FRIDAY FINDS

Ocean View by mLu|fotos

These top predictions for 2014 from RedFin CEO have some overlap with Zillow's projections of how far your 2014 dollars will stretch. Notice that California didn't make the list for US Areas with the Most 2013 Residential Permits. The Bay Area market is still competitive.
Beyond the money trends, I've already seen some of the architectural trends in new construction happening for quite some time - most notably, smaller homes. Unfortunately, I really don't see many homes with two master suites to accommodate larger families.

In planning for living in smaller spaces, here's a guide for versatile double-duty spaces, furnished with double-duty pieces. As usual, it goes without saying that your furniture should include hidden storage. My favorites include an ecletic stair case, headboard, and a secret door.

Conversely, if you need more rooms, but don't have them - you can create them. The Sliding Door Company has endless options for room dividers. Again, I would aim for double functionality, and there are plenty of ideas here.

I'm curious - what do you think of a home with 2 master bedrooms? Would you want one upstairs and downstairs? On the same floor, opposite ends of the home?

PS In local (to me) news, Gov. Jerry Brown has declared a drought emergency throughout California, including a call for a voluntary statewide reduction in water consumption. Here are 8 Simple Ways To Conserve Water, though there are hundreds of ways to conserve.