Do's for 2022

Cozy additions and calming colors top Zillow's 2022 home trends

Natural light, calming colors, and soft furnishings are in store for 2022.

Photo courtesy of Kuper Sotheby's International Realty

Safe, healthy, comfortable, and calm — all things we want in 2022, no? Zillow certainly agrees, with its home trend experts predicting projects that encourage renewal in the new year.

"The pandemic forced a lot of people to reevaluate what's most important in their lives and in their homes," says Zillow home trends expert Amanda Pendleton. "For many, 2022 is the moment to start living those values. That could be investing in sustainable home features, designing a space with well-being in mind, or leaning into comfort and function over high style."

Using its housing market data and analyses, Zillow identified the top seven home trends for 2022.

Down-to-earth colors
We're drawing calm from color this year, as hues inspired by Mother Nature dominate everyone's wish list. Greens, blues, taupes, and browns are in, as proven by Breezeway, Behr's 2022 Color of the Year. The silvery green shade is inspired by the earth's beauty and reminiscent of sea glass found on the shores of salty beaches.

If selling is on your 2022 to-do list, consider bringing these natural tones into your home. Zillow's interior paint color analysis found homes with light blue bathrooms could sell for 1.6 percent more than expected, or nearly $5,000 on a typical U.S. home. Meanwhile, dark, moody blues in the bedroom could sell for a nearly $1,500 premium.

Go green
Younger homeowners are especially conscious of sustainable features and products, and they're willing to put their money out to prove it.

First Insight's The State of Consumer Spending found that younger generations are the most likely to make purchase decisions based on their values and principles, and the Deloitte Global 2021 Millennial and GenZ Survey found that nearly one-third of respondents started or deepened consumer relationships with businesses that benefit the environment.

Sustainable home features can make a home more energy efficient and less wasteful, and are associated with homes that sell faster, too. Zillow research finds that home listings with descriptions mentioning "eco," "energy efficient," or similar terms have sold more than two days faster than expected.

Listings that mention drought-resistant features sold 13 days faster, and smart sprinkler systems and double pane windows installed for energy conservation were associated with homes selling more than a week quicker than expected.

Very vintage
With sustainability top of mind and supply chain issues persisting, homeowners are turning to secondhand furniture and decor. Just like fashion from the '90s is back, throwback home design is back.

But instead of replicating Granny's house, younger homeowners will find comfort in design trends they grew up with — but with a modern twist. For example, faux paint finishes are updated with plaster finishes, wallpaper is in style again with contemporary and geometric patterns, and all-wood kitchens are back — although cherry cabinets have given way to white oak.

Comfy and cozy
We're still spending a lot of time at home, so furniture that feels good is overtaking pieces that simply look good.

Curved couches and rounded corners are everywhere, with nubby fabric upholstery — versus leather — becoming all the rage, ottomans replacing sharp-edged coffee tables, and cozy accent chairs that hug the body showing up in rooms across the country.

Renovation right now
Longtime homeowners and recent movers alike will be doubling down on their current homes and making improvements to meet their new, evolving needs.

A survey of homeowners found that nearly three-fourths would consider at least one home improvement project in the next year. These projects include adding or improving a home office space (31 percent), finishing a basement or attic (23 percent), adding another room (23 percent), and putting in another dwelling unit, such as a backyard cottage or guest house (21 percent).

Supply and labor shortages mean that homeowners will become more creative: turning garages into full-scale home gyms, transforming sheds into home offices, and even clearing out old clothes from closets to make room for "cloffices."

Mental health at home
It's been a tough two years, and people are prioritizing mental health. This could mean creating retreats within their homes, such as private spaces for meditation or reflection, reading nooks, and spa-inspired bathroom escapes. Retreat features, such as a "she shed," can help a home sell for 2.2 percent more than expected, while a freestanding bathtub can contribute to a home selling for a 2.6 percent premium.

Natural light will also be a priority, especially in home offices and common spaces, while indoor plants will continue to be popular for their soothing properties.

Pet projects
As more people bring home furry friends, they will be designing their homes with their pets in mind. Zillow research found that pet ownership among recent movers soared over the past year, impacting housing decisions. Nearly three-fourths of home buyers report having at least one pet at home (73 percent), up from the 64 percent of buyers who reported having a pet in 2020.

Zillow research finds homes with a doghouse often sold for more than expected last year, while homes with a fenced yard or dog run sold faster than similar homes without these features. Look for pet owners to invest in custom feeding stations, built-in pet beds, and even pet playrooms in the new year.

trends

they're durable, too

3D-printed Houston housing project cements a more affordable future

Courtesy of Cole Klein Builders

Homes in Zuri Gardens are a hybrid of 3D concrete and traditional wood construction.

Houston is putting itself front-and-center to help make sustainable, affordable housing a reality for 80 lucky homeowners in a scalable housing community that will hopefully catch on nationwide. Recently, developer Cole Klein Builders partnered with HiveASMBLD to pioneer what’s touted as the world’s first large-scale, one-of-a-kind, affordable housing development using 3-D printing technology, merging robotics, design, and sustainability.

