You’ve finally found the perfect homesite and the right custom builder to help you build your dream home in Blacksburg, Virginia. Now you have to decide which features you want your builder to include in your new home construction.
From flexible floor plans to energy-smart systems to thoughtful indoor-outdoor spaces, Legacy Builders are delivering spaces that work harder and live better. In this blog, we’ll look at some of the features local buyers request most from industry experts, and how The Homes at Berry Ridge can bring them to life.
1) Flexible, Open Layouts That Actually Fit Your Life
According to design trend experts, open-concept living is still a favorite with new home buyers. But the latest trend isn’t “one big room”; it’s connected-yet-zoned spaces with better storage, light, and circulation. National design surveys show buyers want personalization and smarter square footage over sheer size, a shift reflected in the American Institute of Architects’ Home Design Trends Survey and industry reporting.
At The Homes at Berry Ridge, floor plans are truly custom; you’re not locked into stock plans, and layouts are tailored to your lifestyle and budget.
Why it matters in Blacksburg: With a vibrant university calendar and four true seasons, adaptable spaces help you host holidays, game-day gatherings, and quiet nights with ease.
2) Dedicated Home Offices and “Flex Rooms”
Remote and hybrid work schedules aren’t going away. Central Virginia’s HOME magazine and design experts highlight purpose-built offices, acoustical strategies, and furnishings that convert guest rooms or fitness spaces into productive work hubs. Many homeowners are now maximizing the use of their space with “flex” rooms that serve a dual purpose beyond just a home office.
The designers at The Homes at Berry Ridge commonly incorporate enclosed studies, built-ins, and zoom-ready nooks into each home’s customizable floor plan. These features work together to create aesthetically pleasing multi-use rooms that pivot between office, guest suite, and hobby space without feeling like a compromise.
3) Indoor–Outdoor Living for the New River Valley Climate
Buyers across Virginia are investing in outdoor rooms, screened porches, composite decks, patios, outdoor kitchens, and fire features to blur the line between home and landscape. Houzz’s Outdoor Trends Study and consumer publications covering Virginia echo the rise of resort-style backyards and four-season use.
Home & Design industry experts spotlight outdoor kitchens, fireplaces, covered lounges, and sunrooms as evergreen value-adds for new constructions across Northern Virginia and the Commonwealth.
The Homes at Berry Ridge offer numerous exterior options for enjoying your outdoor space from September tailgates through April’s cool evenings, such as custom fireplace packages. Plus, our MoistureShield composite decking, along with premium doors and windows, can help you extend your season comfortably inside or outside your new dream home.
4) Energy Efficiency You Can Feel and See on Your Bill
ENERGY STAR® notes that certified new homes deliver wall-to-wall comfort, enduring quality, and lower energy use compared with typical code-built homes. Pair that with region-appropriate windows and doors selected by climate zone (ENERGY STAR’s tool lets you look up Montgomery County), and you get tangible savings and comfort.
Popular energy-saving upgrades by new home buyers include low-E windows, tight envelopes, efficient HVAC/heat pumps, and ENERGY STAR appliances, according to the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB).
5) Smarter Storage: Pantries, Mudrooms, and Garage Organization
NAHB’s buyer research shows walk-in pantries, laundry rooms, garage storage, and exterior lighting among the most-wanted features in new home construction. Legacy Builders can design and plan for these practical upgrades that make daily life easier.
For example, The Homes at Berry Ridge designs often layer drop zones, oversized pantries, and built-ins into custom home designs, so everything from backpacks to mountain bikes has a designated spot in the home.
6) Multi-Generational Layouts and Aging-in-Place Planning
Multi-generational living has grown for years, driven by caregiving and cost-sharing needs, according to National data from Pew and the U.S. Census. Parents live longer and are now more likely to live with their adult children — and grandparents often share in the child-rearing responsibilities when the parents are away at the office.
Meanwhile, a recent AARP survey confirms a strong majority of adults age 50 and over want to age in place, making features like main-level suites, wider halls, curbless showers, and even residential elevators smart long-term choices.
All of the custom-constructed homes at The Homes at Berry Ridge are framed for elevators or can include them. These future-ready homes are constructed to support aging-in-place options such as in-law suites and frame-ins for residential elevators, so your home is designed for your family today and tomorrow.
7) Kitchens That Entertain: Islands, Hard-Working Finishes and Walk-In Pantries
Regional Home & Design industry experts routinely showcase gathering-island kitchens, quartz counters, statement lighting, and scullery/pantry zones as choices that align with today’s “better, not bigger” movement and buyers’ preference for authentic, personalized finishes. Gathering-island kitchens continue to dominate open-concept homes as focal points for entertainment and family dining.
Today, you can customize your dream home’s lighting, cabinetry, and appliance packages — all curated in one place so your home selections stay coordinated (and on budget).
Ready to Create Your Dream Home in Blacksburg, Virginia?
At The Homes at Berry Ridge, we understand that each family is unique, so our homes are customized from the ground up, allowing you to add dedicated office spaces, in-law suites, elevators, or any other features you desire, to bring your dream home vision to life.
Ready to get inspired? We want to make it easier for you with our:
- Premium windows and smart, home design options: From composite decking to fireplaces, you’ll see and select finishes in person, with our expert guidance.
- Truly custom floor plans: Start with past models or design from scratch, including home offices, in-law suites, and storage solutions tailored to you.
- Future-ready choices: Plan for aging in place (elevator prep, main-level suites), efficient systems, and indoor–outdoor flow from day one. Every custom construction at The Homes at Berry Ridge is framed in for elevators or can include elevators in the construction.
Contact us to learn more about how we can help you create the new home you’ve always dreamed of in Blacksburg, Virginia. Rest assured that with our attention to detail and commitment to quality, your family will enjoy the ultimate living experience.