What Buyers Want Now: Home Design Trends and Demands in Charlotte
Less cookie-cutter, more custom

As demand for townhomes soars, local experts spotlight the trends that shape their design, and home features in general that buyers are seeking now.
FRESHER FACADES
Newer townhomes are less likely to look copied and pasted than older units, according to Andrea Seymour, co-founder and CEO of Springdale Custom Builders. Her team recently completed a six-unit townhome building in Plaza Midwood. “These ones have a metal roof, different sizes of siding, and lots of character and dimension,” she says.
“A lot of multifamily projects are taking a more modern vibe, which is refreshing in Charlotte, where there are much more traditional neighborhoods closer to the city.” For privacy, she recommends thoughtful landscaping, like tall hedges or trees, or decorative screen panels, pergolas, and planters on back patios. “We’re putting horizontal wood fencing around back patios so they have some privacy off the back,” she says, “but we’re painting it to match the building so it flows.”
OFFICES AND BONUS SPACES
“Since COVID, especially, people want a workspace or office nook,” says Gray Shell, president of Tri Pointe Homes’ Charlotte division. A single person or couple may want a three-bedroom home, he says, so they can use one as an office or exercise room. Some install built-in cubbies to make a mini-office or designate a corner off the kitchen as office space. Tim McCollum, owner of infill residential development company Revolve Residential, calls them “pocket offices”—“little 6-by-8 or 8-by-10 spaces where you can tuck an office in.”

Units at Tri Pointe Homes’ Seven Oaks location in Belmont have space for “pocket offices.” Courtesy, Tri-Pointe Homes
Hopper Communities’ architectural manager, Jorge Cruz, points to a bonus area in the floorplans of his LoSo Terraces townhomes. The homes are only 16 feet wide, so Cruz and his team added an upstairs flex space to the design. “It’s adjacent to the terrace, and we give buyers the option to make it an enclosed space or keep it open. … A lot of people use it as an office. It’s nice because it’s away from the bedrooms and main living space.”
TALL WINDOWS AND HIGH CEILINGS
“Buyers on the higher end want at least 9-foot ceilings on the first floor,” says realtor Tiffany Sears, CEO of The Sears Group. “With higher ceilings, you can have taller windows.” Because townhomes have fewer exterior walls than standalone houses, many buyers want larger windows to let in more natural light. They can make spaces feel larger and allow for more air circulation, but they also give interiors a contemporary look. Picture windows are popular in floor-to-ceiling designs because they act like a frame for the view outside.
ROOFTOP TERRACES

5West Terraces are upscale, craftsman-style townhomes with private outdoor spaces in Charlotte’s West End. Courtesy, Hopper Communities
“They’ve proliferated,” McCollum says. “They were pretty rare prior to 2019-2020—at least to see a community filled with them. They used to be an upgrade option that people might choose. But now, a lot of communities are putting them on all the units.” Cruz says it’s a way for infill developers—those working to increase housing on limited available land in dense urban areas—to give residents private outdoor spaces without taking up more land.
PET-FRIENDLY SPACES
“We’ve built doghouse niches under the stairs,” Shell says. “More than half of our buyers have dogs. In our South End location, across from Old Meck (Brewery), about 90% of residents are young singles and couples, and everybody has a dog.” It’s why so many buyers prioritize walkability, outdoor trails, and dog parks over pools and fitness centers. “When they see the HOA dues that come with a pool,” he says, “many are like, ‘I can do without that.’”
SMART HOMES
Today’s homebuyers want keyless entries, Nest thermostats, and smart security systems. This level of convenience goes hand in hand with the streamlined, automated lifestyle that newer townhomes advertise, and they speak to young professionals, who tend to be more tech-savvy. “We recently installed Bluetooth speakers in a shower,” Seymour says. “We’re also seeing phone chargers integrated into countertops. It’s not cheap, but it’s a nice feature. There are no cords all over your kitchen, and they’re compatible with any device.”
OPEN FLOOR PLANS
Twenty years ago, most townhomes had separate dining and living spaces. Today’s floor plans integrate these areas and eliminate the need for formal rooms. Instead, designers allocate more space to eat-in kitchens, where people naturally gravitate. “Open floor plans,” Cruz says, “also make a space feel bigger.”
BOLDER COLORS
“We’re moving away from stark white kitchens and the agreeable gray that every builder used for several years,” Sears says. “We’re seeing more color in cabinetry. It’s richer, vibrant blues and hunter greens. Maybe the cabinets are one color, and the island is a different shade.”

The kitchens at Davidson Walk inspired the colorful cabinets at Endhaven Terraces’ Ballantyne location. Courtesy, Hopper Communities
PLENTY OF STORAGE
“Especially with these more narrow townhomes, storage is important,” Cruz says. “We try to integrate as much of that into our design as possible and allocate space for more closets and extra storage closets … especially in spaces where you might not think you can fit something.” Seymour sees builders—and buyers—prioritizing functional storage as well. “Mudrooms and walk-in closets and pantries … those spaces have so much value, too. Townhomes are more efficient in size, but you still need those things to run a functional home.”
MODERN LIGHTING
Sears’ higher-end buyers often desire statement chandeliers, pendants, and sconces. “They want more interesting lighting; no one wants the standard builder-grade anymore,” she says. “Certain new builds include a credit to a lighting design center so the buyer can select what they want.” For darker corners, she says floor lamps and wall sconces can make the space feel bigger and brighter. Incorporating reflective surfaces like glass, mirrors, and metallic accents can also create a brighter, more modern look.

Seven Oaks townhomes have modern chandeliers and pendant lights to make the spaces feel more custom. Courtesy, Tri-Pointe Homes
HIGH-ROI SPACES
Kitchens and bathrooms sell houses—and townhomes. “It’s where the people paying the mortgage spend their time,” Seymour says. Buyers tend to inspect these spaces first because they generate the highest return on investment. According to most real estate experts, a well-designed kitchen with high-end appliances can add 4% to 7% to a home’s value.