Safe and Sound.

As diverse as their generation is, "security issues tie all baby-boomers together," observed Elizabeth Falconer, owner of Position By Design, located in Grand Prairie, Texas. Denver architect Michael Knorr agreed. "I don't know if it's growing up with the Cold War and surviving or what," Knorr declared, "but we seem to have an incredible need for security." The increased need for personal security among baby boomers prompted many builders during the 1990s to include home-security systems as standard features in all their units. Designers of luxury homes also offered "safe rooms" concealed underneath stairs, behind built-in bookshelves, or inside closets.

Home Design.

Other trends in home design that became popular during the 1990s included the addition of media rooms, home theaters, home offices, megabaths, and special-interest rooms, such as reading and music rooms, to support a variety of interests and...