As the current recession turns in to years, the homes we live in are changing and the effects of this could very well influence home building for decades to come. The Wall Street Journal recently covered some trends they’re seeing, as well as things that are fading by the wayside.

• The end of the closed-off, one-purpose living room is coming to an end. What people want now is a large living space, with living, kitchen and dining rooms spilling in to each other.
• Older homes used to have a grand staircase in the front of the home, with a much simpler, utilitarian one in the back. But with the coming “silver tsunami” that secondstaircase is making way for an elevator. When people are too ill or infirm to take the stairs, it doesn’t matter that there are two sets.
• Instead of an office or library, a new trend is for a multipurpose room that can be used for working, doing homework, reading, paying bills, etc.
• A Jacuzzi in the bathroom can be wonderful, but how often is it really used? Most people use a shower for their cleaning purposes, so there are going to be more enhancements to that, such as steam.
• As the Wall Street Journal notes, “As the kitchen has opened up into the dining room, there’s less need for a separate, small table for breakfast.” What to do with that extra space? The sky is the limit but builders are seeing a desire for more outdoor space.

Everyone has certain beliefs about decorating that they’ve heard over and over again and internalized as the truth. Sometimes though, it is good to look at things you thought weren’t the “right” way to decorate.

House Beautiful shared quite a few well-kept decorating secrets. Here are a few of our favorites. Make sure to check out the rest of the post here!

• Don’t be afraid of the dark: A dark paint color can add depth to a small room and make it feel bigger. Not to mention, dark walls can often be quite cozy.
• Wallpaper isn’t just for walls: House Beautiful suggests wallpapering sliding closet doors to give them a new look. Don’t forget about the inside of your closets too! A pop of wallpaper that can be seen as the door opens adds a lot of visual interest.
• Speaking of closets…there isn’t anything worse than feeling around in a dark closet for your clothing. Put a light in there and stretch beyond the usual bare bulb on a string.
• Go green: With plants, that is! A nice, large plant in a room adds a sense of the outdoors.

You’ve probably heard of retractable roofs on stadiums, but what about a totally retractable house? We found this very unusal housing idea from our friends at Design Milk.

Basically, you have a flexible material on hinges that can be changed about to suit your needs. Design Milk very aptly compares it to a transformer. Maybe you only need a home office some of the time. Or maybe what you need is a sunroom. No problem! M-House by Michael Jantzen delivers.

What do you think of this adaptable house?

Image courtesy of Design Milk.

Secret places in a home are the sort of things you see in movies, like a bookshelf that turns into a door to a hidden room when a book is pulled out. But these rooms do exist in real-life houses, as this slideshow from MSN Real Estate proves. Why would you want a secret room? Well, for security, for a bit of extra room squeezed in and of course, just for fun! Here are a few of our favorites. Let us know what you think, and check out the rest here.

It’s the classic pull-out-a-book-and-a-secret-room-is-revealed move!

This Arizona home has a secret room hidden by a staircase. To move the staircase, the homeowners use a remote control to lift it.

To get to this child’s secret room through a crawlspace hidden by a dresser, one of the clock’s hands is turned to 12:00.

Images courtesy of MSN Real Estate

Via Curbly, we came across this fascinating little time-sink: a listing of the most expensive homes in each of these United States. Unfortunately, the only way to view the full list is in this slightly clumsy digital magazine format, but we’ll share some interesting highlights here.

The most expensive home in all the land? Aaron Spelling‘s mansion in the Holmby Hills area of Los Angeles, California. This $150 million palace is, well, gorgeous. The listing offers no details about square footage, number of bedrooms or bathrooms, or anything a hopeful homebuyer might want to know, but it does mention that it’s a “single-family residence” on 4.7 acres. Must be for a large family.

At the other end of the spectrum is the most expensive home in North Dakota. Found in the city of Minot, this home is valued at a relatively reasonable $1.3 million. Four bedrooms, 4.5 bathrooms and 10,000 square feet, it’s situated on “approximately 15 acres in the heart of hunting and oil country.”

Another gem? This amazing home in an amazing location in Lake Tahoe, Nevada. Called Tranquility (any home with a name is worth at least an extra 50 percent, right?), the 210-acre property includes a private lake, 16-car garage and — wait for it — two par-3 golf holes. You can see more photos here.

We can dream, right?

We ran across an article with some interesting tidbits about what homeowners want in 2011. Are any of these on your radar?

• Outdoor living areas: Are you paying more attention to things like porches and patios? An outdoor kitchen (from simple to grand) and a fireplace can add a whole new dimension. Who doesn’t love an extra room in the great outdoors?
• Green features: Green is hot right now, but homeowners are demanding practical things like energy efficient windows and water and electricity-saving appliances.
• Open kitchens: If the hearth is the heart of the home, it makes sense people want to be in it. Open kitchens allow that cozy feeling while allowing the cook some additional space to maneuver.
• Smaller homes: To go along with the green theme, smaller homes are easier to heat and cool, easier to clean and discourage the mindless filling of rooms.

