Each generation brings with it its own styles and design choices, from Baby Boomers to Gen X’ers to Millennials and beyond. Have you ever wondered how preferences on design elements have changed across generations? Let’s take a look at those changes as well as the current trend going on now with Millennial influences.

Grouping by Generation

If you talk to any home designer, they will tell you their clients can be categorized in a variety of ways, but the most telling way is to group them by generation. That’s because each generation has its own lifestyle priorities, design tastes and spending habits. First, let’s define the major generations.

• Millennials are those between the ages of 25 and 40. They’re out of college, working, starting families and buying their first houses.
• Generation X are people born between 1965 and 1980, and are just now starting to feel the effects of empty nests. They’re not at retirement age yet but are entering a new phase as their kids move out to college or to be on their own, and they’re faced with quieter homes and more time on their hands.
• Baby Boomers are between the ages of 57 and 75, are nearing retirement or are in it, and they are (hopefully) enjoying the nest egg they built for themselves over the last several decades.

There are many differences with each of these generations, but there is one thing that seems to remain the same: they want a design for their home that fits their unique lifestyle.

Let’s drill down into this a bit more. Older generations (Boomers and Gen X) are the most likely groups to pay for design services, particularly within the luxury market. That’s because they’re either well entrenched in their careers and can afford it or they’re in retirement and are finally tapping into that nest egg.

Baby Boomers have sacrificed for many years to provide a good life for their families, and now it’s time to focus on creating their forever homes. The first order of priority for them is to convert existing spaces, such as their children’s old bedrooms, into functional spaces such as home gyms, entertainment rooms, etc. They have the money to hire a designer and do so after a lifetime of scrimping and saving.

There’s a shift away from child-focused entertainment and accommodation to a home that caters to the homeowner for the first time. These empty nesters want to make their homes more functional, but they also want to make them safe and fun for when adult children and grandchildren visit.

You’re seeing more casual living spaces with plenty of lounge seating rather than the formal living rooms of the 70s and 80s. This prioritization of space is a big commodity for older generations.

Gen X and Millennials are creating outdoor living spaces to extend their enjoyment of daily life, incorporating fireplaces, kitchens, TVs, and heaters.

A Shift in Focus

Since the COVID-19 pandemic forced many people to work from home, the trend is moving away from open concept living to smaller, compartmentalized rooms that were popular pre-2000s. The incorporation of more walls and doors gives people more privacy if they have to conduct work or school from home. 

Boomer clients want single-floor living spaces, with the main floor holding the master suite. They are looking ahead to when they may have illnesses or mobility issues that will make it difficult to walk up and down stairs. Home modifications are big for this group.

When it comes to color, Millennials are looking at dark browns and neutrals, with some pops of colors and some patterns. Bronze is a color that was popular in the 70s but that’s now making a comeback.

Millennials think it’s fresh and new because they’ve been living with a monochromatic color palette since as long as they can remember. On the flip side, Boomers are coming around to the idea of neutral grays after decades of color and rich jewel tones – something Millennials are tiring of.

There’s no doubt that design trends vary by generational group, but one thing is clear: all groups can benefit from professional design services to help them along.

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