Cellular shades are an energy-conscious choice for today's smaller home

Homes may be getting smaller, but consumers aren't willing to give up their storage space or energy-saving features, according to The Dallas Morning News.


A survey by the National Association of Home Builders showed that homes are being built smaller, with more multi-purpose spaces rather than formal living and dining rooms.


But while about 80 percent of builders polled said they are also cutting down the number of bedrooms and bathrooms, the same percentage of prospective buyers said they place a high premium on energy-efficient heating, air-conditioning and appliances.


For the energy-conscious home buyer, selecting window treatments that will keep homes warm in winter and cool in summer is also a consideration. Cellular shades are a good choice for energy savings, because they offer good insulation from window drafts and strong sunlight. They come as both single cell shades or double cell shades for more insulation.
 

It's the average size of the homes that have these features that's changing most, the newspaper reported.
"Most builders will build smaller and lower-priced homes in 2011," Rose Quint, a researcher with the National Association of Home Builders, told the News. "Our experts expect the average home size in 2015 to be around 2,150 square feet."