Do you see these trends in your house hunting and remodeling plans?

Travel + Leisure (via MSNBC) has some interesting coverage of cool houses throughout the United States. These architectural wonders are the sort of places that are iconic, inspiring and make you wish you could live in them — even if just for one day. Here are three of our favorites. You can check out the article and slideshow for more information on these beauties.

Hearst Castle in San Simeon, Calif., was built by publishing magnate William Randolph Hearst. It sheer size (165 rooms!) and legend (it was the inspiration for the fictional Xanadu estate in the film Citizen Kane) alone make it worth visiting. The good news is that since it is now owned by the state of California, it is open for public tours.

Fallingwater in Mill Run, Penn., is the most well-known and iconic of Frank Lloyd Wright’s houses. Fitting in and designed perfectly around its natural surroundings, Fallingwater continues to inspire its numerous visitors.

The Taos Pueblo in Taos, N.M., is “one of of the country’s best-preserved (and continuously inhabited) Pueblo Indian settlements, built before 1400.” You don’t often hear of people living in American dwellings that are over 600 years old. Now that is cool.

All images courtesy of Travel + Leisure.

Wallpaper is an amazing way to add color, texture and pattern to a room. And it doesn’t need to look like it came from your grandmother’s house — there’s all sort of fresh, modern stuff out there. Here are a few of our favorites. What sort of wallpaper do you like, and where would you choose to put it? Let us know in the comments!

Gravity (designed by Emil Kozak) from ferm LIVING
This bright blue, boldly geometric wallpaper would add oomph to any room. For an unusual twist, try it on the ceiling.

Fornasetti Collection from Cole & Son
This whimsical wallpaper would be perfect for a walk-in or entryway closet.

The Vibe from Afro Chic
Afro Chic’s funky print is surprisingly versatile and would work well in a modern living room or a girl’s bedroom.

Pure Paintable from Graham & Brown
Paintable wallpaper may sound like an oxymoron, but in reality it’s the best of both worlds. Use this wherever you want a little subtle texture in your house.

Kinky Vintage: Naughty Noir by Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen from Graham & Brown
This darkly elegant flocked wallpaper is described by Graham & Brown as “Marrakesh meets Marie Antoinette”. It might be too much for every day use, but if you have a guest room you’ve been dying to experiment with, or a library/office, it could be just the ticket.

Would you ever choose to live in a broom closet? MSN Real Estate has a story about someone who did — a college student, not wanting a roommate, creatively looked for some extra space around his dorm. Voila! A room with a broom.

We might all not want to live in a closet (although some do), but living in a small space can be rewarding. More applicable to a general audience, though, are these tips from MSN Real Estate on how to live with less clutter and maximize your useful space. Check out the article to read more!

• Edit: Yes, you have to pare down ruthlessly. There’s no room for clutter in a tiny space. On the bright side, this is a golden opportunity to decide what things you really need.
• Divide: You can still have different rooms in a small space; it will just take some ingenuity. Bookcases, screens and curtains will become your new best friends.
• Get out:  Sometimes you just need to escape. MSN Real Estate suggests an outdoor space like a patio or balcony, but there’s a whole world out there. Think of some fun places in your neighborhood like a coffee shop, park or library to be your “extended living room.”

What’s the smallest place you’ve ever lived in? Did you like it? What are your tips?

Image courtesy of nicolas.boullosa on Flickr

In one of the 30 states hard hit by the monster storm? We hope you are safe, warm and at home! With Punxsutawney Phil failing to see his shadow yesterday on Groundhog Day, we are supposedly due for an early (and much-needed) spring! If you’re going stir crazy, we’ve gathered up some links around the blogosphere to warm you up.

Remove Snow (Without The Backache) With The Wovel
Charles  and Hudson
“The Wovel has been independently tested by the University of Massachusetts and shown to perform at equal or better than your standard snowblower. Also, the Wovel has been shown to need no more force than you would normally exert walking, which is great for those of us unable to chuck that heavy wet stuff about like powdered sugar.”

Hunt, Gather and Host: Winter Picnic
Design*Sponge
If you feel like some ambitious winter entertaining, this beautifully photographed post will give you some ideas!

All About Gas Fireplaces
This Old House
“There’s only one thing better than a roaring fire on a wintry night: a roaring fire that needs no tending, requires minimal cleanup, and doesn’t leave the rest of the house freezing cold. That’s what you get with today’s gas fireplaces.”

10 Things to Do Around the House When You’re Snowed In
Apartment Therapy
Stay busy around the house with these tips from Apartment Therapy.