Five Home Trends for 2022

With 2022 shaping up to be like the years proceeding it, people will be looking for ways to create an environment that goes beyond just livability as they spend more time at home. This year, practicality will dominate how we think about our space, with focuses on consumption, comfort, and function rising to the top of our at-home wish lists. So what’s ahead for 2022? From throwback color palettes to transformer-inspired rooms, here’s what will dominate interior design in the new year.

Sustainability

Global conversations about climate change have many of us thinking about how we can waste less and make our homes friendlier to the environment. From insulation and energy-efficient windows to smart appliances and solar, the next generation of homeowners are investing in sustainability that both save the planet and reduces our personal energy consumption and spending. 

Multi-Functional Spaces

Rooms that are dedicated to a certain function will get an upgrade as people look for ways to enjoy their favorite activities at home. An underused dining room may become a home gym, yoga studio, office space, or homework zone. Furniture that folds and storage that does double duty will be popular to ensure spaces can be functional without feeling cluttered.

Comfort

Spending more time at home means cozy and comfortable will be major factors in how we approach interior design. Curved furniture, warm paint colors, plush fabrics, and greenery will all dominate as homeowners move away from monochromatic tones and straight lines. Things will start to feel a bit like the 70s with modern shag, smooth velvet, and rich shades of earthy brown and green taking center stage.

Air Quality

It’s not the most exciting trend on the list, but people will finally start paying more attention to the air inside their homes. From high-quality filtration systems to roof ventilation that reduces mold and mildew penetration, homeowners will be looking at ways to improve both the health of their home and that of their family. 

Outdoor Living

From lounge furniture to firepits and sunshades, making an investment in outdoor living will be a major trend in 2022. With families spending more time at home, the opportunity to create additional space that can be enjoyed by all will be a smart spend. My tip? If a big outdoor project such as an in-ground pool or new patio is in your future, call those contractors now. Demand will be high as the weather starts getting warmer. 

Bob O'Donnell is the owner of O'Donnell Bros, Inc., a Bristol-based home improvement company established in 1975. Email your questions for Bob to info@odonnellbros.com with the subject line “Ask the Pro”. All questions may be considered for publication. To contact Bob for your remodeling needs, call O'Donnell Bros, Inc. at (860) 589-5155 or visit www.odonnellbros.com. Advice is for guidance only.

Don’t Let a Poor Installation Void Your Roof Warranty

If you’re like me, you’ve been keeping an eye on the situation in eastern Connecticut where over 30,000 homeowners are dealing with cracking and crumbling foundations. It pains me to see people wrestling with insurance companies and pleading with government agencies for assistance, all while worrying if they’re safe sleeping in their own home at night.

When it comes to building or remodeling a house, two of the things many homeowners rightly need to worry about are defective products and improper installations. After 40 years of being in business, I know all too well how a job that's incorrectly done can cause a homeowner time, money, and headaches that could have easily been avoided if the job had been done right in the first place

About one-quarter of the jobs I get called to today are to inspect a roof that has been installed incorrectly by someone else. A homeowner will call me up wondering why their brand new roof is leaking, or why there is mold growing in their attic, and I have to give them bad news. Not only was the job done wrong, but their product warranty is also void.

Choosing to get a new roof can be a nerve-wracking process, but even more so if poor installation ends up leaving you with a useless warranty and a massive out-of-pocket expense. Most roofing manufacturers offer a 30-year warranty on their products, but that peace of mind is only good if the installer takes the correct measures to properly ventilate the attic. Without that ventilation, you can kiss your warranty goodbye.

Ventilating a home enables good air to get in and bad air to get out. A ventilation system is comprised of 50 percent intake and 50 percent exhaust, whereby air can get pulled in under the eaves of a home and can escape at or near the peak of the roof, ensuring there is constant circulation and no threat of moisture buildup or too much heat.

If moisture builds up in the attic, mold spores will begin to grow. Excess heat will feed that mold, enabling it to colonize and infiltrate the insulation and wood in your attic. In the winter, moisture can become frost, which will melt as the air warms, causing “rain” to seep down into your walls and ceiling. If you think these issues sound rare, they’re not. Only 10 percent of homes are properly ventilated, which is partially due to poor education on the importance of ventilating a home, and partially due to “cutting corners” during the installation process.

Sometimes, when dealing with a faulty product like those folks in eastern Connecticut, there is very little a homeowner can do. But if you’re in the market for the big remodeling job, you as the homeowner can always ask questions, do your research and understand the steps necessary to ensure that your roof, siding, or other home improvement job is being done correctly. For us pros, an educated homeowner is the best kind of customer.  

Bob O’Donnell is the owner of O’Donnell Bros. Inc., a Bristol-based home improvement company established in 1975. Email your questions to info@odonnellbros.com with the subject line “Ask the Pro.” All questions may be considered for publication. To contact Bob for your remodeling needs, call O’Donnell Bros. Inc. at (860) 589-5155 or visit http://www.odonnellbros.com. Advice is for guidance only.