Posted on August 19, 2015 by Miller and Smith Blog Team
With more than 50 years of experience in homebuilding, Miller & Smith has created over 500 distinctive floorplans for homes in its communities in the Maryland, Virginia and Delaware area. Averaging 2-3 different home designs per community, the award-winning homebuilder offers flexible and customizable features that are uniquely designed to meet the varying demands of today’s homebuyers. Such designs and custom features are the direct result of extensive research and product development.
While development can span several months or even years, Miller & Smith averages approximately 6,000 hours of total research, planning and designing per product prior to construction. Besides conducting surveys, focus groups and competitor visits, Miller & Smith also organizes field visits as part of the research process. Most recently, five design teams were sent to Toronto, Charleston, Austin, Denver and Richmond to focus on inspirational design and innovative features from other markets. In the past, team members also visited Charlotte, N.C., Chicago, Seattle and Atlanta. Here’s just a few things they came back with:
1. Open Concept Floorplans – Homebuyers are hungry for open, airy layouts and spacious floorplans. Great rooms adjacent to large kitchens are the design of choice nowadays. A connection to a patio, deck, or screened porch earns homebuyer bonus points, as everyone wants seamless indoor/outdoor living.
2. Chef-Style Kitchens – Granite and quartz are considered standard in many of today’s kitchens and attention to detail is particularly important in offerings, for example a unique kitchen island with several functions and styles. Stainless steel appliances are another must-have at every price range.
3. Hardwood – Hardwood flooring throughout the home is a huge selling point for today’s buyer, especially on the main level of the home.
4. Outdoor Room – Regardless of the location, homebuyers want to utilize outdoor living space for entertaining and enjoyment. You don’t have to live in California to have a beautiful outdoor patio, deck or kitchen!
5. Connectivity – “Internet of Things” is the latest buzzword in new home technology as home automation is on the rise. It makes a “smart home” within reach of most consumers.
From detail-specific island essentials to wireless home automation, every nook in a Miller & Smith home is backed by focused design and research.
