one of the five facets of wellness design.

Home improvement platform Houzz predicts that enhanced laundry spaces with mud room features will be a strong trend for 2024. I agree. So do the many home improvement pros I surveyed by email and through social media groups.

Smart Siting

“Combining a laundry room with a mudroom is a natural step for homes that see a lot of mess at an entry,” observed Mitchell Parker, senior editor for Houzz. “This increasingly popular setup lets homeowners place grimy sports uniforms, muddy winter jackets and sandy beach towels directly into the wash before they track dirt further into the home,” he adds.

“The popularity of the combined laundry-mudroom trend is no coincidence,” comments San Antonio area custom home builder Tommy Lipe. “By seamlessly merging two rooms with similar material needs, we not only streamline construction but also reduce square footage, simplifying the often hectic nature of our lives.”

Resilience Imperative

Resilience is key for Scott Tjaden’s St. Louis area laundry-mud room projects, the designer says. “You use it frequently and that’s where your money should be spent in terms of quality machines, workspace flooring and any sort of paint or wall covering. Paint should be wipeable and of high quality and so should wall covering.”

Resilience is a criterion for New York-based architect Havard Cooper too. ”I use stainless steel, tile or concrete for sinks and countertops due to their durability and ease of cleaning. The appliances selected are aesthetically pleasing but also robust, energy-efficient, and capable of handling high-volume laundry tasks. To combat moisture, materials like waterproof paints and backsplashes are used to protect walls from water damage,” he adds.

Tjaden additionally suggests a large curved spigot for the water. “Some people prefer a hose attachment,” he notes, “if the laundry is near a back door, sometimes people will use that for cleaning and repotting.”

Resilience is mandatory for Central California-based interior designer Wendy Glaister’s agricultural clientele. Their homes are “surrounded by orchards, farms and lots of dirt,” she muses. She also favors durable materials like antimicrobial stainless steel for sinks, especially when you need to use stronger stain removers that might hurt other materials. Glaister specifies vinyl planks and porcelain flooring for resilience and cleanability, she says.

Pet-Friendly Multi-Tasking

Flex spaces like combined laundry-mud room areas are ideal for busy households. “Having everything in one spot makes multitasking easier,” Parker comments, that can include chores, hobbies and pets. “Mudrooms can be a convenient spot for a doggie stop, whether they include a space for your pet to dine or a storage area for walk-related items to grab on your way out the door; many homeowners on Houzz also incorporate a pet shower in their mud-laundry room to ensure that muddy paw prints don’t make it into the main house.”

Ottawa-based cabinetmaker Deborah Gervais is definitely seeing more pet features in her area, including “dedicated washing machines for animal blankets, clothing (for folks who have cattle and/or horses) so they don’t mix with everything else.”

A ‘slop sink’ can double as a pet washing station for smaller dogs, suggests New York-based remodeling company owner Jean Brownhill. Atlanta-based designer Stephanie Ives likes to see a pet door, litter box space with exhaust fan, and built-in kennels and feeding areas. She also likes to include space for recycling management and robot vacuum charging stations.

Mud rooms can also be the perfect place in which to store outdoor sports gear, like wall-mounted ski racks, cubbies for hats and helmets, and spots beneath benches for boots and shoes, Parker shares.

Must-Haves

If this is a trend you’ve been considering for your own home, there are some elements you’re definitely going to want to include. Parker cites a utility sink with pulldown faucet for easy handwashing and rinsing muddy gear. Hooks, sorting space, cabinets for supplies and storage is also a boon for these utility spaces.

Las Vegas-based interior designer Patricia Gaylor incorporates a bench in drop zone areas located close to a home’s family entrance. “Built in low seating with open cubbies to remove shoes before entering main part of house” help these spaces keep a home cleaner. A small shower area can also be helpful in this regard.

Nice-To-Haves

“Radiant heating under the flooring is a benefit, especially in colder climates,” the Houzz editor comments, noting that they not only keep feet warm but help dry boots.

Parker also suggests incorporating a workstation if there’s room. This can be used for folding laundry, wrapping gifts, handling package shipping and hobbies. “Having everything in one spot makes multitasking easier,” Parker notes. Glaister likes to have an area for hanging and drying hand-washables and Gervais suggest a built-in ironing board, extra pantry storage .

Cooper suggests integrating a home automation panel. “This feature allows homeowners to control laundry appliances, lighting, and security systems from the laundry room.” Laundry sorting bins are also helpful, he notes. “Tech enthusiasts appreciate integrated phone charging centers and robot vacuum bases,” he adds. Several designers include device charging stations and family calendars in their projects.

New York designer Isfira Jensen cites “beautiful, multi-layered lighting” in her nice-to-haves. “This means having the nice central light fixture to provide ambient lighting and layering it with task lighting in forms of wall sconces or LED strip lights.” She also recommends ventilated drawers for shoe storage.

Boulder-based interior designer Megan B. Daughtry suggests having “a designated basket and large wardrobe cabinets for each family member to store their gear.”

Personalization

One trend we’ve been seeing for quite a while throughout the house is personalization. The fact that it’s showing up in these utilitarian areas speaks to their growing importance to homeowners and their families. “Photos of popular mudrooms on Houzz showcase inviting styles, smart built-in cabinetry, attractive furniture and decor, and bold colors,” Parker shares.

Brownhill is seeing “Fun tiles and printed wallpaper.” These high traffic areas benefit from busy patterns hiding scuffs and wear, she points out. Daughtry creates custom calendar and boards for tracking family activities and kids’ growth. Ives is starting to get requests for digital family calendars, she says.

Style enhancements certainly make doing laundry a more enjoyable chore. I think my late mother would have enjoyed many of these features, but a luxe laundry hadn’t occurred to her back then. Right now, my townhouse has a compact laundry closet, but a laundry-mud room flex space is definitely on my next home wish list.

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Jamie Gold, Contributor

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December 5, 2023
Five Tech Trends To Boost 2024 Wellness-Related Bathroom Design

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Lighting and showers are getting tech features to enhance their wellness potential.

Design — Nancy-Finneson, CKBD// Photo — Tammy-Dwight

If you’re planning on remodeling a bathroom in your home, particularly the one in your primary suite, you’re probably going to be incorporating some technology in the project. While that might seem counterintuitive, many of the top trends rely on smart home features to make your space more spa-like. These were highlighted in the recent 2024 Bathroom Trends Research Report released by the National Kitchen & Bath Association.

This trade organization comprising 50,000 members, including designers, dealers, remodelers, installers and manufacturers, tracks what residential clients are interested in and what professionals are specifying. (In the interest of disclosure, I’ve been an NKBA member for close to two decades, but it’s merely one of several leading associations I source for research.)

Homeowners’ desire to create spa-inspired primary bath retreats is certainly not a new trend. Neither is incorporating technology to enhance comfort and safety, but they are trending together in intriguing ways, as the 2024 report highlighted. Here are five of the tech trends enhancing wellness in homeowner bath updates.

I returned to the same four design professionals who weighed in on wellness trends overall in last week’s trend piece, plus one additional pro, for their insights in emailed responses:

1. Personalization Enhancement

“Bathroom tech is becoming more centric in our designs and more readily accepted by clients when we can call out the benefits,” notes Brunet. In addition to increasing sales of digital shower controls and smart toilets, she also sees “TVs in mirrors or placed at the end of the tub for a good relaxing soak supported by entertainment or music.”

Velasco’s clients are also personalizing their bathrooms with technology capabilities, she shares. “Heated floors, lighting, and sound systems in the bathroom integrating into the home automation system supplies an added sense of luxury and comfort.”

Ireland’s clients are requesting features too, she comments. “These include motion-activated faucets, smart mirrors with fog-free technology, built-in lighting and electrical, as well as voice-activated sound and light technology.”

Grubb reports that his clients are opting for technology-enabled windows, specifically, “Smart glass for privacy that can also switch.” When you want a fabulous vista, you select a view setting. When you need to block visibility from outside, (perhaps on gardening day), you opt for the privacy option. Floor heating is also a smart feature his clients are requesting; even Southern Californians want to avoid chilly feet!

2. Smart Lighting

NKBA reports that LED technology is now 100% of the lighting products specified for bathroom remodels. Some of that is driven by its energy efficiency, which helps projects meet updated codes, but LEDs also allow for features that enhance wellness, safety and comfort.

Velasco says her homeowners are interested in its circadian and pathway illumination benefits for health and safety, respectively, but also its mood enhancement potential through chromotherapy. “Most of our designs can have different scenes or moods combining several types of lighting in the same space, depending on use and time.” These capabilities are tied into smart home systems that let you set and choose themes with a single click or voice command, like ‘Nighttime Relaxation’ or ‘Morning Start.’

Brunet is specifying circadian lighting in her higher end projects, she shares, and programmable moods. “Systems allow for individual scenes or day/night events, as well as individual lighting options for tasks.” Smarter task lighting can support shaving, makeup application and more easily reading instructions on prescription medicine bottles. She also likes to include safety lighting in her bathroom projects for nighttime visits.

Ireland calls LEDs “a designer’s dream!” What her primary bath clients are requesting is illumination for floors and cabinets, sensor and dimmer controls and multiple layers of lighting.

