Key Takeaways:

• Welcome back home theaters—and say hello to yoga studios and the sophisticated lounges.
• Landscaping is incorporating more native, untamed lawns and pools.
• Steam ovens are a bonus for healthy meals.

Home design trends that are expected to loom large in 2022 are an evolution of what started during the pandemic when life was disrupted and more homeowners started reevaluating their surroundings. Cases in point: the rise of the home office and backyard pools.

Some hot trends started years earlier, including energy efficiency, conservation of natural resources (especially in fire- and hurricane-ravaged areas), and affordable housing.

In addition, each cohort has its own wish list—baby boomers want lower maintenance and millennials want strong broadband connectivity.

One caveat: Know that there’s no universal agreement about what’s in and what’s out, even among our pundits who offered these ideas.

1. High-Speed Internet and Broadband: A home office or workspace remains essential for many home buyers, but if a house doesn’t have a good digital infrastructure, work-from-home buyers may not be interested, says associate broker Lori Hoffman with the Usha Subramaniam Team at Compass in Chappaqua, a suburb of New York. “Young buyers coming from urban areas expect it, yet it’s not always available,” she says. Her advice is to make sure high speed is available for your buyers, and if it’s not, find an alternative before they invest.

2. Quality, Quality, Quality: Location may still be king, but buyers want quality in building materials, systems, and appliances since they know how hard it is to secure materials due to supply chain disruptions and find a contractor who’s available and can get the work done right. “They don’t want inexpensive gray and white vanities with a composition top. They prefer something like a dark navy or sleek modern dark wood with a thick porcelain top, something that echoes Mid-Century style,” Hoffman says. They also want personalized items that suggest quality, such as a kitchen island that resembles a piece of furniture, says J.T. Norman, business development, product, and design innovation specialist at Kitchen Magic in Nazareth, Pa. Buyers also prefer that original brick is left unpainted but given trim that’s accented with a dark color, says architect Eddie Maestri, founder of Maestri Studio in Dallas.

3. An Encore for Home Theaters, and a Welcoming to Yoga Studios and Sophisticated Lounges: After losing appeal because they took up too much space, home theaters are popular again as homeowners seek more at-home entertainment. Most are constructed on the first floor or lower level, says designer Joe Fava, CEO of Fava Design Group in Miami. A newcomer to the trends list is a yoga studio as homeowners look for ways to unwind and stay fit at home, he says. Maestri also has received more requests for an intimate living space—what he terms a lounge or parlor—that includes club chairs and a bar, but no TV.

4. Purple is the New Gray (or Black): Once considered the color of royalty, purple has become one of the “reigning” requests in the increasingly colorful world of home design, says Scottsdale, Ariz.–based designer Julia Buckingham of Julia Buckingham Interiors. “It’s a jewel tone that is both rich and neutral as a base for bright or more earthy hues.”

In one project, she mixed it with a lively red and a natural stone chandelier. “It plays well with both vintage and modern, which makes my ‘Modernique’ heart very happy,” she says.

Norman says an earthy khaki green is also a current favorite choice. Color expert Amy Wax of Your Color Source predicts the popular colors in 2022 will relate to nature. She anticipates softer greens, earthy taupes, warm browns, and off-whites. We may also see a nod to happier times and a carefree lifestyle in the form of brighter teals, Kelly greens, peaches, and oranges.

5. More Outdoor Changes: Having a yard or balcony gained ground during the pandemic and remains a big draw for buyers. As homeowners spent more time outdoors, their wish list for that space evolved. Hoffman finds that buyers want a flat yard that’s more usable than a hilly one. More people want a pool, so much so that many installers are booked into next year. Huntsville, Utah–based landscape architect Laurie Van Zandt of The Ardent Gardener says she usually designs one or two a year, but in 2021 she designed eight. A fire pit is also still high on wish lists, but an elaborate outdoor kitchen with a pizza oven and beer tap has waned in popularity—many found they rarely use these bells and whistles. What’s needed is a good 42-inch grill and cabinetry, says Chicago kitchen designer Mick De Giulio of de Giulio Kitchen Design.

When it comes to furnishings, Van Zandt says several clients have asked for nostalgic items that remind them of their grandparents, such as a porch swing, or have wanted to reflect their heritage through plant choices, colors, or design items. They also favored less-manicured gardens and yards with native grass seed blends.

