Victoria Brocklesby, COO at Origin, explores homeowners’ shifting demands and explains how innovative glazing systems can be used to create versatile living spaces to suit modern family life.

The way British families live is changing. The footprint of the average home has been shrinking over the last 50 years, with properties now 20 percent smaller than in the 1970s. When you couple this with the fact that multi-generational living is on the rise due to soaring interest rates and house prices, it’s no wonder that homeowners’ demands are changing when it comes to their living spaces.

So, what are the key trends to be aware of and how can architects factor this into their designs?

Broken plan over open plan
With the average age for non-dependent children leaving home rising to 25, many British families are facing the prospect of having multiple adults living, working and studying all under one roof. As a result, open-plan living is no longer practical for millions of households. Instead, homeowners are looking for layouts that allow multiple generations to cohabit comfortably and with privacy when needed. In fact, according to RIBA, a quarter of homeowners want to reconfigure their homes to better suit their current needs, with one-in-ten keen to divide their living space.

However, with Origin’s research showing that homeowners are three times more likely to believe their home is bad for their mental wellbeing if it lacks natural light, it’s important that this division of the home doesn’t result in the creation of smaller, darker rooms that people don’t want to spend time in.

One solution to this is by using glazed walls and doors to create ‘broken-plan’ layouts, which offer separate, functional spaces while allowing natural light to flow through a property in the same way as it would in an open-plan layout. Opting for a customisable glazed wall and door system, like the Origin Internal Door (OI-30), allows architects to create a solution tailored to a property’s specific requirements. The OI-30 is available as either a single door, a French door, or a fixed screen, and can be specified with multiple options for glazing bar configurations, handle styles, and colours to suit any aesthetic.

Permanent home working spaces
With many workplaces rolling out remote or hybrid working permanently, the DIY home offices created during the pandemic are no longer fit for purpose. It comes as no surprise, therefore, that nearly 20 percent of homeowners would like their own home office, according to RIBA.

For those looking to create separate workspaces without sacrificing much-needed bedrooms, internal glazing is a great solution as glass doors and walls can be combined with a corner post to create an entirely new room that can be used as an office. For added privacy during working hours, Origin’s Internal Door can accommodate various types of glazing, including reeded, frosted, or clear.

Entertaining at home
The kitchen is the hub of any home and, with the cost of living continuing to impact household budgets, it’s increasingly becoming a space for socialising, as families opt to entertain friends and family at home, instead of going out.

With homeowners spending so much time in their kitchens, it’s essential that they’re a pleasant and functional place to be. Bi-folding doors are a great way to enhance a kitchen as they maximise the amount of light entering the room and seamlessly connect the inside and outside, creating ideal entertaining spaces.

Efficiency, efficiency, efficiency
With the cost of heating homes at an all-time high and everyone becoming more aware of their personal carbon footprint, thermal efficiency is also high on the agenda for homeowners. This means architects are under pressure to recommend products that meet or even exceed thermal efficiency targets to keep energy bills low and improve the sustainability of a property.

When sourcing doors and windows that offer strong thermal performance, look for manufacturers that have invested in product innovation to ensure products are efficient, but don’t compromise on style or functionality. For example, fenestration products that feature polyamide thermal break barriers between the interior and exterior profile tend to offer much lower U-Values, without the need for triple glazing.

Contact Details
For more information on Origin’s range of glazing systems for the whole home, please click here.