Grubb is also maximizing the lighting capabilities in his projects. Beyond the layered ambient and task illumination he and his colleagues are using LEDs to help achieve, there are additional applications he’s designing into his lighting plans: “Other details can include lights in the shower niches and under a floating bench, strip light in the toe kick or underneath a wall mounted vanity on a motion switch for a night light and lighting inside of cabinets and drawers.”

3. Smart Showers

Enhanced lighting can extend into the shower for a wellness experience there too, Velasco says. “The integrated technology allows the user to program and automate different waterfall moods to receive a rainfall, cascade, mist effect, etc. The spa experience is enhanced when different lighting options are integrated into its functions.”

Brunet’s clientele is bullish on remote shower starts, the Canadian designer reports. Ireland’s clients put smart showers in their needs versus wants category, she points out, noting, “They are unequivocally opting for smart controls as a necessity.”

Grubb says he’s adding an extra exhaust fan for the shower area to improve ventilation.

4. Smart Tubs

The NKBA report says 47% of tubs will have touch pad controls, 25% will have voice activated controls and 24% will have mobile app controls. Velasco sees the latter being of particular benefit to second home projects. “Home automation allows them to monitor their property from afar, prepare for arrival, schedule maintenance, etc.,” she observes.

It’s likely that leak and overflow protection are also built into the smart home systems enabling this capability, with shut-off features to reduce water damage when there is an issue. That is particularly helpful for ski cabins and other properties with frozen water potential.

“By far, the desire for remote control features that allow the bath to be started from another location” is high on Bethke’s client want lists, the Phoenix designer shares. “People did not use their tubs because of the time it took to get them to temperature and fill [them], but technology is now giving the consumer access to do this from their car or the golf course or from the comfort of their living rooms.”

5. Smart Toilets

The NKBA report cites a strong 60% penetration of smart toilets in residential bathroom projects. Bethke definitely sees this in her practice, she says. “The highest items in demand in a ‘Washlet’ experience are the heated seat and the dryer,” (using the Toto bidet seat brand name generically). “It is no longer an item you hide away, they are here to stay,” she declares.

Velasco’s clients are also interested in smart toilets. “We find that self-cleaning and bidet options add comfort and dual flush is a great help for water saving.”

Brunet’s Canadian clients are enthusiastic about smart toilets too, she says. The features they’re most interested in are “ personalized spray wand, stainless steel cleaning wand, heated seat, lighted base (for nighttime visits), hands-free seat cover, digital flush wall control, hands-free flush control and individual preference recall.” Grubb cited the same features for his clients located thousands of miles away in Southern California.

‘The features most in demand with my clients are heated seats, motion detection self-flush and auto-wash, as well as a built-in bidet feature,” Ireland observes. “Although smart toilets have a higher price tag, they provide luxury benefits that my clients appreciate, especially those who are elderly. It just makes the overall experience so much easier for them,” she notes.

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Jamie Gold, Contributor

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November 28, 2023
Five 2024 Wellness-Enhancing Smart Home Trends For Your Kitchen

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Smart home technology is enhancing new kitchen designs with health and resilience features.

Credits: Design – Lori Kurnitsky / Olga Carlson / Michele Plachter // Photography: Rebecca-Mcalpin

Many of the amenities found in the latest kitchen trends are empowered with smart home technology. Here are five described in the influential 2024 Kitchen Trends Research Report recently released by the National Kitchen & Bath Association. I wrote about eight of the report’s sustainability-related observations last week. The role of innovation in kitchen design and remodeling for adding wellness potential richly deserves its own coverage.

As I noted in the previous piece, NKBA is a trade organization comprising 50,000 members, including designers, dealers, remodelers, installers and manufacturers, and produces annual studies like this one on design and remodeling trends. Those who specify kitchen products were included in this report. (I’ve been a member for close to two decades, but it’s just one of several leading industry associations I source for research.) I reached out to fellow designers who have had a chance to review the report and had them expound by email about the growing role of smart home technology in their kitchen projects.

Before delving in, it’s worth noting what architectural designer Nar Bustamante in Sacramento shared in his comments. While he’s excited about the advances available in smart appliances, he says, there is a learning curve for some clients that may keep them from using the technology to its full potential. That being said, there are features that don’t take effort to set up or use, and can be very helpful to users, he points out.

1. Resilience

“Many appliances now have emergency power shut off monitors, leak detection, and Wi-Fi connectivity so we can now see how an appliance is performing from our phones,” comments Bustamante. The leak detection feature alerts the homeowner that there’s water where it shouldn’t be present that needs to be addressed. Some leak detection technology can turn off the water, (depending on the client’s plumbing system).

“We’ve been taught to ignore a lot of these alerts, because they also commonly happen in ways that allow us to distrust technology,” the Californian observes. He notes though that since issues often occur when we’re not home, this will help prevent future incidents. That’s one alert category you definitely don’t want to turn off, given that floods and freezing damage are the third most common insurance claim. This is particularly true for vacation homes or rentals.

2. Smart Refrigeration

Refrigerators are a major component in the resilience conversation. “Key technology features will be safety related, including emergency power, leak detectors and food inventory technology,” the report predicts. Food preservation has increased in homeowner importance as food prices continue to soar, concerns about ethical and sustainability issues surrounding waste grow, and power grids fail due to extreme weather or other issues.

Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina area designer Vicky Serany describes smart refrigeration as “the unspoken hero of our kitchens.” She’s impressed with what the industry has released thus far. “The appliance manufacturers have done a tremendous job working to keep our food preserved and safe.”

After keeping the household’s food stocks preserved, convenience is another desired feature. “New refrigerator food inventory technology will help with menu recommendations and shopping,” the report notes. It adds that new and expanded refrigeration options provide flexibility for homeowners. About a third (36%) of homeowners want food these inventory technology and menu recommendations, it reveals. (This trend will likely skyrocket as more Generation Z digital natives become homeowners.)

A big trend within the smart fridge mandate is the flex drawer that can shift on demand from refrigeration to freezing to wine preservation. With 74% of study specifiers reporting a desire for improved refrigerator functionality, an increase in flex models and even remote mode setting will be welcome in in this category.

3. Multi-tasking Cooking Appliances

“Appliances with more than one cooking function are popular,” the report shares, with 87% of respondents mentioning this. Technology helps make it happen. “Cooking appliances will have integrated cooking functions like air frying and steam cooking,” it points out, and 71% of respondents want these appliances to offer reduced cooking times and precision control.

About half (47%) of home chefs expect to control their ovens or ranges from mobile apps! Programmable cooking options for delayed starts are a desired feature of 37% of respondents, and 21% expect these appliances to be voice-activated.

Steam has been coming on especially strong in ovens, typically in combination with convection. Rather than run plumbing lines to these appliances, many designers and homeowners are opting for reservoir models that can be easily refilled and reduce installation expense and maintenance. Clients are thrilled with these appliances, Serany comments. “Perhaps it’s our culture of reheating leftovers, but many believe food just tastes better when cooked in a steam oven.”

Bustamante is bullish on steam too, which he puts at the top of his wellness lists. “Steam ovens offer a more even, moisture-producing cooking method where chances of overcooking are minimized and nutritional value and freshness are preserved, maintaining the integrity of the food.”

One of the innovations that’s been added to cooking appliances, according to the report, is personalized settings and controls. These can support temperature control precision, delayed and remote starts. The ability to monitor your cooking progress on a phone app or tablet is definitely another smart home trend worth considering.

Some apps will alert you if you left a burner on. Some will allow you to upgrade your range or oven remotely as the manufacturer adds new features. One of the first smart feature upgrades that was incredibly popular was the addition of air frying to some convection ovens. The ability to do this gives homeowners an incentive to enable connectivity with the manufacturer. Remote repair diagnostics is another incentive, but maybe not as sexy as getting a whole new cooking mode in time for your holiday entertaining!

4. Microwave Alternatives

The report has a section noting trends on their way out. Microwaves installed over ranges was the top one (45%) cited. They’ve never been a factor in luxury kitchens, (except maybe tiny condo kitchens in Manhattan or San Francisco), and have lost appeal with many upper-midrange projects too. Especially installed over gas cooktops, which you’ll find in many tract homes, they’re a safety risk. They also tend to offer noisy, inferior ventilation, (a big concern over gas burners!). “The steam oven or drawer microwave-convection oven is the preferred method in our designs,” Serany says.

“Speed ovens and steam ovens are also excellent for reheating,” Designer Sarah Robertson in Westchester County, New York, just north of the city, comments.

Bustamante sees steam as an ideal alternative. “Reheating and defrosting foods has really changed with steam ovens – microwaves are no longer the only option.” He says he’s not even installing microwaves in many of his projects now. “The steam oven is rising to the top!”

5. Handsfree Faucets

“Handsfree faucets are becoming the new standard,” the report declares, with 57% of respondents choosing motion activation, 55% opting for an elbow or arm tap model, and 21% choosing voice activation. Overall, about half (46%) of respondents agree that handsfree is becoming the new standard.

