20/20: IFDA's Vision for the Future: A Statistical Summary

Furniture World News

Overview Homes of the future will be clustered or attached, smaller and more open, wired for every conceivable futuristic function, and tailored to meet the needs of an aging population. Living spaces will be more multi-functional. Home interiors will change radically to address alterations in consumer lifestyles by the year 2020: the sharp delineation between living rooms, dining rooms and kitchens will virtually disappear as these and other rooms of the house take on multiple uses. The furnishings in these rooms also will change, reflecting consumers' desires for increased functionality and storage Home Design Trends 77% predict more people will be living in townhouses; 75% forecast that more people will be living in gated communities; 41% predict more people will be living in apartments; 26% say fewer people will be living in stand-alone houses, but 25% say more people will be living in stand-alone houses. 49% believe that Americans will live in less space; 32% say Americans will live in the same amount of space and just 15% presume that Americans will live in a larger space. 92% forecast that the average house will contain more multi-functional rooms; 73% predict a move toward more open plan design, and almost 40% expect moveable walls will replace permanent walls in home interiors; 44% anticipate homes will have fewer rooms. 93% of survey respondents say the growth of retirement communities and the aging of the population will be important or very important factors while the ergonomic needs of the disabled and growing elderly population are expected to be important issues by 89%. 91% of respondents believe the desire for simplified and easy home maintenance will be important or very important; 58% of survey participants say the growth of second or even third vacation homes will be important. Interior Solutions 71% believe great rooms will eclipse living rooms, but only 51% say formal living rooms will become extinct; 51% say dining rooms will not continue to be a dedicated space in homes; 43% say dining rooms will continue as a separate unit. 50% say it is likely that eat-in kitchens will replace dining rooms, while 48% say this is somewhat or not at all likely. Dining rooms of the future are expected to stay about the same size as they are today, according to 60%, although 22% expect dining rooms to be larger, and 10% expect dining rooms to be smaller. 72% indicate it is likely or very likely that kitchens will increase in size. Just 14% feel it is likely that kitchens will become smaller as people eat out more; 78% feel this is somewhat or not at all likely. 29% say it is likely that the popularity of casual dinnerware will signal the demise of formal tableware, 70% say this is somewhat or not at all likely. 87% predict it is likely or very likely that future homes will have separate rooms for media and entertainment;. 82% believe exercise or health centers are likely or very likely to be incorporated into new home design. 51% say it is likely that future homes will have separate rooms for hobbies, although 43% say it is only somewhat or not at all likely. 86% say it is likely that multi-purpose furniture will become important; 79% feel it is likely that movable furniture will become more prevalent; 66% indicate it is likely that there will be more hideaway furniture pieces; 61% believe it is likely that modular furniture will become more important; 61% predict it is likely or that built-ins will replace storage pieces, and 80% respondents say it is likely that more ergonomic design will be incorporated in furniture. 29% say it is likely that furniture will be larger-scaled, while 53% say larger scaled furniture is somewhat to not at all likely; 43% say it is likely that furniture will be smaller scaled; 42% indicating it is somewhat to not at all likely; 73% say it is somewhat or not at all likely that there will be more disposable furniture in the future.