What may seem insane to someone living in America may be entirely different for someone living in Europe. There are some obvious differences between the two cultures that clash when it comes to the design of new homes. What trends in Europe will not be trending in America, and vice versa. A common question continually comes up when discussing this topic, though. Will the trends considered insane in European Homes be the next big thing in America?
To figure that out, you can go through all the different articles and literature that detail the up-and-coming trends for each country, or you can look at the trends in Europe that Americans think are way out there and see if they may begin fitting into American culture.
Let’s dig in to this volatile topic and see if we can see what the main differences in home design are between the two areas and see if America may start leaning towards the trends commonly found in Europe.
Materials Used
The first significant difference between the building trends of the two countries is the materials used. European homes are generally built from durable materials that are designed to last. The people wanting to build a house in these countries only want to do it once, meaning they will opt for sturdier materials, even if they cost a little bit more to build with.
On the other hand, American homes are made as quickly as possible, and most of them are on the same design as the entire block unless a person wants to get a specialized home built. Those will be different than the rest, but they will still use the same materials. The ones that are cheap to obtain for the builder and that are accessible from local suppliers.
Size Of The Home
Americans love everything big. The bigger the home is, the more social status they have. It does not matter to them if the home they build has fifty more rooms than they actually need because it is all about the level of society they are seen in. This basically means that in America, the more money a person has, the bigger the home will be that they live in.
European lifestyle is much different. They prefer to live simple lives, no matter how much cash they have in their pockets. There is no point in having a ten-bedroom home when only three people live in it. This is definitely one trend that needs to hit America because there are so many huge homes scattered throughout the states that people looking to build smaller homes have difficulty finding vacant lots to break ground in.
Energy Efficiency
It is not much of a surprise to hear that one of the best trends in Europe involves energy efficiency and reducing the footprints people leave on the Earth. Europen culture is about doing its part to save the planet from unnecessary harm by using renewable energy sources. Building a home with solar panels or wind turbines is not out of the ordinary for a home in Europe.
In America, however, that is the exact opposite. A home builder that takes the time to design and build houses that reduce energy consumption is not ordinary. People in the states would rather spend that extra money on creating a spare room or two, just in case they need more storage space for all their finer things. Priorities are much different, but change for America is on the horizon because of the worldwide mandates requiring all countries to reduce their carbon emissions to the environment.
Type Of Living Community
When Americans talk about community, they are referring to the people around them. Children in the home are part of the family but are pushed to become their own people by the time they hit 18. Striking out on their own and asking for help from their parents when needed.
Community to Europeans also means the people that live around them, but the group inside the home is also a community. A family community that needs to be close and bonded with each other. This is one of the main reasons a European family home will be just big enough to hold the family within. The smaller the house is, the closer everyone will be to each other throughout the day. This forms a tight-knit bond that many American families lack.
Interior Floor Planning
Another big trending difference between the two countries is how the interior is designed. American homes are full of big spaces connecting to the next big area or room. An open floor plan is preferred over a closed one, like many of the European homes being built.
European builders prefer to have each room be a separate room instead of using an open floor plan. If you are cooking in the kitchen, it is known that you are in the kitchen, not in the living room, with the rest of the hungry group waiting for food.
Final Thoughts
Some of the top European home trends are considered insane by most American builders, but that is not to say that either country is wrong. Every culture will have its own ideas of what a home should be and how big that house should be. What is essential is that each country helps each other by sharing its views and explaining why they have that idea.
If Americans slowed down enough to talk to a European homeowner, they might realize that living at the edge of their means is not the most efficient way to live. It is better to live as simply as possible, and if you end up with extra money, it can be used to travel or help others in need. The point is that many of the European trends that are called crazy need to be adopted in the United States, but only time will tell to see if it actually ever happens.