Robertson takes handsfree to the other extreme; she’s one of the 9% of respondents who prefer foot pedal control. The New York area designer specifies a commercial toekick-mounted water control valve, she says. “It can install on any faucet, and does not require electricity to operate. It’s simple, easy to install, and saves a lot of water!” (Anyone holding a heavy pot of pasta in boiling water can appreciate this convenience.)

Voice control is another way to add handsfree capability to a kitchen, which is where most handsfree faucets are being installed in homes, Serany observes. They don’t always work as well as one would prefer; artificial intelligence will likely make them smarter in the next few years.

Last Words

The increasing popularity and presence of smart home technology in updated kitchens is leading design pros to partner with smart home technology integrators. It’s not uncommon for one of these experts to be involved in a high end project from the very start. Don’t be surprised to be introduced to your architect’s, designer’s or general contractor’s tech partner even before you choose a single finish.

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Jamie Gold, Contributor

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October 10, 2023
Experts Share Tips On Dealing With Home-Based Allergies And Sensitivities

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Cleaning bedding regularly can help reduce allergens in the home.

Photo Courtesy of LG Electronics USA // Wellness by Design (Tiller Press, 2020, © J. Gold)

Many of the 50 million Americans who suffer from allergies don’t realize that changes to their home environment can ease their discomfort. Most of the messaging they see – especially the countless advertisements – focuses on medication. There are other options, and they generally don’t come with potential health-related side effects. I interviewed three experts by email to get the latest wellness design solutions for people who suffer from allergies and sensitivities.

Recent Trends

“The prevalence of allergies and asthma has increased during the past decades,” observes Paula Henao, M.D., assistant professor of allergy, asthma and immunology at Penn State’s Hershey Medical Center. “Industrialization and pollution worldwide have increased dramatically in the past decades, and there is a possible link between air pollution and respiratory diseases,” she notes. Chemicals in our air may also be interacting with traditional airborne allergens, she adds, and other air pollution issues like the smoke and ash from wildfires can also contribute.

Tracey Stephens, a Northern New Jersey area kitchen and bath designer focused on sustainability and wellness, agrees, citing research she’s seen, “A Harvard School of Public Health study from this past April found that extreme weather conditions like heat, drought and flooding are causing allergy season to start earlier and last longer.” There are a number of effects from heat and pollution, she comments, contributing to her emphasis on indoor air quality for homeowner health and comfort.

“For every project and every client, as much as is possible I reduce the amount the amount of off-gassing toxins, basically anything that would irritate someone’s respiratory system.” That includes specifying materials with low and no-VOC (volatile organic compounds) and recommending induction cooking appliances over gas models. The latter have been shown to exacerbate health problems for people with respiratory issues like asthma, as well as contributing to other serious health conditions.

Wellness Technology

One of the trends we’ve seen in recent years is technology supporting wellness design, especially indoor air quality, a focus of New York-based technology educator and design engineer Joey Feldman. “Advanced air purification solutions are recommended within the home,” he advises, noting that there are different types, some requiring professional design and installation.

These are the ones that are going to be most continuous and work most smartly with your home’s heating, ventilation and air conditioning system. The best versions will address the smallest virus particles, as well as allergens and pollutants, he adds. Pointing to a University of Buffalo study on one popular smart system, he says, “Air velocity, production quality, leakage and bypass all play a critical role in device efficiency versus filter testing alone.” Having HEPA filtration is great. Tying it into a smart home system is potentially greater, especially one designed to integrate into an automated platform that will monitor all facets of your home’s health, safety and comfort performance.

Respiratory Allergies and Issues

Respiratory reactions to allergens can be caused by dust mites, animal dander, mold and, even more unpleasant to contemplate, observes Henao, cockroaches. While hay fever is typically associated with outdoor activities during the warmer months, “because people spend more time indoors in the winter, they tend to be most affected by indoor allergens during the winter season,” she points out. Those are present throughout the year, she cautions.

For those with central heating and air systems, Stephens instructs, “Clean your HVAC system every few years and install a UV light in it, which helps control mold in the air handler coil.” Those without such a system can benefit from a room air purifier. “I got one for our bedroom recently and I’m amazed at what a difference it has made,” the designer shares. “I no longer wake up congested and my husband isn’t snoring!”

Managing mold and pests like roaches is also essential, Henao advises. Good ventilation is the key to the former, Stephens comments. “Use a powerful exhaust fan either on a humidity sensor or timer and make sure to run the fan for at least 30 minutes after turning off the shower.”

Parental Notes

Henao also comments that it’s impossible to completely eliminate indoor allergens, much to many people’s frustration. “This helps convey to parents that, even if they are perfect in all avoidance measures, allergens will still be present in our daily environment.” Dust mites are ubiquitous in our bedding, upholstery, carpeting, draperies and other textiles and they prefer humid environments, she shares. That may be good news for Arizonans, and bad for Alabamians. But even households with dehumidifiers should know that they are impossible to get rid of altogether, Henao reminds us.

“That said, I discuss with parents strategies to decrease the concentration of mites, including washing bedding regularly and keeping home clean (but with the child not present when sweeping is done, as that can aggravate symptoms).” For pet dander allergens, she advises keeping the dog or cat outside of the child’s bedroom. She also recommends having a HEPA filter, (particularly in the bedroom or areas where the allergy sufferer will be more frequently present). “These can be expensive, but can be helpful for more airborne indoor allergens, like animal dander.”

Skin-related Allergies and Sensitivities

Skin-related allergies typically show up in rashes a few days after exposure, Henao says. The most common causes of this contact dermatitis are lotions, perfumes, nickel jewelry and some topical antibiotic ointments, including neomycin. These are distinct from the types of skin issues that arise from other irritants. These can be uncomfortable and possibly unsightly, but outside of the allergy specialization.

Stephens suggest for anyone suffering from these issues: “With skin irritation, I find it’s not the kitchen and bath building materials per se, but the cleaning products used after. I rely on the Environmental Working Group’s research, which rates thousands of products for their safety for people and the environment.” She advises looking for the simplest cleaning products possible and avoiding those with unnecessary fragrances. That might require reading quite a few labels before putting items in your cart.

Water-borne Issues

The good news from a medical perspective is that there are no water-borne allergens in public drinking water, Henao observes. (There are definitely other issues, as noted here.) “However, water damage in the home can lead to development of mold, [and] this can cause issues in mold allergic patients,” she advises. Fortunately, there are leak detectors available to sound the alarm when something is releasing water where and when it shouldn’t. (In addition to the health benefits, there may be incentives from your insurance company for adding connected leak detectors.)

Stephens says she’s been recommending whole house water filtration systems lately. “It’s great to have fresh, safe, good tasting water from every tap,” she notes. It’s also great to have fewer irritations on your skin and hair.

Final Thoughts

Stephens also proposes one additional warning when it comes to the health of older homes’ occupants: “In more than a few projects, we’ve discovered asbestos – in floor tiles, in insulation around the furnace or steam heating pipes, and even as an additive in plaster walls from work done in the 1940s. It’s probably a good idea to hire a company to test a patch of the proposed renovation area before any demolition in any home built before 1989 when the EPA banned asbestos.”

***

Author’s Note:

Contributors Feldman, Henao and Stephens will be sharing more allergy and sensitivity insights in an hour-long Clubhouse conversation tomorrow afternoon (August 16, 2023) at 4 pm Eastern/1 pm Pacific. You can save the date and join this WELLNESS WEDNESDAYS discussion here. If you’re unable to attend, you can catch the recording via Clubhouse Replays here or the Gold Notes design blog here next Wednesday.

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Jamie Gold, Contributor

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August 15, 2023
Experts Share The Best Tips And Trends To Set Up A Homework Space

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Ideal study spaces provide a view through a window or doorway.

Liv-Connected

Millions of American children and teens are heading back to school this season. While much of their academic success can be credited to their parents, teachers, guidance counselors and educational materials, the importance of their home environment should not be understated. Whether a brand new kindergartener or a graduating class of 2024 senior, having the right setup to study and do homework can have a powerful impact on their academic success. Three experts weighed in by email with solutions for creating home spaces, including technology, space planning and design ideas you can easily implement.

Smart Home Technology

Kansas City-based smart home technology integrator Joseph Acree is getting more requests for kids’ study spaces, he reported, likening them to “home offices for children.” And, as with their adult counterparts, these areas need to include the basics (data connections and potentially displays, cameras and sound bars for remote learning), but can also include wellness enhancements.

“For example,” he suggested, “having tunable lighting can make a big difference in productivity.” (It can also help with sleep, an absolute wellness essential for kids of all ages.) “Being able to tie all this technology together in one smart home system makes it easy to hit a single button and have the scene set for ‘homework time’ or ‘remote learning,’ which can turn on the display, the camera and sound bar. Automating these features makes them all the easier to use,” he shared.

Parental controls is another area where technology can assist, especially with the youngest children, and where Acree said he is getting more requests. These can be customized based on the child and types of restrictions they need. “We have a 12-year-old who is extremely responsible and uses his devices primarily for learning. On the flip side, our 17-year-old needs to be restricted at times because he will be on his devices all day, every day if we allowed it.” Flexibility is key for parents, he observed.

