Look How Our Homes Have Grown!

It's not your imagination.  American homes are getting larger and better according to the National Association of Home Builders. 

Think back to the home you grew up in.  If you're a baby boomer, born between 1948 and 1964, you probably lived in a 3-bedroom home with a living room and kitchen and maybe 1 ½ baths.   Until 1970, over half of the homes built had no more than 1 ½ baths.

Where did everyone "hang out"?  Around the one television in the living room.  Maybe it was a component of a hi-fi set with a radio and stereo record player.  The laundry was part of the kitchen, and the family car was probably parked in the one-car garage or carport. 

In 1950 only 14% of homes had an upstairs. By 2004 that number had risen to 52%.  In 1950 only 1% of homes had four bedrooms, and by 2004 that number had risen to 37%.

Today newly constructed homes are more likely to have two half baths on the first floor (one for guests and the other for the family), and each bedroom has its own bath or shares one with one other bedroom in a "Jack and Jill" arrangement.  A dwelling with less than 2500 square feet is considered a small home.   

Some homes have become so large they have "rooms without names."  A friend of mine calls one room in her home the "enchanting" room.  It's not quite living room and not quite family room, but it is enchanting.  Open and bright, it features a lovely fireplace with display shelves on either side. 

Another friend uses her more formal living room as a place to move the dessert course of a dinner party with the result that it is commonly referred to as the "dessert room."  And why not?   In most homes today the living room barely sees any action.  How great to have a room designated to dessert!!

If you have an unusual name for a room in your home, e-mail us your name for the space.  We'll post the results in one of our up-coming blogs.  Info@HomeVisionGroup.com  Debi Orr, The HomeVision Group