James Hardie releases Modern Homes Forecast 2024

A contemporary take on traditional coastal design, Modern Coastal homes blur the lines between indoor and outdoor living. Crisp white weatherboards, wide stacking doors, and clerestory windows define this style, offering laid-back luxury inspired by Australia's beach shack history.Cladding manufacturer and supplier James Hardie has released the findings of its first annual research initiative, the Modern Homes Forecast 2024, a study of the trajectory of contemporary home design in Australia.

Facilitated by research experts Fiftyfive5, the study focused on architectural features, as well as exterior and interior design trends. The findings were ascertained from the collation of desktop research, AI insights, and expert interviews with architects, designers, and industry journalists.

Research was gathered from thousands of individual sources, including more than 28,340 posts from more than 200 global designers and influencers. These outcomes were then analysed against more than three million search terms.

In examining the housing design landscape, it was crucial to first understand the external factors driving change - forces that shape the way we want to live, and subsequently steer the direction of residential design.

On a local scale, Australia is experiencing a shift in family dynamics and living arrangements. Couples without children are projected to become the most common family type over the next five years. In addition, the cost of living and cultural influences have prompted people to consider multigenerational living arrangements, with 20 percent of the population now residing in multigenerational households.

Regional migration in Australia has increased by 16 percent from pre-pandemic figures. Simultaneously, there is a rising discontent with urban living - a dissatisfaction that resulted in regional migration upsurging from 10 percent in 2020 to 14 percent in 2023. This migration trend suggests a re-evaluation of lifestyle preferences.

More than 53 percent of Australians are currently working from home, prioritising and upgrading home offices to meet evolving work-from-home needs.