Acree also pointed out that “there is a grey area between reliance on technology and what is [left] up to the individual to make responsible decisions. Parents have to be aware of what can influence or disrupt the educational process, so we can guide our children on responsible technology usage. Network security, awareness, and continuous education are critical to these processes.” Working with a professional can shed light on what’s available and how to implement it, he added.

Elementary School Students

Even your youngest children should be part of the design planning process, advised Karen Aronian, Ed.D.. “Ideally, elementary-aged kids should be their study spaces’ lead designers and general contractors,” suggested the New York area professional (and former public school teacher), who designs educational spaces for academic, hospitality, and private clientele.

Starting out can be challenging, Toronto-based psychologist Dr. Bev Walpole, C. Psych., shared, citing motivation, focus, self-discipline, time management and technology usage as issues to navigate. “Elementary school children may find it difficult to stay motivated and focused on their studies at home,” she pointed out. “Learning to manage time and prioritize tasks is a skill that young children are still developing.” Getting this right requires understanding each child’s unique needs and keeping communication open, the psychologist noted, but the rewards include helping them develop essential skills and supporting academic progress.

“Once you have your design framework considerations detailed (budget, theme, furnishings, essential materials, personalized decor add-ons), you can create their learning space together,” Aronian continued. “Recreate the elements at home that will benefit your child and partner with their teacher to boost your child’s education.”

You’ll want to think about the study area’s layout with regard to the child’s seated direction and view, ideally out of a door or window. You also need to factor in lighting, storage and shelving, climate control, air quality and details that personalize the space for your child. “Showcase their work and education posters,” the former teacher noted. As they advance through grades, you’ll be reinventing the space together, she added.

The ideal homework/study space may live outside of a child’s room, especially if it’s space challenged. “I was reimagining hallway closets into study spaces decades ago, which are now mainstream,” Aronian recalled. Any space can be a learning space. She sees kitchens as ideal workspaces for elementary students who need parental cues to stay on task. She also likes outdoor spaces as seasonal spots: “I recently helped a client design a pirate’s crow’s nest treehouse that serves as their twins’ go-to study space,” she shared.

Middle School Students

These adolescents have different needs than their younger siblings, and parents still have a key role to play, Walpole advised. “Set up a quiet and well-lit area in the home specifically for studying and homework. This space should be free from distractions and equipped with the necessary learning materials.”

Technology will play a role. “Set guidelines for screen time and encourage your child to use technology for productive learning activities. Limit access to social media and video games during study hours,” the psychologist recommended. At the same time, peer interaction is also crucial at this age, she added. “Facilitate opportunities for your child to interact with friends and classmates through virtual hangouts or study sessions. Social connections are vital for emotional well-being and can also support collaborative learning.”

When it comes to the room’s look and feel, “Tweens generally know what they want and don’t want,” Aronian observed about those students between ages 10 and 12. “In this regard, a parent/guardian is more of a facilitator than a collaborator,” she added. They’re going to be more familiar with the technology, furnishings and color schemes they prefer by that age and grade. “I love home improvement stores for endless ideas to jumpstart tween’s design input,” she added.

“If they’re all about tech, the setup may be a metaverse smart space; with a clap, they’ll command Alexa to commence ChatGPT practice. Or maybe your child works best in nature-driven environs, where an inside/outside approach offers the ultimate snuggery.”

Middle schoolers’ spaces often have to multi-task, Aronian commented. “When setting up a tween’s study, consider their passions that drive how the space functions. Students who stream content or Zoom for study sessions will want a quality webcam and gaming chair. They’ll require a green screen wall if they’re in performing arts. These are considerations for designers to best manifest their client’s goals,” the educational designer suggested. Switching up locations while studying is also proven to imprint information better, she added.

Acree observed that kids are more tech savvy than their parents might think, so if there’s a concern around technology access, bringing in a professional is a way to ensure that the systems they set up can’t be bypassed.

High School Students

“High schoolers know they’re on a fast track to a college dorm room and libraries. They’re looking for organized study spaces that offer efficiency and utility,” Aronian commented. When planning their spaces, it’s important to consider whether they’ll be an all-in-one room for sleep, study, lounging, gaming and mindfulness. Some parents are opting for study spaces ‘in a box’ that just require measuring and installation.

It can be a challenging time for this older age group too, Walpole observed. “Adolescents are at a stage where they are striving for more autonomy. They may resist the idea of a structured study space at home, viewing it as a restriction on their freedom.” They may also struggle with feelings of isolation, lack of motivation and digital distractions, the psychologist added. “The process of establishing a suitable study space and routine at home may lead to conflicts between adolescents and their parents.”

Parents can overcome challenges like this by including their adolescents in the process of creating both space and schedule, setting realistic expectations, and setting boundaries around tech use, Walpole recommended. “This involvement can help them feel more ownership for their study environment.”

Final Words

“Movement and seating options are critical for all ages, even within a small study space,” Aronian recommended. “A standing desk, a cozy spot with plush pillows on the floor, and a conventional desk are best for students K to 12,” she advised. Be prepared to reconfigure and revise as your child ages too. “The challenge is not to let your child’s learning environment get stale.”

***

Author’s Notes

Contributors Acree, Aronian and Walpole will be sharing more back-to-school space insights in an hour-long Clubhouse conversation tomorrow afternoon (August 2, 2023) at 4 pm Eastern/1 pm Pacific. You can save the date and join this WELLNESS WEDNESDAYS discussion here. If you’re unable to attend, you can catch the recording via Clubhouse Replays here or the Gold Notes design blog here next Wednesday.

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Jamie Gold, Contributor

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August 1, 2023
Experts Share 10 Quick Tips To Keep Your Home Cooler In This Heatwave
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AERC-certified shades can keep rooms for the most vulnerable family members cooler this season.

Hunter Douglas

This is shaping up to be the hottest summer on record, with triple digit temperature spikes around the nation. That spells extreme health and safety risks for people who work outdoors, as well as for those who run, cycle and hike or, sadly, find themselves homeless. According to the Centers for Disease Control, those most at risk for heat-related illness are infants and children four and younger, people aged 65 and older, and people with existing medical conditions like diabetes or heart disease.

If these describe a member of your household, some of the 10 tips below – like adding a fan, changing bulbs and adding window protection – should be focused on their rooms first. Health and safety are two crucial facets of wellness design!

Here are a range of pro tips for the entire household, including some that won’t cost a cent and can be implemented this weekend.
1. Block the sun by closing your window shades, blinds or drapes during the hottest parts of the day. This can lower your home’s indoor temperature even if you lack air conditioning or your local utility imposes rolling stoppages.
2. If you were planning on replacing your window coverings, this is a good time to consider new ones that add to your home’s energy efficiency and keep it cooler while doing so. Look for energy performance ratings for the ones that will work the hardest for you.
3. Another option to keep your interiors cooler is to add window film. This can also protect your skin, furniture, art and rugs from UV damage. Architect Magazine says these products can block 99% of UV rays and cut utility costs by 30% to 40%, but there are some surmountable cons (and shopping tips), which the professional magazine lists.
4. Avoid using a gas cooktop or stove. A portable induction burner will do the same job without heating up your kitchen.
5. Avoid using your oven, which can also make a kitchen hotter. If possible, eat foods that don’t need to be baked or broiled, grill outdoors (under a shade cover), or use a toaster oven instead.
6. Use fans, which can create a cooler air effect in the room. They only need to be used in a room where you’re working, relaxing or sleeping, so there’s no wasted energy.
7. If it’s cool enough to open your windows with fans on, do so across your home to create a cross-ventilation effect.
8. Replace any remaining incandescent lights that add heat to your home with LED or compact fluorescent models that don’t.
9. Home improvement expert Bob Vila recommends unplugging any power strips when they’re not in use.
10. Vila also suggests doing laundry at night when it’s cooler.
Here are some longer-term heat-beating solutions that involve remodeling, from a Forbes.com article I wrote last July when it wasn’t even this terribly hot in most of the country. It’s worth revisiting now.
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Jamie Gold, Contributor

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July 28, 2023
Experts Share Tips And Trends For 2023’s Best She Shed Spaces
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She sheds are ideal self care spaces for relaxing away from the hubbub of daily life.

Design: Rachel Viloria Moriarty / Photo: Deborah Shields Photography

“A room or part of a home in which a woman may indulge in hobbies and interests without being distracted by other family members,” explains Collins Dictionary in defining the she shed, which could easily have added ‘and a response to the better known man cave male equivalent.’

Of course, women have always had their – or should I say ‘our’ – own spaces at home, but these have traditionally been the home’s utilitarian zones for cooking, sewing, cleaning and the like. She sheds are mostly not about work, but about pleasure, hobbies, socializing or quiet reflection. While the term is clever, alliterative and perhaps a bit frivolous, its purpose of providing a self care space for women is anything but. I reached out to three experts by email for their insights on this topic. Their responses are below.

Wellness Benefits of She Sheds

Having a separate space of her own can be a self care resource for women with partners and children. … [+]

Design: Rachel Viloria Moriarty / Photo: Deborah Shields Photography

Holly Sweet, Ph.D., a Boston area psychologist focused on gender relations and women’s issues, mused that this important room deserves a better moniker. “Perhaps we should call it a ‘she-space’ since the term ‘she shed’ implies a place where tools and such are stored.” Given that women, including those with full-time jobs, still handle the lion’s share of housework and childcare, she observed, they definitely deserve a dedicated area to relax, pamper themselves and prioritize their own well-being.