Greenwich, Conn.–based landscape architect Janice Parker says she has started incorporating lighting that looks like it comes from a natural source, such as candles. In climates where bugs are prevalent or homeowners want to extend their outdoor enjoyment, there’s greater interest in screened porches, says home staging expert Kristie Barnett of Nashville-based The Decorologist. To connect outdoor or quasi-outdoor spaces to indoors, more homeowners are replacing windows with movable glass walls, says Norman.

6. Mid-Century Modern + Contemporary Chic: Design styles vary, but there’s agreement that a house with Mid-Century Modern architectural details and home furnishings stay a favorite, followed closely by contemporary, so long as the latter is warm and inviting rather than cold and spare, says Fava.

7. First-Floor Bedroom: Yes or No? Some experts say a house without a first-level bedroom is challenged. Not so, says Hoffman, who says it depends on who’s sleeping there. “It’s more important to boomers. My younger buyers considering a two-story home want all the bedrooms to be together on the upper level,” she says.

8. Open Plan Living? Yes, But … While there’s no single plan that appeals universally, Hoffman finds that most of her buyers still want an open concept plan. “A choppy plan with rooms broken up takes longer to sell, and the kitchen has to open to some sort of family room. However, the dining room can be its own room,” she says. When there’s a separate traditional living room, she finds her buyers ask, “What do I do with this room?” Others say the openness between rooms is closing a bit. “Homeowners still want sight lines from a kitchen to family room, but they no longer need rooms in a row and prefer some separation, maybe, with pocket doors or an island,” says Maestri.

9. Maximalism: The minimalism of the last few years is fading, while maximalism is soaring. What that means is rooms are being filled with comfortable furnishings, rugs, art, and collections with character, according to Laurel Vernazza, home design expert at The Plan Collection, a company that sells house plan designs. The fresh look doesn’t mean crowded, overstuffed spaces. One way to achieve the look is by mixing materials, like stones, metals (lots of bronze and less polished chrome and brushed nickel of recent years), fabrics with a nubby feel, different woods, and trendy matte black hues. “It’s a way to add richness,” says Fava, who finds clients want cocktail tables with several metal finishes or sofas with a metallic base. Another way to inject the look is to use curved elements instead of straight lines, such as arched openings, barrel-vaulted ceilings, and curvy furniture and walkways, says Vernazza. There’s also more architectural detail like fluting, Maestri says.

10. Spotlight on Ceilings: Periodically, the fifth wall of a room gains prominence. Now is one of those moments. The ceiling is being designed to stand out and be more attractive. Dated ceilings, such as those with the popcorn look, textured Styrofoam, or bumpy stucco are being targeted by homeowners for remodeling. Ted Speers, president of The Patch Boys, a national drywall, ceiling, and plaster repair franchise, suggests owners first test for asbestos, then scrape off the texture, repair the ceiling with drywall compound, and sand.

In upper-level rooms, designers like Buckingham make lighting fixtures the focal point of a ceiling or stairwell to create a modern art display that adds height, volume, and a light play when lit. But the caveat, she says, is that it can be a “beast to navigate the correct proportions and heights.” That’s where an interior designer can help. What’s out, she says, are small, mass-produced, lantern fixtures in an industrial or farmhouse style. Maestri likes to use high-gloss paint for reflectivity or wallpaper.

11. Smaller, But Not Tiny: Ever since author and architect Sarah Susanka published her first book on smaller homes in 1998, The Not So Big House, there’s been interest in how smaller homes can offer comfortable, functional living. Author Sherri Koones’ book, Bigger than Tiny, Smaller than Average, also explores the subject. Smaller houses—2,000 square feet or less—are in high demand but short supply. The reasons for their popularity, Koones says, are that people are getting married later and having fewer children, while boomers are opting for smaller homes. Certain features help spaces look larger and function better, such as integrated outdoor areas, high ceilings, light-colored walls, open floor plans, well-placed windows, and niches and hallways that serve as workspaces.

12. All-Electric Homes: More homeowners understand the importance of “decarbonizing” everything from products to transportation, and especially their homes, says Chicago- and Boulder, Colo.-based architect Nate Kipnis of Kipnis Architecture + Planning. “The way we can best do this is by eliminating all fossil fuels use from houses and including induction cooktops rather than gas for cooking, which offers safer, faster, and more even cooking,” he says. Kipnis recommends using either an air-source heat pump (mini-split) for the HVAC system or a ground source system (geothermal). The big payoff, he says, is that renewable energy has become the cheapest form of electricity generation.

