The millennial generation is finally getting on the housing ladder, en masse. For such a long time, this particular generation was unable to afford a home. Thus, they lived mostly in rented apartments, in large cities where they worked. Nonetheless, they have finally entered the market and are having a profound effect in terms of how modern homes are styled. Interior design has always had a mixture of generations, all giving their input to what a contemporary family home should look like. However, as more and more of the older generation bow out of the industry, millennials are gaining a larger say. If you would like to know how they are changing the way we live and see our homes, look no further.
Light running wild
Lighting plays a more important role in our homes than ever before. Natural lighting is especially beloved the millennial generation. Even though you can and should have LED lamps and bulbs all around the home, natural lighting should be your main source of lighting for the majority of the day. Large open patio doors and windows are especially important. They allow the garden to be seen from afar, without restriction. This does mean you will need tempered single sheet glass. Since there is less framing in the structure, you should consider getting triple-glazed glass doors and windows.
Natural light is also running wild, thanks to the open floor plan. Natural light is not only allowed to floor into the home but then encouraged to run free with very little getting in the way of it. Therefore, focus on an open floor right beyond the windows; at the moment of light entering the home. Move seats, chairs, tables, drawers, and even window sill figurines out to the way. It may look slightly bare, but the benefit of having lots of sunlight in your home far outweighs the lack of style in certain places.
Cheaper but more character
Eco-friendly designs are the way of the future. Millennials are deeply concerned with creating a sustainable home that coincides with their environmental concerns. What we’re starting to notice is, culture and beliefs have incredible influence in the way millennials style their homes. One notable effort is the desire to have cheaper materials but relies on the unique designs and styles of the items, to make the home beautiful and suave. Consider a copper or brass clock instead of stainless steel or plastic. This is a cheaper metal, but it’s slightly pink and orange tint gives off a more bare and industrial vibe. Consider brass for your lamps, taps, water jug, picture frames, showerhead, and cutlery. It’s a cheaper metal but it has bucket-loads of character.
The richness in the ambiance
Millennials care about how their home makes them feel through all our senses. It’s not always about style, but the ambiance of the entire house. For one thing, the smell of the home is increasingly taking center stage. That’s why non-toxic cleaners are out and no longer be tolerated. They care about brand values, safety, transparency, and efficacy. The EPA has created a ‘safer choice’ list of products that millennials are more likely to take seriously. Therefore, for your home, you should use cleaning products that don’t leave a nasty chemical smell and instead use a product with natural soft tones of lime, citrus, and zest.
A simple corner
It’s not always about style but about function in the millennial home. Homes are no longer just temporary sleeping units, we need them to be more about comfort and reliance. We rely on our homes to make us feel safe. We rely on our homes to make us feel like we belong somewhere. We also rely on our homes to give us different forms of relaxation. That’s why the reading nook is making a gigantic comeback in the contemporary millennial home.
Choose a corner in your home that offers you enough space to take a nap. Select a seat that allows you to sit up straight, lean back and even crawl up and provide ample room for your feet. Select a soft yet breathable throw that you can use to keep yourself warm in the cold weeks of this winter. An LED reading lamp needs to be placed on top of a small personal drawer. From now on, this shall be your simple corner, where you can read a book, be alone with your thoughts or just take a nap.
The millennial generation is slowly but surely, taking a bigger piece of the interior design pie. The industry is shifting towards this way of thinking. Start off by allowing much more natural light inside your home.