This is something men have enjoyed for centuries, as Sweet recalled from her own childhood. “My mom had her desk in the kitchen and was always on call, whereas my dad had an office where he worked and a study at home. This was the norm back then.” Many women are glad that is no longer the case, and requests for she sheds – or she spaces, if you prefer – are booming.

There are definitely wellness benefits to these rooms — and the time women spend in them looking after their own mental health needs. “Without this space, she can feel confined, intruded upon, perhaps resentful if her mate has his (assuming heterosexuality) own space, and fatigued because she doesn’t have a much-needed time out from household tasks and care giving,” the psychologist shared.

This is important for women who live alone too, she noted. “She will need space to separate herself from her work and her household chores.” This is especially true for those who work from home. For these women, it’s even more important that there be a separation between the two, Sweet cautioned, citing her personal example: “I have my own study where I do my professional teletherapy work. I need to take a break from it, so I move to a different part of my house as a form of physical (and psychological) separation. Otherwise my work takes over the whole house, so I can feel overwhelmed and have to leave.” Having a separate zone for self care, however a woman defines this need, can be a better solution.

The psychologist is not overly concerned about isolation issues for the majority of women, pointing out that setting up a room for oneself in a home isn’t really isolating. “I would imagine that she might feel refreshed and ready to take on what is needed from her in terms of her family.” Sweet sees this as setting up healthy expectations of herself, her partner and her family, recommending that she think of it as a positive reframe for everyone.

The She Shed Conversation

Choose a quiet, private uninterrupted moment to have a she shed conversation.

Getty Images

The space, dollars and time required to create a she shed will often necessitate a pre-planning conversation for women with partners, and that’s not always easy. Sweet suggested taking time before the conversation to write down what she needs and how her space will not only help her but help the household. This talk should happen at a non-busy time in the couple’s schedule when they can communicate without interruption, and in a private area. If her partner already has his own study (or man cave), she can stress the importance of having something comparable for herself.

As an example, Sweet proposed a talk like this, “Bill, I have some ideas about how space is used in this house. Do you have time now to discuss this or is there a better time for you?” If he has time, she could say something like this: “I’ve been thinking about the importance of me having a separate space in this house where I can pursue my work/interests/phone calls/reading etc. without getting interrupted. Can we think about how this might be accomplished given our space?”

The single woman won’t need to have that conversation with a partner, but might need to negotiate an inner conversation with conflicting priorities like saving for retirement, taking a bucket list trip or joining a gym.

Who’s Adding She Sheds?

Work from home pros like designer Moriarty, seen here, are increasingly she shed users.

DESIGN: RACHEL VILORIA MORIARTY / PHOTO: DEBORAH SHIELDS PHOTOGRAPHY

The she shed prospect runs the gamut. “I’ve had married women, single women and single moms request a she shed retreat where they can relax, read, nap, create art and/or spend time alone,” shared San Diego-based interior designer Rachel Viloria Moriarty. She has her own multi-purpose she shed, she revealed. “Sometimes it functions as a workspace, additional storage and/or a personal retreat.”

Since she sheds are a relatively new phenomenon, there isn’t a tremendous amount of data around them. Furniture retailer Joybird surveyed the topic in 2018 and determined that 59% of women had one versus 65% of men who had man caves. The survey also amusingly noted that 61% of women wouldn’t allow their partner in their she sheds, versus 52% of men saying this about their spaces – perhaps because man caves tend to be social, as well as retreat, spaces with considerable investment.

Grand Rapids, Michigan-based smart home technology integrator Amanda Wildman is also getting more she shed inquiries, she emailed. “We are seeing more requests from women as they are becoming the person that leads the home as a single woman or that is taking lead on the home with the family when it comes to technology.”

This is particularly true for remote professionals, she added. “As more people are working from home, they are looking for a space that feels different from their main home. These spaces are great for that! They can be a space to work, create or unwind, but just because they are out buildings, doesn’t mean that they need to be devoid of the technologies or amenities that we have come to expect and enjoy within our homes.”

She Shed Variations

Vintage travel trailers are trending as she shed spaces.

DESIGN: RACHEL VILORIA MORIARTY / PHOTO: DEBORAH SHIELDS PHOTOGRAPHY

“I’ve had requests for potting sheds, art/craft rooms, office/studio spaces and lounge/guest spaces,” Moriarty commented. “I primarily design she shed spaces for one person and their pets,” she added, though they may also multi-function as guest bedrooms. (These can definitely be fun, inspiring accommodations for girlfriend getaways, friend staycations or sorority reunions.)

One interesting trend the designer has observed is vintage travel trailers and Airstreams becoming popular for she shed use. She had one client who purchased an Airstream during the pandemic to road trip with her dogs; now that she can travel freely, it stays at home with new purpose, she revealed. Moriarty has another client who had an Airstream lifted by crane into her back yard to serve as a she shed, and is seeing this as an emerging trend, she noted.

She Shed Essentials

Plants and natural light are essentials for she shed spaces.

DESIGN: RACHEL VILORIA MORIARTY / PHOTO: DEBORAH SHIELDS PHOTOGRAPHY

Whether in a vintage travel trailer, out building or spare room in a house, there are some standard must-haves. “These are most of the common elements of she shed spaces and they have stayed pretty consistent through the years,” Moriarty observed. This is her list:
- Unless it’s a potting shed, she sheds typically have cozy seating like chairs, sofas or daybeds to relax and unwind.
- All of these spaces incorporate art and accessories to add personalization and charm. I like to add in photos, family heirlooms, travel souvenirs and textiles to make the space feel unique to my client.
- Good natural light when available is great, unless of course it’s meant to be a moody dark space.
- We add built-in desks, shelving and multipurpose furniture to keep things organized.
- I like to incorporate plants and candles for a touch of nature and to create a serene vibe.
- A dedicated desk or art easel for work or crafting and art.
- Wi-Fi access for iPads, laptops or Bluetooth speakers for playing music to create a vibe and entertainment purposes.
- Some clients like to have a tray with their favorite spirits and glasses nearby to have a little drink at the end of a long day.
The Wired She Shed

Lighting technology makes the walk from she shed to main house safer in the dark.

DESIGN: RACHEL VILORIA MORIARTY / PHOTO: DEBORAH SHIELDS PHOTOGRAPHY

As Moriarty pointed out, today’s she shed needs connectivity for devices and music. Some clients have additional needs, as Wildman wrote, including climate and lighting control and network enhancements to handle hobby gear. “For example, if you are using the space for crafting, you might want a network connection to update your Cricut machine or to download the latest software.”

Fitness is another reason for enhanced network capability. “Perhaps you are using it for a more Zen purpose and you’d like to attend a virtual yoga class in your space,” the technologist added. “All these things require solid network performance.”

There are many reasons why a woman wants her she shed to have connectivity. “For example, how can I remotely control the HVAC so that when I go into that space it’s already at a comfortable temperature, but I don’t have to worry about regulating that space all the time when not in use,” Wildman suggested.

“Lighting is one of the hottest offerings right now for these spaces,” she declared. “With a variety of options that offer a full spectrum of color, you can choose something that really starts the party feel of your space with color changing and sound-responsive fixtures that will change with the beat of your music, or you can create a more reserved mood with dimmable fixtures that can calm you and resemble candlelight. Whatever your preference, painting with color has never been more fun or more available to homeowners than now.”

Additionally, there are safety-related lighting considerations. “If the space is across the yard, can I control the lighting so that I am entering or exiting the space with proper illumination to be safe and feel comfortable; you don’t want to trip if you come back to the house in the evening, and it can also be a safety concern to ward off animals or strangers,” she added.

Security matters in other regards too, Wildman commented. “In a space like this, people are also looking for a way to be connected to their homes so if something like a delivery arrives, how should they be notified out in the she shed, so something as simple as access to view the doorbell or cameras can be an important feature.”

For all of these reasons, plus entertainment, “The number one piece of technology that we see requested is how to make sure there is reliable network access in these spaces…especially if you are hoping to do any work out there or use streaming services for either music or even television,” Wildman declared. “The difference between having or not having a reliable network connection can really affect your experience within the space.”

Final Words

A she shed can be your hideaway from the stresses of work, family and other demands on your time and … [+] energy.

getty

Wildman’s insights about technology for a smart home can be broadly applied to other aspects of setting up your she shed. “Allow this space to be fun and creative. Want to party? Get some music going with fun lights. Want a place to gather for game day? Make sure you have a great TV and sound that ensures everyone has the perfect seat. Looking to boost your creativity? Make sure that all your systems have internet access and that your space is cool and comfortable for you to get into the creating zone. Looking to get your Zen on? Set up some background sounds like a babbling brook and dim the lights.”

Systems, furnishings, personalized elements and a self care approach to life can make your she shed a space that enhances your home and health.

