When the San Diego housing market rebounded, so did home builders eager to show off their design skills. Buyers expect that newly constructed homes will be safer and more energy efficient, but they’re also looking for new Poway homes that meet the needs of the more modern buyer. Here’s a round-up of some of the most popular design trends seen in today’s newest homes.

Kitchen islands look more like continents.
Maybe it’s the Food Network’s influence or maybe builders have finally realized that people ALWAYS end up hanging out in the kitchen. Either way, kitchens are now being designed to accommodate the crowds they always seem to attract. Kitchen islands with plenty of seating allow people to sit and watch the home chef in action, and they let the host and hostess interact while feeding family and friends. With lots of incorporated storage and attention to design details, the extra-large kitchen island is becoming the focal point and showpiece of the modern kitchen.

Foyers that earn their keep.
Home buyers don’t want to walk in the front door and straight into a living room setting. So foyers that give a sense of entry are making a strong comeback in modern construction. But today’s foyers aren’t just a short hallway. Builders are adding built-in benches, alcoves, book nooks or high-end places to hang your things up as you enter.

Extended uses for extended families.
As the Baby Boomers age, the number of multi-generational households continues to rise. Buyers are requesting more homes with two master suites – often with one upstairs and one downstairs, which better suites elderly parents living in the home. Also, small “shadow” homes are being built alongside the main house to give aging parents a more independent living situation that’s still only steps away the family.

Productivity in pocket offices.
While the popularity of a large, formal home office may have faded over time, people still want hard-working spaces where they can do the work required to run a household. These small “pocket offices” are being located off of high-traffic areas like the kitchen and great room, where parents can still be in the middle of the action but have a separate, dedicated space for paying bills, signing papers and checking email.

Connection is key.
When people started saying “There’s an app for that,” it was only a matter of time before that app frenzy worked its way into new homes. With everything from smart thermostats to smart garage door openers, home buyers want more control over their environments by using the one thing we hardly ever leave home without – the smartphone. Soon there won’t be any more worries over whether or not you left the door unlocked or the garage door open because a touch of a button on your smartphone screen will assure you that all is well. Look for complete home automation systems to take a big step forward in newly constructed homes.

Sneaky storage spaces.
Square footage has to work harder in today’s home and every inch counts. Builders are sneaking those highly-coveted storage spaces into places that were once overlooked. Cabinets under staircases, drawers inside stair risers and storage space under window seats are all creative uses of space that would otherwise be wasted.

Look for design trends like these to meet the demands of today’s bigger, busier, more well-connected family.