Located across from Sterling Aviation High School, near Hobby Airport, Zuri Gardens will offer 80 two-bedroom, two-bathroom homes of approximately 1,360 square feet situated in a park-like setting, including walking trails and a community green space.

Homes in Zuri Gardens will hit the market in early summer of 2026. Final pricing has yet to be determined, but Cole Klein Builders expects it to be in the mid-to-high 200s.

Interestingly, none of the homes will offer garages or driveways, which the developer tells CultureMap will provide a savings of roughly $25,000 - $40,000 per home.

Instead of parking for individual units, 140 parking spaces will be provided. Ideally, this small-town-inspired design will provide opportunities for neighbors to meet, connect, and build community.

Each two-story home is comprised of a ground floor printed by HiveASMBLD, using a proprietary low-carbon cement alternative by Eco Material Technologies that promises to enhance strength and reduce CO2 emissions. The hybrid homes will have a second floor built using engineered wood building products by LP Building Solutions. Overall, the homes are designed to be flood, fire, and possibly even tornado-proof.

The Zuri in Zuri Gardens is the Swahili word for “beautiful,” a choice that is fitting considering that the parks department will be introducing a five acre park to the project — with 3-D printed pavilions and benches — plus, a three acre farm is located right across the street. The Garver Heights area, where Zuri Gardens is located, is in what’s classified as a food desert, which means that access to fresh food is limited. Residents will have access to the farm’s fresh produce, plus opportunities to participate in gardening and nutrition workshops—that’s a win for everyone.

With the novelty of Zuri Gardens, it’s no surprise that the neighborhood already has an 800 person waitlist, but with stringent buyer requirements, it’s unclear how many of those 800 will qualify. Developer Cole Klein Builders created Zuri Gardens in partnership with the Houston Housing Community Development Department, who provided infrastructure reimbursements for the roads, sewer lines, and water lines. In return, CKB agreed to push the purchase prices for the homes as low as possible.

Zuri Gardens also received $1.8 million dollars from the Uptown Tourism Bond, 34 percent of which must be used with minority owned small businesses. Qualified buyers must fit a certain area of median income according to HUD guidelines, and must be owner occupied at all times — so no property investors or short term vacation rentals will be allowed.

“They’re trying to bridge that gap to make sure there is a community for the homebuyers who need it — educators, law enforcement, civil workers, etc.,” Cole Klein Builders’ co-principal Vanessa Cole tells CultureMap. “You have to go through a certification process with the housing department to make sure that your income is in alignment for this community. It has been great, and everyone has been really receptive.”

Cole has also brought insurance underwriters to visit the site and to help drive premiums below regular rates for Houston homeowners since homes in Zuri Gardens are not built to traditional standards — claim risks for one of the 3-D homes are extremely low. Tim Lankau, principal at HiveASMBLD, notes that the 3-D hybrid design allows for a more traditional appearance, while having the benefits of a concrete structure: “That’s where the floodwaters would go, that’s where you can hide when there’s a tornado, and that’s where termites would eat. So you get the advantages of it while having a traditionally-framed second floor.”

It’s important to note that Zuri Gardens is not located in a flood prone area, nor did it flood during Hurricane Harvey — being flood proof is merely a perk of a cement house. The concrete that Eco Material Technologies developed is impervious. The walls are printed into hollow forms, which house rebar, plumbing, and accessible conduits for things like electrical lines and smart house features. Those walls are then filled with a foamcrete product that expands to form a “monolithic concrete wall.”

David McNitt, of Eco Material Technologies, explains that his proprietary concrete is made of PCV, and contains zero Portland cement. Instead, McNitt’s cement is made from coal ash and is 99 percent green (there are a few chemicals added to the ash). Regardless, it’s made from 100 percent waste products.

“This is a product that has really been landfilled before,” says McNitt. “It’s coal ash, and it’ll set within 8-10 minutes. It’s all monolithic, and one continuous pour — it’s literally all one piece.”

Eco Material Technologies’ concrete product is impressively durable. A traditional cinderblock wall will crush at around 800 psi, while this material crushes at about 8,000 psi.

“It’s ten times stronger than a cinderblock wall that can withstand hurricanes,” claims McNitt. “I don’t think you’d even notice a hurricane. It’ll be really quiet inside, too — so you won’t get interrupted during your hurricane party. It’s way over-engineered, it really is.”

The second story is built using weatherproof and eco-friendly products by LP Building Solutions. Their treated, engineered wood products come with a 50 year warranty, and their radiant barrier roof decking product blocks 97% of UV rays, and keeps attic temperatures 30° cooler than traditional building materials. These materials, combined with the concrete first floor, will keep heating and cooling costs low — something the folks at HiveASMBLD refer to as “thermal mass performance.”