***

Author’s Note

Contributors Moriarty, Sweet and Wildman will be sharing more she shed insights in an hour-long Clubhouse conversation on Wednesday afternoon (July 5, 2023) at 4 pm Eastern/1 pm Pacific. You can save the date and join this WELLNESS WEDNESDAYS discussion here. If you’re unable to attend, you can catch the recording via Clubhouse Replays here or the Gold Notes design blog here next Wednesday.
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Jamie Gold, Contributor

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July 3, 2023
Design Association’s Top 2023 Trends Feature Wellness Design

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Including natural elements enhances the wellness potential of a home.

LANG ARCHITECTURE_HUDSON WOODS_DEBORAH DEGRAFFENREID (PHOTOGRAPHER)

The American Society of Interior Designers released its 2023 Trend Outlook and it’s clear that wellness design is not fading from the industry, even as most of us have fully emerged from our Covid home cocoons.

Designers’ focus on wellness is also tying into client concerns about the planet’s well-being – which has an impact on resilience and comfort – and particular concerns about mental health.

“Designers are responding to changing needs in their communities by creating new spaces or adapting existing ones to make a positive impact on places where people live, work, play, heal, or learn,” stated said Khoi Vo in the report’s press announcement. A quick round of emailed replies from designers and architects across the country shared their own professional experiences with these top-line trends.

1. Mental Health Needs

Maximizing natural light lightens residents’ mood.

ANNA POPOV_INTERIORS BY POPOV_NOVIKOV ARTS (PHOTOGRAPHER)

“Modifications can make interior environments more suitable and supportive for persons with mental health issues and can help aid in reducing environmental factors that can contribute to feelings of stress and unease,” wrote the association in its report.

“Physical surroundings have a profound effect on one’s mental health,” declared Anna Popov, a Seattle-based interior designer. “It can look amazing, be glamorous, and cost a fortune, but how does it make you feel?” She asked. Popov cited the importance of maximizing natural light in the sometimes gloomy Pacific Northwest. “It is common practice in our firm to evaluate every design early on against very simple criteria: Does this solution allow us to maximize the amount of natural light in the space? If the answer is no, we pretty much automatically drop the idea because there is a better solution out there,” she added.

Popov’s designs incorporate strategic window styles and placement, extensive skylights and accordion door styles, she explained. “This approach not only provides us with brighter and ‘happier’ interiors but also deepens our relationship with the outdoors. Which is another essential element for a person’s mental health.”

2. Health and wellness remain top priorities in the built environment

Color selection can support soothing spaces and avoid creating anxiety.

THE TURETT COLLABORATIVE_COSTAS PICADAS (PHOTOGRAPHER)

“ASID’s report identified a growing trend towards holistic healthy living, and interior design that addresses both the mind and body. New design choices can range from the choice of colors, lighting and daylighting, and the use of plants and natural materials to adding spa-like bathrooms and retreat spaces for exercise and meditation,” the announcement noted.

Drew Lang, principal of Lang Architecture in New York agreed. “Using natural materials creates a tangible relationship between people and nature through design, which in turn enhances wellbeing. Materials like wood foster this physical connectivity, and we find our clients respond to the familiar warmth and comfort it brings to a home.” This concept ties into biophilia, which is the use of nature in the built environment, and is very much a feature of wellness design.

Jessica Shaw, interior design director at The Turett Collaborative, also in New York, is glad to see wellness becoming a major talking point in interiors, she said. “It is also nice to see the conversation around the effects of color on mood. I tend to avoid any colors or color combinations that produce anxiety. Steering away from clashing colors and looking for cooler colors that complement each other are more likely to create a calmer, and more relaxing frequency in the space. While it can sound minor, these considerations can have major effects on the health and wellness properties of interiors,” she pointed out.

3. Consumers want to protect the planet and are making sustainable choices

Catskill Mountain homes maximize natural materials and settings.

LANG ARCHITECTURE_TY COLE (PHOTOGRAPHER)

“Consumers, including home buyers, are placing increasing emphasis on sustainability as a value guiding their purchasing choices, with increasing numbers of consumers saying they are willing to pay a purchase premium for sustainability,’ according to the report.

“Clients are willing to pay for well designed, sustainable homes— we saw this firsthand in our Hudson Woods development, an eco-friendly community in New York’s Catskills, commented Lang. “The Hudson Woods’ sustainability story compelled buyers to purchase homes, and we’ve begun working on similar models across the country thanks to this reaction.”

Shaw is seeing this in her practice too, she commented. “Clients have become more proactive in inquiring about materials’ ethical sourcing, manufacturing process, and negative traits such as off-gassing. While these were always considerations on the design side, seeing clients become more engaged in the conversation is evidence of an increased interest in being responsible consumers.”

Sustainability and wellness design overlap in choices like induction over gas cooktops, LED lighting, and materials that don’t release toxins in the home to preserve indoor air quality.

4. Designing in and for the metaverse is gaining momentum as a design specialty

Home offices today are designed for their online appearance as well as ergonomics and functionality. … [+]

ANNA POPOV_INTERIORS BY POPOV_JEFF BECK (PHOTOGRAPHER)

“Forward-thinking companies are already exploring how they might use the metaverse to engage with customers. Recent articles from design publications have urged interior designers to “get on board,” even going so far as to creating Metaverse design awards for interior and architectural firms to showcase their work done within the digital space,” ASID commented on this trend report conclusion.

How does this relate to wellness design? For the millions of Americans who work from home, the metaverse provides an opportunity for more dynamic interaction with others around the firm and around the world. It also calls for a workspace that feels more personal and creative, enhancing the user’s enjoyment of being there both off-camera and on.

Popov is seeing the trend in her practice, she shared. “The majority of our clients work at a computer, have virtual meetings, and want to have a lovely background which reflects their personality, interests, and hobbies. We are always taking into consideration the digital world we live in.”

This means providing optimal lighting and factoring in the wall that will be seen on camera. “Having a background that reflects your personality and interests can be a great opportunity for connection and socialization especially in our remote work environments,” the designer noted.

Conclusions

The 25,000 member association’s trend report also noted an increase in office spaces being designed for neurodivergent users to be more inclusive and accessible. This trend is also extending to homes, as more Americans are diagnosed as being on the spectrum and people are rethinking their spaces to be more inclusive for neurodivergent members of their households.

The report also noted more older adults ‘un-retiring’ and seeking hybrid work arrangements. “Workplaces are adapting to support a multigenerational workforce,” it noted. The same is true for many households as well.

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Jamie Gold, Contributor

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March 21, 2023
New Fire Features Add Romance, Comfort And Resale Value To Home Spaces

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Fireplaces can warm up your valentine any cold night of the year.

getty

Valentine’s Day is all about flowers, chocolate and romantic dates. And nothing says romance quite like cuddling in front of a fireplace. These architectural features are popular for both indoor and outdoor spaces, with an intriguing array of new technologies and formats for almost every homeowner.

Having a fire feature is no longer limited to winning bids on real estate listings boasting fireplaces. You can add your own in more ways, styles and places than ever before – with comfort, health and safety benefits. “It seems that every home wants some type of fire feature,” shared Sharon L. Sherman, a Northern New Jersey-based interior designer, in an email for this article. Always popular in great rooms, “principal bedroom and bathrooms, libraries, wine rooms, and even kitchens are gaining in popularity,” she added.

Fire features are also increasingly popular for outdoor living, where they can add comfort as well as ambiance, on chilly winter nights. In those spaces, traditional fireplace configurations are being augmented with fire pits and fire tables surrounded by seating groups.

Health Benefits

Relaxing in front of a fireplace can be a stress release, studies show.

Thyme & Place Design / Sharon L Sherman / Mike Van Tassell Photography

Fire features are not just great for romance. They can be good for your physical and mental health when safely enjoyed. “Sitting by a fireplace generates a soothing and relaxing feeling, tranquility, and enjoyment,” pointed out Andrea De Vizcaya Ruiz, associate professor of environmental health at the University of California Irvine, in an emailed response to questions about their health-related pros and cons. She pointed to studies showing blood pressure decreases and relaxation from sitting near fireplaces.

Safety Topics

Fire tables and fire pits are joining fireplaces to enhance outdoor living areas.

SCG CERAMICS PUBLIC COMPANY LIMITED / GEOLUXE® // Wellness by Design (Tiller Press, 2020, © J. Gold)

They are not without problems though. House fires and accidental burns have been hazards since before records were kept on this topic. Building codes and manufacturing improvements have helped increase safety in recent years, but research has uncovered health hazards associated with fuel types, similar to those cited for gas cooking appliances.

This is less of an issue with fire features in outdoor rooms, De Vizcaya Ruiz noted. “The emission is diluted into open air and sitting within a sufficient space reduces the risk of inhaling toxic pollutants.” Keeping two or three feet between most users and fire features is recommended for wood-burning fire features outside, she commented. People with respiratory or cardiovascular conditions should take extra care, she warned though, since even low exposure can trigger adverse health effects. Adequate ventilation and distance are key with indoor fireplaces, she noted.

Fire Feature Trends

Electric fireplaces, more realistic than in past years, can be installed in more spaces with fewer … [+] downsides than gas or wood-burning versions.

