Modern Home Builders Issue 140 | Page 19

________________________________________________________________________________________________ Outdoor
Living

Homeowners are revitalizing tired, outdated spaces with oversized glass enclosures, slider doors, transoms and more to create dramatic spaces that dazzle, combining the indoors and out. Here’ s what you need to know about the trend, and how to capitalize.

The ways in which homeowners are seeking to create dramatic spaces throughout their homes are continuously changing, and forward-thinking builder professionals must remain on-trend to continually satisfy consumer desires.
To those ends, it’ s worth exploring one significant trend that utilizes large-format windows, sliding doors, and transoms to enclose existing outdoor covered spaces to create blended, multi-purpose indoor / outdoor spaces with beautiful views and easy access to the outside. Particularly in the South and West areas like Texas, Colorado and Pacific Northwest, farmhouse-inspired designs are displacing tired Colonial-style elements, and glass and screen enclosures that embrace indoor / outdoor living are replacing traditional covered patios. Such features can enable homeowners to better utilize their patio and porch space, with the ability to throw open large doors and windows in good conditions and close them up during inclement weather or high pollen / dust seasons while still embracing nature.
Let’ s take a closer look at how these design trends are taking shape, and how building professionals can take advantage to grow their businesses.
Biophilic design: A quick primer
To best understand how to incorporate largeformat windows and glass enclosures in modern home applications, it can be useful to understand one of its biggest drivers: Biophilic design principles.
Biophilic design is an approach that seeks to connect people with nature by incorporating natural elements into built environments. It’ s based on the idea that humans have an innate connection to nature and that integrating nature into design enhances well-being, productivity, and overall quality of life.
Key elements include natural light, views of nature, and natural ventilation and airflow— elements that can be realized with largeformat windows, glass and screen enclosures, windows and doors, skylights, and open spaces that maximize natural daylight and let the outdoors in.
According to biophilic design advocates, the benefits of such features can be significant and can include reduced stress for occupants and improved mental clarity. The embrace of natural light and ventilation can also reduce the need for artificial lighting and air conditioning, helping homeowners achieve some efficiency gains as well. For builders who want to upsell for their customers, these are some things that are worth keeping in mind.
The advent of the‘ largeformat windows and tall wall patio enclosures’
In pursuit of biophilic living, large-format windows and patio doors can be a major contributor. One specialized element that can be utilized here is the‘ large format tall wall patio enclosures,’ glass structures that can rise to the height of two stories and may be used to enclose an existing outdoor space( thus converting it to an indoor / outdoor hybrid) or retrofitted into a home’ s wall. It’ s
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