The Millennials have arrived, this burgeoning young and tech savvy culture has begun purchasing and decorating homes and they know what they want and have researched it to death.

Heck, sometimes they are researching while they are standing right in front of you!

Rustic (Rustech) chic is the buzz word for those in the know about Millennial style where old meets new and high-tech merges with rustic elements to create the ultimate think/work space.

The desire to create something workable and to incorporate vintage elements with high tech features is strong and very important to these young buyers.

To add a NEST home heating system into an old loft is considered the ultimate in rustech chic were you can control the heating and cooling of an older worn out furnace which learns your habits and adjusts to suit your needs.

An apartment that has a walk up and no modern conveniences can host an LED shower and taps which respond to your needs and change colour to help improve mood.

A device which learns your every need including music preference and what you want on your pizza sits on top of an old apothecary chest that was dragged home from a yard sale, possibly plugged into outlets that don’t meet electrical code.

These are the elements of the new rustic chic; integration and clever storage hacks.

They have no need for gigantic closets and end to end storage lockers as they have escaped their parents’ need to gather stuff. Make sure there is a place to hang the bicycle or keep the large backpacks and items they need for travel but other than that, they are going through this phase of life free and unencumbered by the unhealthy clutter of the world.

Sustainability is an extremely important element and the impact that a home or its finishing have will push or pull a younger buyer into buying decisions.

They would much rather use something and repurpose it than buy new and waste resources.

If they are buying decorative finishes they are of high quality, often have a recycled history or connections and they don’t mind spending a few extra dollars for items that just work.

Gadgets have increased in sales and proven their worth over the last few years largely because young Millennials have put them to the test.

Reducing the carbon footprint and increasing energy efficiency are high on this list!

Purchasing efficient appliances and eco-friendly materials for the home is like a globally inspired treasure hunt and they are armed with the ability to search and get buyer feedback in seconds by simply using their always present phones.

The ability to snap a picture, post and get the opinion of hundreds of people in seconds never leaves anyone feeling unsupported about their decisions.

It is a brave and fantastic new world out there and our next generation of buyers and home owners are perched on the edge of the nest, ready to fly out on their own and into their own rustic (tech) chic nested nests.

Nests which are lined with mattresses and bedding delivered right to the door along with the pizza which was ordered when a small speaker was commanded to connect and bring out the delivery.

Kim Wyse is a Central Alberta freelance designer. Find her on facebook at ‘Kim Wyse Associate Royal Lepage Tamarack Trail Realty’.