Consumer surveys note that today’s homeowners crave authenticity in the places where they live. While synthetic materials such as stucco or siding are sometimes cheaper building products, brick has always passed the test of time and proven to be a better investment. In fact, centuries of homeowners have surrounded the most important parts of their lives - family and priceless personal possessions - with the permanence and strength of brick.

Don’t look now, but that 1980’s look made popular by TV’s “Miami Vice” is baaaack! However, for those who had quite enough of the running and gunning of Sonny Crockett and Rico Tubbs when they owned primetime shouldn’t worry. Parachute pants are NOT back in style! This look is all about the resurgence of the use of glass brick or glass block in upscale residential and commercial design.

“If ever I go looking for my heart's desire again, I won't look any further than my own backyard, because if it isn't there, I never really lost it to begin with."

~ Dorothy, after her trip to the Land of Oz

Decades after graduation, many former students can still visualize the campus where they attended college. The sights and sounds of a university campus make for heart-warming memories. Whether it was the distant sound of the band practicing for the big game or the iconic buildings and landscape found on the property itself, every university has a unique look and feel that is a powerful part of the traditions of the school.

Homeowners in the United States, sell their homes about every 14 years, according to this research. Plus, it has been noted by financial planners that a family’s biggest investment is buying a home. Assuming this is true, it is important for a home seller to get the greatest return on this investment as possible. This can be a challenge, but it’s possible if poor decisions about remodeling can be avoided.

With so many options, it’s challenging for a homeowner to decide what’s hot and what’s not for the most important room in the house - the kitchen. Fortunately, Acme Brick has a few ideas that will give you some food for thought!

Americans are becoming more rooted. Research suggests that they are staying in their residences for longer than ever before. This trend of “staying put” has several implications, including a new appreciation on the adaptability of a home in order to make it “future proof.”

As a new year comes around, it’s always fun to speculate on what trends - from clothes to food and especially home design - will be showing up on Pinterest and high-end magazines. While good taste never goes out of style, some interior design trends represent changes in how bigger issues such as the environment, technology and family time are perceived. This has never been truer than what can be expected in 2019.

Please continue reading for Acme Brick’s annual round-up of the hottest home design trends.