Homes of the future combine tradition, technology

By ELIZABETH ROSS WHITE
Special to Essex County Newspapers

A large kitchen with 45 feet of counter space and two sinks beckons to the right while a spacious family and TV room sits to the left. Overhead is a dramatic skylight. Walls and ceilings conceal wires for state-of-the-art lighting, heating and communication wiring systems.

"It was a very tired old house but, fortunately, not much had been done to it over the years," says Torjesen, a contractor. "We rebuilt it, bringing back the original architecture of the facade, and then added on to the rear of it in a way that did not detract from its historical significance."

Torjesen's residence is an example of what to expect in North Shore homes of the future. The home of today and tomorrow is more than a place for shelter and family togetherness. It is a sanctuary, an entertainment center and a workplace.

For now and the future, say North Shore architects and interior designers, homes will reflect our changing lifestyles, but will continue to mirror past traditions.

Meanwhile, as regional land prices remain high, many prospective home buyers will stay in place rather than trade up. "The way right now seems to be to renovate rather than to build new," says Newburyport architect Andrew Sidford, recalling one of his recent home renovations.

Originally built in the 1950s or 1960s, the Newburyport house was a small, boxy residence with small windows. Inside, there was a confusing floor plan with no connection to the land or sun outside, he says. His new design includes a small addition, and more windows and open space. "It looks and feels completely different," he says.

Making homes more user-friendly for older people is another trend, says architect Jonathan Woodman of Newburyport. He refers to his own home, which he renovated for single-floor living, while adding an elevator to reach the upper floors. "Homes of the future will take account of the fact that we have an aging population," says Woodman.

While keeping to traditional New England styles on the outside, homes are changing on the inside. In the past, a home's center was always the hearth. Today it is the kitchen and family rooms.

"In general, there is more emphasis on kitchens and family rooms, and less emphasis on formal and traditional rooms," says architect Andrew Coogan, based in Manchester-by-the-Sea. Large homes or so-called "McMansions" are in demand; these include extra rooms for home offices and "media rooms" for children's computers, he says.

"In this part of the country, people like a traditional house on the outside. Once they walk through the front door, they like a sense of volume _ that it's psychologically expanding," explains Woodman.

A variety of traditional styles make wonderful modern homes. Peter Pitman of Pitman & Wardley Architects in Salem refers to a house his office designed in Marblehead. A new residence, it is a traditional New England coastal, shingle-style house.

Other new homes in demand these days reflect architecture of the Arts and Crafts period, he adds. The big difference today, says Pitman, is that these styles are replicated with better engineering and greater precision than in the past.

Consumers are steering clear of "cyber homes" or houses with fancy high-tech features, say North Shore architects. While heating, air conditioning, lighting and plumbing systems continue to become more energy- and water-efficient, North Shore house buyers are wary of computerized home systems that control everything from a central location.

"I don't think the technology has caught on 100 percent," says Coogan. "People aren't convinced that it's reliable."

As for interior design, furnishings need to change with the times, says Lisa Bonneville of Bonneville Design in Manchester-by-the-Sea.

"Adaptability for change is the most important element for thinking about homes in the future. That means change in regard to lifestyle, personal growth and accessibility, not just for people preparing to age in place, but also for people remodeling for the future," she says.

Planning a design that will last three to five years is key, Bonneville says.

For example, retirees or young people planning to move out of an apartment into a new home need simple, modest furniture that's easy to transport. A streamlined, clutter-free environment that requires less maintenance is also a requisite for the future, she says. Soothing decorative interior designs will continue to be in vogue, including earth tones and quiet colors.

New products now on the market _ such as easy-to-use levers and handles for doors and faucets and grab bars and drop seats in showers _ allow greater accessibility. Proper lighting and careful siting of appliances, making for greater comfort and accessibility, will continue to be a trend.

And despite all the emphasis on making houses multipurpose sanctuaries, buyers, now and in the future, will consider what's beyond their rooms and immediate boundaries.

Aside from a house's appearance, says Sidford, "people are placing a high value on those intangible things that don't necessarily come with the house," such as land value and the sense of community one finds in a city or town center.