Survey: casual, outdoor living is in

Good design and the right price is the recipe for success today. John Burns Real Estate Consulting found several trends among consumers based on a survey they conducted of nearly 10,000 potential home buyers:
The survey shows a significant preference for "casual and comfortable" styles, versus more "formal styles" in home designs.
This trend toward casual living is further underscored by the high preference for great rooms throughout the country. According to the survey, all regions prefer great room living, with the highest percentage in the Northwest region.
Casual living extends to the outdoors as well. The relationship between indoor and outdoor living is growing in popularity in many new home designs throughout the country. Kitchen and family room ranked among the most important rooms when looking for or buying their next home. However, the design of private outdoor spaces and the home's orientation to these spaces are often overlooked. Outdoor living rooms are now showing up in townhome living as well as luxury homes.