13. Multifamily Breakout Spaces: The pandemic taught developers and managers of multifamily buildings the importance of flexible shared spaces for socializing and work, termed breakout rooms by some. All the buildings that Keith Gillan’s Maryland-based firm Murn Management runs include such spaces for shared use, plus smaller conference rooms on each residential level. Another change in his company’s buildings is bigger residential units to facilitate working from home. “It’s not that much more expensive to do so at the beginning of the design process and be sure every apartment has a den,” Gillan says.

Bonus Trend: New Model for Affordable Multifamily Living

In urban centers, affordable housing is in great demand, yet there are often obstacles to developing it. A new zoning rule in New York is giving rise to a new way to bring affordable units to underserved neighborhoods—it’s termed “transgenerational housing.” An early example of this growing trend now occupies the corner of 700 Manida St. in the Bronx’s Hunts Point neighborhood. Designed by RKTB Architects for nonprofits MHANY Management and Nos Quedamos, Phoenix Estates II is one of the first developments to employ the Affordable Independent Residences for Seniors program, a modification of Zoning for Quality and Affordability rules that the city adopted in 2016. “Utilizing the new rule made the project financially feasible by including senior units in the development plan, which increased the amount of developable floor area allowed on the site by 45%,” says RKTB principal Alex Brito, lead architect on the project. Of the 108 studios and 1-, 2-, and 3-bedroom units, 100% are affordable and 48 studios and one 1-bedroom unit are reserved for seniors. The programming for Phoenix Estates II also commingles seniors and families rather than group them separately. The result fosters a sense of community and a more stable and positive living environment for all. The project team’s success in leveraging an obscure zoning rule is inspiring other designers and nonprofit developers to follow.

National Association of REALTORS®
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The kitchen is the heart of the house where everyone congregated during the pandemic, and it’s still the go-to room for multiple functions—that means it keeps changing.

Key Takeaways:

• White still reigns but color shows up in cabinetry, appliances, and countertops.
• Lighting is now in layers rather than a trio of pendants above an island.
• Steam ovens are the hottest new appliance.

The kitchen became an even more significant heart of the home during the pandemic as the focal point for gathering, working, entertaining, and, of course, cooking, says Joe Fava, CEO of Fava Design Group in Miami. Now, homeowners are putting more into their kitchen space—literally. They’re buying larger refrigerators, freezers, and sinks, and second dishwashers and ovens, he says.

Homeowners are entertaining and cooking even more at home, and the price tag reflects their exuberance. Those who can afford to do so spend upwards of $100,000 on kitchen upgrades. But your clients don’t have to pay that much to get a kitchen they love. Much smaller, less costly improvements can make any kitchen more appealing. Here’s how.

Think color. Kitchen colors are changing. Although white cabinets remain the most popular choice, according to the Houzz design site, the trend is moving toward additional color and warmth to give the room more personalized, says designer Kristie Barnett of The Decorologist in Nashville. Medium green cabinetry is becoming popular, as well as dramatic quartzite countertops and backsplashes. Some reflect hues as vivid as purple, says Fava.

The use of green is part of a bigger trend dubbed “forest bathing,” which means being surrounded by natural materials and spending time among nature to calm oneself, which the Japanese call shinrin-voku. If you can’t walk in a forest, some say bringing the colors in can help destress. The nature-inspired shades and textures are turning up in unexpected places like cabinetry, appliances, and hoods, says J.T. Norman with Kitchen Magic in Nazareth, Pa. For example, Fulgor Milano’s “Sofia” professional range door color kits offer six matte and glossy hues.

Think wood. In addition to color, wood veneers are also in vogue as part of the forest bathing trend, says Fava. “Clients come to us with an interest in a warmer aesthetic of a wood veneer in anigre, an exotic wood, or sometimes a lighter wood color.” The younger generation is more interested in sustainable materials and designs than older clientele, he says. Because of the wood veneers, some cabinets no longer require hardware and depend on a touch latch to open and a button to close. But for those cabinets that use hardware, they’re showing up in a variety of metals: gold, champagne, matte black, and rubbed oil bronze. Norman is seeing more greiges or warm brown and taupe tones returning as part of this outdoor vibe.

