Buyers Think Outside the Box for Architectural Styles

This zen hilltop oasis in San Miguel de Allende boasts contemporary elegance, on the edge of the Botanical Gardens.

as homeowners get increasingly more creative when

it comes to the architectural style of their homes, blending genres is moving beyond a trend—it’s becoming a permanent feature of homes.

For example, you’ll often see Mid-Century Modern-style homes with Mediterranean influences in Las Vegas and, in Los Angeles, classic Mediterranean homes are now adding Cape Cod–style or Craftsman features.

And, although South Florida is known for its Mediterranean style of architecture and Art Deco influences, several new luxury properties are being designed with clean exterior lines, lots of wide windows and minimalist interior moldings and finishes, said Ron Shuffield, CEO and owner of Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices EWM Realty in Coral Gables, Florida.

The sensibilities of homeowners are also driving this trend. “Our market is patterned after the Mediterranean style of Europe, and we know that back in the 1920s, many developers went to Spain and spent weeks gathering materials and finishes,” he said. “But many millennials prefer a minimalistic look. We’re seeing houses that have beautiful moldings, finishes and cabinetry that are being ripped out while these new homeowners keep some of the finishes, including the oversize arched windows.”

The goal: to blend an old-school Mediterranean feel on the exterior with a more contemporary look inside the home, something Mr. Shuffield expects homeowners will come to expect.

“This is especially true in parts of the country where you can’t change the exteriors due to historic-district designations,” he said.

The same trend is occurring in Mexico, said Ian Gengos, owner of Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Baja Real Estate in Baja California Sur, Mexico.

“With the shift from being a vacation market to a second primary-home market, the trend is toward larger homes and design choices that are no longer representative of the ‘Mexican hacienda’ style,” Mr. Gengos said. “Blending oldworld materials like stone and indigenous wood with modern, contemporary lines, minimalist decor, indoor-outdoor living and sleek simplicity are the current trend.”

While these homes are indeed evolving architecturally, there are other practical reasons for the trend.

“Here in the high desert, electricity is our biggest cost to think about,” Mr. Gengos said. “It’s been interesting to see how these style choices are also lending themselves to energy efficiency and air flow. After all, it makes a big difference in cooling a space, for example, when you shift to an open-floor plan.”

Ultimately, blending styles helps with resale value, Mr. Shuffield added. Everyone, he said, “wants a family room adjacent to the kitchen so everyone is together, and they want everything to open to the outside. You can’t do that in an old home which is why, often, the best way to do this is by blending architectural styles.”