First it was “nesting.” Then nesting turned into “cocooning,” which went into overdrive after 9/11. Over the past few years, though, we’ve slowly emerged from our cocoons to embrace “hiving.”
Whatever label you want to put on it, hiving refers to our growing urge to connect with our family, friends and neighbors, with home as the nucleus of that connection. The trend was first named by Yankelovich Partners, a U.S.-based consumer research firm, which reported in a 2004 study that 64 per cent of participants identified themselves as "hivers," compared with 33 per cent who identified themselves as cocooners. According to Yankelovich, hiving has three key elements:
- The home is considered “command central” for social and entertainment activities;
- Hivers are on a quest for more “connectedness” with family, friends, and neighbors; and
- Hivers put family, friends, and neighbors first on their social priority list.
Turning houses into hives
Our drive to hive is increasingly being reflected in new home designs and in popular renovations to existing homes, with a focus on multi-use social areas, particularly recreation rooms. In fact, one major furniture industry conference identified hiving as one of the top consumer trends of 2006. And higher-end finishes and details are becoming more important to home owners who want to entertain in style, say home builders.
Home theatres, wine cellars, games rooms and outdoor living spaces are all components of turning a house into a hive. And where there are hivers there are home bars, as the cocktail parties—and cocktails—of the 50s make a strong comeback.
Bringing the home bar into the 21st century
While the words “home bar” may conjure up flashbacks of lacquered basement monoliths with black vinyl stools, there are a range of stylish options available, evidenced by the growing number of celebrities requesting cocktail cabinets and bars to help them entertain their famous friends.
You’ll find hivers in urban neighborhoods and suburban developments, and with them a range of home bars suited to their space and needs. We’ve assembled a home bar primer to help you decide on everything from size to style. Just keep reading… |