Light in layers. With advancements in LED technology, new lighting options continue to roll out, according to kitchen designer Mick De Giulio of de Giulio Kitchen Design in Chicago. “You can now incorporate small, beautiful lights in colors that range from 2700 to 3000 Kelvin—warm to cool—and layer different effects throughout any room,” he says. In a kitchen, De Giulio likes to use lighting to outline a room’s features—floor toe kicks, cabinets, backsplashes. For more decorative purposes, he may add wall sconces or a linear fixture above a kitchen island. Recessed cans have gone out of style because they make a ceiling look cluttered.

Consider simpler but varied cabinets. Cabinetry is going in a few different directions. Some are taking cues from European-inspired design. Elmwood recently introduced a collection called “Renaissance” that offers a choice of metallic paint hues in gold, silver, copper, all inspired by the continent’s great palaces. Simpler, more modern is also in, which means less maintenance is needed, says Norman.

Architect Eddie Maestri of Maestri Studio agrees and sees fewer Shaker boxes and more taupe-gray color of the wood and other colors if the kitchen is traditional. In his own kitchen, he used brass for upper cabinet doors and black walnut for lower ones.

Cook healthier and smarter. Some homeowners consider a steam oven today’s “it” appliance choice because allows for healthy cooking. Fulgor Milano’s 30-inch model allows optimal vitamin retention and flavor and works as a steam, convection, and combi-steam cooking unit. Smart appliances that can be paired with a smartphone via download apps are also desirable among homeowners. Smart refrigerators, for example, alert homeowners when they’re low on items so groceries can be ordered. Smart ovens can be turned on via an app to preheat even when homeowners aren’t home, says Norman.

Try larger flooring tiles. Fava is using more large-format porcelain tiles in the kitchen today—as big as 30 by 60 inches instead of plank styles, which, he says, “have seen their day.” Norman also likes larger tiles but in luxury vinyl that better mimics wood. Maestri steers clear of hardwoods and prefers “statement” tile in concrete, depending on the house, he says.

Go seamless with the backsplash and countertop. The same material is being used for both areas to offer a less choppy, seamless look, says Norman. He favors quartz. Maestri likes this approach, too, or using two similar designs in quartzite, marble, or certain granites.

Double the island. One island is considered great, but now two are twice as good (if there’s room). “It’s a twin to the existing island,” says Norman, whose clients are willing to take down a wall to make it feasible. Instead of using the same island, Maestri might include a design that resembles furniture, which can also function as a barrier between a less open kitchen and adjoining living space.

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Homeowners have been busy sprucing up their properties during the pandemic. Even as the year winds down, their desires aren’t fading. More than 70% of U.S. homeowners recently surveyed say they are planning or considering a home renovation project before the end of the year, according to a survey from Dewalt, a tool manufacturer and Stanley Black & Decker brand. They’re focused on bathrooms, kitchens, bedrooms, porches, patios, decks, and landscaping projects in that order, the survey shows.

But finding a contractor to help do the job has become a pressing challenge. Also, material shortages abound. Both issues are delaying many projects and making them more expensive.

Eighty-four percent of consumers surveyed say they plan to use a professional contractor for their project. But more than half of survey respondents—56%—who’ve reached out to a contractor say they were told they’d have to wait at least three months for work to start.

The contractors most in demand are electricians, flooring installers, plumbers, window contractors, and structural work contractors, the Dewalt survey finds.

Why Renovations Are Growing

Home renovations are being motivated for multiple reasons, from making homeowners happier with their current home to adding extra space to even make a home more sellable.

“In the short term, many homeowners who deferred projects—both large and small—in 2020 are expected to complete those renovations once the pandemic is over,” Kermit Baker, director of the remodeling futures program at the Joint Center for Housing Studies, said in a report this spring, Improving America Housing 2021. “Additionally, there has been an upturn in homeownership as younger households look to purchase homes, the number of multigenerational households has been growing, and remote work has given people more locational flexibility and the desire to modify their homes.”

Many recent renovations also are being driven by natural disasters, too, such as hurricanes and tornadoes. The U.S. had 22 disasters that caused a record high of $1 billion or more in damages last year.

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Renovating a kitchen has become popular with many homeowners looking to spice up the look of their space. As they take on projects, they’re showing more interest in splurging on finishes and materials to get the high-end look they want, according to a new study from Houzz.

