Joining the ranks of the teleworkforce may have some unexpected pay offs. Literally.

Home offices are one of the very few features of a home that are growing in popularity, according to the American Institute of Architects (AIA) “Home Design Trends Survey” for the second quarter of 2010.

Those home theaters, fitness rooms and even home workshops? Out.

Instead, residential architects say there’s growing interest in “outside living spaces, home offices and mud rooms – despite the overall trend toward a downsizing of homes,” reports Kitchen and Bath Design News.

“As the overall economy has slowed in recent years, home offices have become the new home theaters,” AIA Chief Economist Kermit Baker told Kitchen and Bath.

High-tech is still popular, but is starting to take a different form. Along with the increased focus on functionality, the 300 residential design professionals said they’ve also seen a big increase in energy efficient products and design.

Copyright © 2024 Federal News Network. All rights reserved. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area.