The Wide World of Real Estate January 3, 2024

10 Home Design Trends Your Clients Will Love in 2024

Melissa Dittman Tracey    12/5/2023
Houzz, a remodeling website, chimes in with predictions for the most buzzworthy home features in the new year.
Kitchen with backsplash
Bathroom with handmade features
Backyard with pavers

Stylish storage, bolder patterns and textures and colors beyond the whites and grays are expected to shake up home design in 2024. Houzz, a home renovation and design platform, weighs in with its predictions for the home trends gaining traction. Here’s Houzz’s list of what to watch.


Blending the Backsplashes

Backsplashes are becoming a bigger kitchen statement and stretching to new heights. In making the backsplash more of a focal point, designers are installing a slab of stone or quartz behind the range or countertop while keeping the surrounding backsplash in tile. The slab backsplash usually will match the kitchen countertop and, in a dramatic display, stretch all the way to the ceiling in a vertical focal point of the stone’s graphic veining.


Adding Fluted Details

This texturized detail is accenting bathroom vanities, the backs and sides of kitchen islands and living room furniture. The aesthetic creates a “rough statement-making detail beneath island countertops, bathroom vanities and dining room tables, adding visual texture and interest,” Houzz says.


Infusing Cozy, Warm Neutrals

Say goodbye to cool grays and stark whites. Warm neutrals, such as beiges, creamy off-whites and rich browns, are moving in. Whether in the kitchen or elsewhere in the home, expect more of these softer neutrals to bring a “calmer, more welcoming environment,” the report says. Designers recommend using different tones, as well as textures and patterns, to create a layered look that adds depth to home design.


Singing the Blues

Blue color schemes are a hot trend for 2024. Several paint companies have chosen shades of blue as their 2024 Color of the Year, from Benjamin Moore’s bright “Blue Nova” to Sherwin-Williams’ softer “Upward.” “Whether it’s a sky-inspired hue or deep watery blue color, look for an array of blues to be featured more prominently in decorative materials and housewares in the coming year,” Houzz says.


Making ‘Old’ New Again

More homeowners are incorporating more traditional details and materials into their home design, the report says. This not only can create “a timeless style” but also “a sustainable choice during renovations,” the Houzz report adds. “Even modern homes are incorporating ‘old’ elements, such as brick, handmade clay tiles, rustic wood elements and arches that offer ‘quiet luxury.’”


Getting Sentimental With Handmade Flairs

Along with a timeless style, more homeowners also are embracing handmade features and details for a one-of-a-kind look. This could include handmade tiles and custom bathroom vanities. For example, in a separate report, the 2023 Houzz U.S. Bathroom Trends Report found that the majority of renovating homeowners are opting for custom or semi-custom vanities, breaking away from a cookie-cutter look in favor of uniqueness.


A Stylish ‘Appliance Garage’

Clever storage solutions are gaining traction as homeowners look to tuck away all those countertop appliances, like the air fryer, coffee makers and blenders. An appliance garage allows easy access while also offering up a sliding cabinet or specialized cabinetry to hide all the gadgets.


Modernizing Herringbone Patterns

Herringbone patterns are making a comeback, but with a twist. It’s becoming a go-to pattern for kitchens and bathrooms, but the “typically horizontally zigs are beginning to zag in new directions—diagonally or vertically—to create an updated look with visual interest, movement and texture,” the Houzz report says.


Making the ‘Mud-Laundry Room’

Two areas are getting combined in creating the “mud-laundry room.” The idea is to help tackle the mess at the entry points of a home. “This increasingly popular setup lets homeowners place grimy sports uniforms, sandy beach towels or muddy winter coats directly into the wash before they track dirt further into a home,” the Houzz report says. Some must-haves for the mud-laundry room: a utility sink to soak dirty clothes or muddy boots right away, as well as plenty of cabinets, hooks and cubbies to organize entryway gear, and a bench for taking on and off shoes.


Looking in-Between the Pavers

Greenery is getting tucked between outdoor pavers on walkways to add visual interest. “Whether driven by aesthetic requests or as a byproduct of maintaining onsite drainage, we’re seeing increased interest in greenery tucked between pavers,” the Houzz report says. “Garden paths and patios made of pavers, separated by ground cover, have gained popularity due to their natural look, permeability and design versatility. This approach softens pathways, breaks up large expanses of hardscape and generally makes a walkway or patio feel more like a lush, living part of a garden.”