While many of us find the quaint charm of an older house to be irresistible, somewhere around the 1970s to 1980s, that charm went out the window. Actually, it might have been lost in all of those dark self-contained rooms being built just 15 to 20 years ago. Today's home builders and home buyers, however, run screaming from tiny, dark rooms and instead are knocking down walls in the pursuit of open-air spaces. Opposites do attract, it seems. Ask multifamily housing developers, and they'll tell you that renters want fireplaces and are willing to pass up units that have every other amenities in order to get them.
Fireplaces continue to be one of the most popular upgrades.
Fireplaces are considered both economical and relatively easy to install, just about anywhere in a home. Natural light, however, takes first priority among the preferences of '90s home buyers. But the desire to bring the outside in isn't the only thing motivating home owners to build skylights. Skylights also create the illusion of bigger rooms, and thus, more space, another priority for today's home owners and buyers. Decks combine the best of both worlds, the blending of nature and the need for open space.