Remodeling trends for 2025

Helpful advice on how to do it right

By Tim Spitzack | Editor | March 2025

For many homeowners, time spent indoors during the long winter evenings often leads to scrutinizing living spaces and dreaming of how to improve them. Late winter and early spring are ideal times to plan projects – both indoor and outdoor – and start searching for a contractor who can bring your ideas to fruition. This guide will tell you what’s trending for 2025 and offer tips on finding the right contractor. The design trends come from Houzz, a community of more than 70 million homeowners and home design enthusiasts, and over 3 million building, remodeling and design professionals.

Kitchens
Kitchen remodels remain a top priority in 2025, with a strong focus on adding functional upgrades such as pull-down faucets, large utility sinks, and cabinet and drawer organization systems. For style, the English country kitchen is in vogue, featuring rich woods and paint colors, countertops of soapstone and butcher block, large range alcoves, limestone backsplashes and wood ceiling beams. While wood is still the dominant kitchen flooring material of choice, stone tiling in varying sizes and shapes is suggested for those seeking a fresh look. Large-format tiles are set to be used on floors, walls and even backsplashes.

Saturated & bold colors
Colors for floors, walls and furnishings are trending toward richer, bolder hues, providing a distinct contrast to any room. Adding patterns and textured elements to rooms with wallpaper, tiles and textiles will add depth and personality.

Multi-use flex spaces
Garages are being used to create spaces for a home gym, office, studio, media room, or hobby space.

Age-in-place
Practical projects include replacing bathtubs with curbless showers equipped with seating, installing slip-resistant flooring, and upgrading door and cabinet handles to more ergonomic options.

Open concept
The most popular transformations include merging kitchen and dining areas or removing walls between living room and kitchens to make it easier to interact with family and entertain guests.

Outdoor spaces
Outdoor kitchens continue to be the rage, with homeowners adding luxury appliances like pizza ovens, steam ovens, elaborate grills and smokers, and stainless-steel appliances. Adding lush greenery around outdoor living spaces is also trending, particularly using native plants. In addition to adding beauty and color, native plants provide food and habitat for pollinators and wildlife, and natural cooling effects.

Infrared heaters, fire pits, and outdoor fireplaces add ambiance and keep you warm on the cool nights, and misting systems and fans provide relief from the summer heat. Soft lighting features, such as fairy lights, lanterns, and LED candles are also popular.

Bold colors and designs for patio furniture are in. Add spark to your patio with vibrant cushions, colorful throw pillows and patterned rugs. Modular furniture sets are popular due to their versatility. They can easily be rearranged for various needs and to accommodate groups or private relaxation.

Projects worth the investment
For those looking to sell or refinance, these projects provide the highest return on investment.

• Garage door replacement
• Entry door replacement
• Siding, fiber-cement or vinyl
• Deck additions, wood or composite
• Kitchen remodel
• Bathroom remodel
• HVAC upgrade

Top 10 steps to prepare for your next remodeling project

Whether you are planning to add a fence or deck to your backyard, doors or windows, or undergo an extensive remodel, these tips from the Minnesota Chapter of the National Association of the Remodeling Industry will help save you time, money and headaches on your project.

Research – Taking time to research projects on the internet and nari.org will provide a good sense of what is involved regarding cost, scope of work, return on investment and material options. You should also research property values in your neighborhood to make sure your project is in line with other homes in the area.

Long-term plan – To ensure your project is worth the investment, consider how long you will stay in your home and how your neighborhood and family structure might change over time.

Set your budget – Deciding on a realistic budget and arranging finances to support your project are essential. Share your budget with your remodeler.

Finding professionals – Ask friends, family and neighbors for referrals and research the recommended individuals or companies online. Professional remodelers take their reputation seriously and hold credentials beyond licensing, such as certifications, memberships in trade associations and additional training. Check online reviews to see how they interacted with past clients and peers.

Ask the right questions – Ask your professional remodeler about their educational background, training, experience, specialties or past issues with clients, and how the remodeling process will work.

Verify your remodeler – Check the information you receive, including references, license numbers, insurance information and certifications by calling providers to verify. If you are undertaking a large project, you might want to request a visit to an active client’s jobsite and talk to the homeowner.

Review contracts word by word – A remodeling contract protects you and your remodeler. Homeowners should review contracts carefully and ask questions about terms or items they don’t understand. Pay attention to details about change orders, payment, additional fees, timeline and responsibilities. If it’s not in the contract, it doesn’t exist.

Keep design in mind – Your design guides the entire project. Think about what you dislike about your current space and the intended use of the new space. Use websites such as Pinterest.com and Houzz.com to gather design ideas.

Make your selections – Deciding on products and materials is a larger process than most imagine. With so many options to choose from, product selections are one of the primary reasons that project timelines get extended. Base decisions on quality, function, price, style and availability. Include selections in the contract to lock down pricing and keep your budget intact.

Create a communication plan – A common downfall in remodeling is lack of communication between homeowners and remodelers. Your remodeler should lay out a communication plan at the beginning of the project. If not, ask them to do so. This plan should clarify roles of everyone involved, communication methods, availability and frequency of communication that is expected.

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