Countertops are one area where homeowners are willing to pay more. “It is clear that homeowners are willing to spend a little more to get exactly what they want in countertops that are both beautiful and practical, despite rising prices of labor, products, and materials,” says Marine Sargsyan, Houzz’s senior economist.

Houzz’s 2022 Kitchen Trends Study, a survey of about 2,400 homeowners who are in the midst of planning a kitchen renovation or who have recently completed one, offered insights into some of the following trends:

Quartz countertops dominate: One-third of renovating homeowners say they splurged on the countertops. They’re favoring style, durability, and ease of cleaning over the costs. Engineered quartz and granite are the most popular at 42% and 24%, respectively. Homeowners most often are choosing white for their countertops.

Supersized kitchen islands: Homeowners are expanding their kitchen islands. Many renovating owners say they’ve stretched the length of their islands to more than 7 feet. Homeowners also are turning the spotlight on these larger islands, with many renovators saying they’ve installed new light fixtures above their kitchen islands.

Vinyl flooring is a growing choice: Vinyl or resilient flooring continues to grow in popularity, nearly doubling in popularity since 2019 to 23%, according to the Houzz survey. Vinyl flooring now has overtaken ceramic and porcelain tile, now at 19%, a decline of five percentage points over the past year. Hardwood flooring, however, leads flooring materials in kitchens at 25%.

White and gray are the top color choices: White continues to lead as the top choice for kitchen cabinets, backsplashes, and walls. Gray is the most common alternative to white, with 27% of renovating homeowners painting the kitchen walls gray, 13% installing gray flooring, and 11% opting for a gray backsplash, according to Houzz’s survey. Other colors are also increasing in popularity, including blue, black, and green, bringing contrasts in areas such as kitchen island cabinets.

High-tech appliances: This is another area where homeowners said they were willing to splurge to get what they want. Rising in popularity are kitchen appliances that have features like wireless and smartphone controls. Also, nearly one in five homeowners are incorporating beverage refrigerators in their renovated kitchens and adding wine refrigerators.

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As the homebuying and remodeling spree continues amid the pandemic, homeowners are showing they really care about what their home looks like. Google searches for “interior design styles” have increased 40% in the past week alone, according to a study from Uswitch, a mortgage comparison firm.

Researchers analyzed more than 4 million pins across Pinterest to find which decor styles are the most desired across each room of a home and to determine the most popular interior design trends overall on Pinterest.

The most popular pinned style is vintage, the study found. “It appears it’s ‘in with the old and out with the new’ as vintage comes in at number one,” researchers note.

Broken down by room, other style favorites also emerged. For example, in the bathroom, contemporary designs that center on clean lines and neutral colors, along with dashes of black, have gained popularity. In the home office, the industrial look was a favorite, characterized by large open spaces, lots of textures, and bare brick walls.

In the family room, homeowners favored a rustic style that shows naturally aged, casual design and usually includes a color palette of greens, browns, and autumn colors.

In the kitchen, Pinterest users favored vintage looks, which offered a warm, nostalgic feel. Homeowners are choosing paint colors, furniture, and even some appliances to create a vintage feel in the kitchen.

National Association of REALTORS®
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The kitchen pantry has become a craved amenity in more homes today. They may be worthy of your attention if staging the space in a home listing.

Larger, more functional pantries are a popular add-on in home remodels, according to the latest trends study released by the National Kitchen & Bath Association.

Sixty percent of designers and industry professionals said adding a “working pantry” has become one of the leading emerging kitchen ideas, the survey shows. The pantry has become a space not only for storing food but might also have working areas for small appliances, like coffee machines, as well as storage space for serving dishes, pots, and pans, Forbes.com reports on the trend. Microwaves are increasingly being placed in the pantry too.

Also, beyond just shelves in the pantry, homeowners are adding in roll-outs, specialty organizers, and deep drawers in upgrading their pantry spaces.

James Barry, CEO of seasonings brand Pluck and a private chef, told Forbes.com that he’d even suggest converting a kitchen utility closet to a food pantry. A walk-in food pantry would be even better, he says.

Barry also recommends having shallow shelves so you can see everything easily in the pantry. “I want everything to be visible,” he told Forbes.com. “The deeper the shelf, the harder it is to see everything. If the shelf is wide and deep, a rack that elevates or tiers the pantry items is great.”

Get staging and storage ideas for making over a kitchen pantry: Kitchen Pantries You’ll Envy

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