Heat & Glo

“Electric fireplaces are the fastest-growing segment and for good reasons!” emailed fireplace manufacturer Napoleon’s vice president of marketing David Brown. “Beyond the fossil fuel issue, the quality/realism of electric fireplaces has improved immensely.” That was definitely on display in several booths at the recent International Builder’s Show, with notable improvements over past years’ offerings.

“The old electric ones were not very attractive,” Sherman recalled, noting that gas bans are helping to accelerate development of better alternatives. “I still prefer a real flame from gas or wood, but when you cannot vent a fire feature, electric is the way to go,“ she suggested. “We have installed linear gas and linear electric. We have converted traditional wood burning fireplaces with gas inserts and we have even installed a biofuel fireplace,” the designer added.

A Heat & Glo IBS representative said electric is an extremely strong focus for the company today. Its latest model uses digital imagery to create a realistic-looking experience. One fireplace contractor with his own IBS booth put a Touchstone electric fireplace in his personal residence, and said he is recommending them for client projects, indoors and out.

“I am seeing the convenience of gas and electric outweighing wood-burning fire features,” Sherman reported. There are also areas in the country where wood-burning fireplaces have long been restricted or banned for environmental reasons.

Fuel Sources

Venting, health and environmental issues are making alternative fuel fireplaces, like electric and … [+] biofuel, good alternatives.

Thyme & Place Design / Sharon L Sherman / Peter Rymwid Photography

“In general there are four types of fireplaces,” De Vizcaya Ruiz explained: “Wood (nice to view and feel, generates heat, yet it is least efficient and releases air pollutants like particulate matter, carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide, etc.); gas (more energy-efficient, yet also generates carbon monoxide); electric (flameless, uses coil and a fan to distribute heat, cozy and nice to view, more ecological, but does not generate a lot of heat), and ethanol (does not produce any smoke, ventilation is not required, opposite to the other previously mentioned, ecological, and also nice to the view but does not generate much heat either).

Biofuel, also called bi-ethanol fuel, is produced from crops like corn and is a cleaner-burning source than gas. As House Beautiful noted in a 2020 biofuel fireplace explainer, it doesn’t need to be vented and doesn’t create indoor air quality issues, but has some drawbacks, including lack of heat and slow starts.

Randall Veenstra is a Northern New Jersey-based general contractor who works with Sherman on her designs. While they’ve specified all types, as the designer noted, “For our projects, 98% of the fire features we are installing are gas,” he commented in a written response to questions. Building codes can be challenging, he noted, and often vary from county to county, even town to town.

“Both gas and wood-burning fire features must be vented to the outside,” Veenstra commented, and this isn’t always possible. He cites those instances as being good sites for biofuel or electric fireplaces. Many wellness- and environmentally minded homeowners prefer these cleaner installations regardless of need or law.

Last Words

Fireplaces add coziness to family spaces on cold winter days and nights.

getty

“It really is about the ambiance and the romance of a fire flame, not the fuel source,” concluded Sherman. Being able to add a fire feature to your home safely and easily can enhance its resale value, (according to Redfin and Zillow), and your enjoyment year-round.

***

Author’s Note:

Contributors De Vizcaya Ruiz, Sherman and Veenstra will be sharing more fire feature insights in an hour-long Clubhouse conversation tomorrow afternoon (February 15, 2023) at 4 pm Eastern/1 pm Pacific. You can save the date and join this WELLNESS WEDNESDAYS discussion here. If you’re unable to attend, you can catch the recording via Clubhouse Replays here or the Gold Notes design blog here next Wednesday.

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Jamie Gold, Contributor

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February 14, 2023
Demand For Cold Plunge Pools Heats Up

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Cold plunge pools are in demand for indoor and outdoor use.

© Scott Bergmann Photography / Teakwood Builders / Eva Andersen Interior Designer

That which doesn’t kill you makes you stronger. For many of us, swimming underneath ice for 216 feet or running a half marathon above the Artic Circle barefoot sounds quite deadly. For endurance athlete Wim Hof, cold therapy is a pathway to greater health. “Frequent exposure to cold is linked to a number of different health benefits,” his website notes. “For example, scientists have found evidence that exposure to cold speeds up metabolism. Another benefit of exposing your body to cold is that it reduces inflammation, swelling, and sore muscles. Furthermore, cold body therapy is also linked to improved quality of sleep, more focus, and even an improved immune response,” it adds. Some doctors and research studies disagree, but the approach has adherents across continents and millennia.

Premium Demand

So when Dayson Johnson mentioned in last week’s Wellness Wednesdays Clubhouse conversation that some buyers of his upcoming ski community Velvære are requesting cold plunge pools, it wasn’t totally surprising. These individuals have the income to both buy a premium vacation home and jet off to snowy adventures.

Across the country in Saratoga Springs, New York, Jim Sasko of Teakwood Builders is getting requests too, he says. His firm has built them outdoors and inside. Some clients want a model that can double as a hot tub. Or they request a plunge pool paired with a sauna, he says.

“The clients that are inquiring have been 40-plus exercise enthusiasts and 60-plus looking for the luxury addition of a plunge style pool or spa bath,” Sasko observes. Typically, they’re requesting these as part of a new build or addition, often in a deck.

The market is definitely growing, according to Data Bridge Market Research. “The cold plunge pools market is expected to reach $409.00 million by 2029,” the firm predicts. In 2021, it stood at $298.1 million. Much of that growth is seen in healthcare and fitness facilities, which accounts for 80% of sales, Data Bridge reports. As has long been the trend, though, affluent wellness-focused homeowners often want to bring professional features home.

Cold Plunge Options

San Francisco-based plumbing contractor Phil Hotarek with Lutz Plumbing is also getting requests for cold plunge tubs, he says. Hotarek goes with a Japanese soaking tub for both indoor and outdoor installations. “A regular tub can be used for an ice bath,” he notes. Numerous weekend endurance athletes go this route when adding that capability to an existing bathroom.

Or you can opt for specialized technology, like the Cold Plunge from Hydro Systems. The water’s cooling equipment can be installed in a concealed cabinet, custom enclosure or storage space within eight feet of the tub, the manufacturer says. This saves the user the hassle (and possible mess) of dragging bags of ice from the freezer to the bathroom. A spokesperson says, “Cold Plunge can bring bath water temperature as low as 37°F, cold enough for dedicated practitioners of methods popularized by The Iceman,” as Hof calls himself.

Cold Water Caution

Geriatric medicine specialist James Larsen, MD of Loma Linda University Health has concerns for some users: “I do not recommend ice baths in any situation for older people. Immersion in cold water causes rapid constriction of capillary vessels in the skin with potential for resulting rapid rise in blood pressure and stress on the heart,” he explains. “In addition, exposure of limbs to cold water causes rapid constriction of peripheral arteries potentially resulting in inadequate blood flow. These physiological concerns coupled with a lack of evidence for benefit makes ice baths inappropriate for older people.”

If it’s something you’re considering for your life at home at whatever age, it’s probably worth discussing with your health professional first, just like any other serious fitness pursuit.

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Jamie Gold, Contributor

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January 24, 2023
Create Great Home Fitness Rooms With Expert Tips
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Home fitness rooms are growing in popularity and sophistication.

Barbara Chancey Design

Exercise shows up on most New Year’s resolutions lists. Is it one of yours? If so, it may be a source of frustration as well as motivation. Getting to a gym doesn’t fit with your work or family schedule. Waiting on a piece of equipment feels like a colossal waste of time. You prefer your own shower and privacy. Any one of these factors – most likely a combination – could account for the home fitness equipment market predicted to grow at a 5.2% clip in the next five years and, according to a “recent TD Ameritrade survey,” quoted by NASDAQ, “59% of Americans do not plan on going back to the gym after the pandemic.” For those that do return, “87% plan on continuing to work out at home.”

Movement and mobility specialist Michael Jones knows this well. As he told Forbes.com last September, he sees his Atlanta, Los Angeles and Bangkok clients in their homes, both on site as he rotates his home bases, and remotely via the Internet. Close to half of his clients started working out at home during the pandemic, he recalls, and many plan to continue.

“Remodeling requests over the last three years increased when owners realized their existing home fitness spaces were not designed to meet the needs of a family working and learning from home,” points out Barbara Chancey, a Dallas-based expert in fitness architecture and design. Her clients include boutique fitness studios, health clubs and residential spaces worldwide.

Exercise Space Essentials

Jones shares these essentials for clients’ home fitness spaces:
1. Ample natural light: A bright and airy fitness space is more motivating than a dark, dreary one, he points out.
2. Proper ventilation is essential for any fitness room, as it helps to keep the air quality fresh and prevents odors from building up.
3. Mirrors are helpful for checking your form while working out, the trainer suggests, and can make a room feel less cramped.
Small Space Planning

“Both the optimal and minimum size for a home fitness space is related to the client’s training goals, required equipment, and the floor space needed to perform certain exercises,” Chancey explains. “With keen awareness, even the smallest home gym can become a single destination for total well-being.” Planning needs to factor in room around the equipment, she points out.

“For strength training, FitBench has been called the ‘Swiss Army Knife’ of fitness equipment and takes up only a few feet of space,” Chancey comments. “It’s a great solution for even the tiniest of rooms,” she adds.

The designer suggests maximizing vertical walls for expanding a room’s usable space. This can be achieved with a barre, resistance bands, suspension training and a shelf for recovery tools, “making this corner your sweet reward after a long day of sitting at a desk or commuting!” she muses.

Room Essentials

Chancey’s must-haves include:
1. Flooring that addresses joint pain, slippage, sweat absorption, and cleaning is a top priority. Thick athletic matting found in wrestling venues is beneficial to serious athletes, but also to anyone with stiff joint issues, she says. “Bamboo or a hardwood sprung floor is ideal for yoga, dance, and barre spaces.” For strength training spaces, she likes environmentally certified rubber flooring.
2. Antimicrobial wall coverings are crucial for inhibiting microbes, bacteria, and viruses, and keeping the space looking new.
3. Storage is essential. “From water bottles and towels to cycling shoes and yoga mats, every square inch matters. Oversized shelves that sag after a year of supporting heavy dumbbells are an expensive mistake,” the designer cautions.
4. Privacy is key. When you decide you need privacy from curious neighbors watching your every move, it’s too late. Chancey is a fan of smart shades that can be programmed to protect the space and occupants.
“Having motorized shades in a space is a nice touch,” observes Kristin Reinitz, a smart home technology integrator in the Minneapolis area. They can also control glare, which can be detrimental to a workout or training session, and reduce the room’s heat.

Connected Fitness Room Imperatives

Jones says a high-speed internet connection is a must for remote training sessions. “This helps limit screen ‘freeze,’ and I can see form and movement in real-time,” he explains. He also likes clients to have a smart TV. Many newer models allow for Zoom-type sessions. “This platform is where I see most of my clients,” he comments.

Reinitz is seeing requests for multiple televisions in fitness rooms, (along with always-popular speakers for those who work out to music). These TVs often tie into a home’s entire smart home system and to fitness equipment, especially cardio gear like exercise bikes, she says. “Having distributed video in a room can make it more costly, but the fitness room has become a staple in home building at the level we generally work on,” she notes.

Fitness Room Enhancements

“Being that the fitness room is now a highly-designed space, a very important element is lighting,” Reinitz observes. “Imagine being able to tune your light to match the type of workout you are doing. The way I want a space to look and feel for a high intensity bike ride or strength training session in the morning is very different from an end of day yoga session where I’m working to transition to evening.” Smart lighting enables that flexibility and control.

Smart climate control is another definite plus in a home fitness space. “Being able to walk into the room and, with the hit of just one button, the lights turn to the right temperature for your workout, TVs turn on to the show you watch, the shades shut for privacy and tunes start pumping into the speakers. There are systems that also can work with your HVAC system that monitor and control air quality,” the integrator says.

“While not required for residential spaces, adding an automated external defibrillator (AED) and first aid kit are important nice-to-haves, along with an emergency button to call 911,” Chancey suggests. “Whether feeling lightheaded or full-blown chest pain, seconds matter in saving lives.” The designer also likes a “small refrigerator stocked with chilled eucalyptus towels, scented air, and recycle bins for towels and empty water bottles.”

Noise Issue

Those heart-pumping tunes, coach instructions or just the vibrations from a treadmill can be a problem for the home’s other residents. “We do a lot of acoustical wall treatments,” Reinitz shares. “These can be entire walls or just portions.” Fitness room floors are often covered with acoustically-friendly rubberized material, she notes. “That can help absorb a lot of sound.” Insulating all the walls before sheetrock also helps, she says.

Adaptability

“Home gyms that accommodate ‘adaptive athletes’ of all ages is a growing need,” Chancey states. “We’re designing spaces for clients with spinal cord injuries, Parkinson’s, ALS, or other limitations that require specialized equipment,” she says. “Equipping a space with thoughtful features for all stages of life is the essence of inclusion and gives new meaning to the cliché, ‘fitness for all.’”

Last Words

“We are excited that the fitness space is becoming a more important and highly designed part of the home,” Reinitz declares. “I think the automation industry is just starting to scratch the service when it comes to health and wellness.”

***

AUTHOR’S NOTE:

Contributors Chancey, Jones and Reinitz will be sharing more fitness room insights in an hour-long Clubhouse conversation tomorrow afternoon (January 4, 2023) at 4 pm Eastern/1 pm Pacific. You can join this WELLNESS WEDNESDAYS discussion here. If you’re unable to attend, you can catch the recording via Clubhouse Replays here or the Gold Notes design blog here next Wednesday.
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Jamie Gold, Contributor

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January 3, 2023
Industry Association Reveals Top 2023 Bathroom Design Trends

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Bathrooms are getting larger, with deep soaker tubs and two-person showers.

NKBA / Julie Wescott

What’s trending in residential bathrooms? Six hundred respondents to an online survey – including designers, dealers, manufacturers, remodelers and architects – answered that question in the leading industry group’s just-released 2023 Design Trends study.

The National Kitchen & Bath Association’s annual report provides insights to what homeowners are requesting and what professionals are delivering. These are the trends the association and its respondents see for the new year.

Overview

Like kitchens, “bathrooms are bigger and more involved,” noted NKBA research director Tricia Zach. “Creating spa-like bathrooms that enhance homeowner experience while allowing seamless aging in place” capability was a major focus of the responses, her report shared. As with kitchens, technology to enhance functionality and comfort was a strong related trend. So were enlarged spaces for more accessibility and a relaxing feel.

Opening Space

“Top bathroom trends involve opening space by removing bathtubs for larger showers, taking down walls and creating a connected dressing area,” the report noted. A surprising 77% of respondents were removing tubs to increase shower sizing. For those bathrooms still getting tubs, 74% are free-standing and 68% are deep soakers.

Removing walls to increase the primary bathroom’s footprint was a trend for 63% of the replies. Connecting to a closet or dressing area (58%) or adding a laundry space (34%) were popular too. Additional comfort features include extra seating, coffee stations, workout areas and small refrigerators.

Sustainability Counts

Sustainability concerns reported in the kitchen trends section of the report carry into the bathroom as well. That shows up in a preference for all LED lighting (82%) and increased natural light with larger low-E doors and windows (55%). EPA WaterSense-rated faucets, showerheads and toilets were specified by 56% of respondents. Also showing up in the sustainability column are EnergyStar certified appliances and ventilation, as well as recycled countertops and flooring, and FSC certified and formaldehyde-free cabinets.

Technology Enhancements

“Homeowners are excited about heated floors, temperature / moisture controls, voice / app controls, smart toilets / bidets and smart mirrors,” the study reports. Heated floors that can be controlled by phone mean warming up the bathroom on your way home from a wintry hike or from below the covers in the morning and were cited by 69% of respondents. Temperature controls for shower and flooring were popular with 67% and sensor humidity controls were cited by 55% of the respondents.

Digital showering that lets one or more user program their preferred flow rate, temperature and mode, as well as potentially controlling steam showering, was a 23% preference in the study, but a strong 44% want the ability to start their shower with their phone. “Lighting and physical therapy options for showers – especially for active people” was especially noted in the responses.

Integrated lighting and internet screens in bathroom mirrors for convenience were mentioned, as were leak detectors, vanity charging and towel warming.

Wellness Features

Wellness features overlap and are often enabled with technology enhancements. For example, chromotherapy was selected by 25%, preset lighting schemes for different times of day got a 29% and the above-noted steam showering and bidet functionality (45%) are all wellness-driven by wellness-focused respondents.

Low maintenance, nonporous quartz countertops (82%) are also definitely a wellness choice. Floating vanities (71%) add accessibility, another wellness facet. Bathroom faucets reflect wellness considerations too with 61% opting for accessible lever handles, 48% choosing motion and 36% going for touch or tap. A voice-activated faucet preference showed up at 12% and will likely increase as more models become available. (I’m hoping to see at least one manufacturer offer a voice control bathroom faucet with temperature adjustment capability at February’s Kitchen & Bath Industry Show; Moen introduced this feature to kitchen faucets several KBIS expos ago, but I still haven’t seen a bathroom version.)

A very strong 75% of trend study respondents are choosing heated flooring, with ceramic or porcelain tile being the surface leader (71%), more than double the closest second, luxury vinyl wood plank (33%), choice. LVP, as it’s often called, is softer underfoot, but some versions have had issues with off-gassing risks.

Large format tile (59%) and slab (40%) – “requiring fewer grout lines and maintenance,” the report observed — were the top tub and shower surround materials, making life easier for users.

As noted above, showers are getting larger, with 82% of survey respondents designing them for two-person use. They’re often open (55%) with no door, or they’re part of a wet room (35%) that might also encompass a tub. Going for an aging-friendly spa feel, these showers often have a seat (79%), linear shower drain (78%), hand-held shower head (77%), zero clearance entry (66%), grab bars (65%), and multiple shower heads (64%) with one of them being a rain head (58%). Steam shows up for 41% of the spaces, with body sprays, music, heating and chromotherapy also enhancing them.

“Windows above tubs (51%) and skylights (37%) will have high usage to maximize natural light,” the trend study observes. Ideally, they’ll have smart controls for greater accessibility. Reaching a window above a soaker tub is no easy feat for users with upper body weakness or balance issues.

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Jamie Gold, Contributor

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October 28, 2022