Remodeling Report for Chicago 2024, Part 2
According to the 2024 U.S Houzz & Home Study, “Kitchens continue to lead as the most commonly renovated interior room (29%), followed closely by guest bathrooms and primary bathrooms (27% and 25%, respectively).”1
There are many ways to elevate your kitchen and bathrooms to make them feel brand new, from paint color and tile patterns to fixtures and decor. You may be gearing up for a major bathroom remodel or have just a few minor upgrades to make. Here are some of the recent trends that may help you decide which way to go with your remodel.
Top trends in 2024 kitchen remodels:
- Countertop replacement
- Engineered quartz (90–94% quartz + flexible resins) is stain-resistant and heat-tolerant
- Sealed quartzite (a natural stone) is also popular, along with granite, sintered stone and marble
- Backsplash replacement 2
- Solid surfaces as backsplashes look incredibly luxe, and there are no grout lines to clean!
- Patterned tile (think: hex, chevron, herringbone) and subway designs
- In general, popular backsplash colors include warm neutrals, earth tones and muted colors
- Cabinet upgrades 3
- Natural wood gives a kitchen warmth, and white oak, alder and walnut are trending wood species
- Contemporary, modern, mid-century and Scandinavian design is popular
- Flat panel designs, free of hardware with push-to-open technology are hot
- Workstation sinks
- Separate stations for washing fruits/vegetables, cutting & chopping, and washing/drying dishes
- Induction cooktops
- Uses an electromagnetic field to cook food evenly and efficiently
- Blends the instant response time of gas with the easier cleanup (and environmental benefits) of electric appliances
- Boils water faster than either alternative, and is safer, because you can’t heat up a burner without a pan in place
- Generally outperforms every other kind of cooktop in Consumer Reports tests, delivering fast cooktop heat and superb simmering
- Beverage stations4
- Think coffee cabinets, smoothie centers and wine bars
- Include a mini fridge, sink and other features
- Drawers in lieu of lower cabinets5
- Offer better accessibility — you can pull the drawer out completely and see what you need without having to reach far back in a cabinet. Great for seniors and kids, too!
- Provide more storage space than cabinets for oversized countertop appliances when not in use (think blenders and air fryers) because they typically don’t have vertical dividers
- Cleaner aesthetic — can look like fine furniture or be streamlined and sophisticated
- More potential for flexibility and customization — choose drawer organizers that are tailored to your storage needs (cutlery, utensils, spices)
- More functional islands (the heart of the kitchen), incorporating workstation sinks, storage, and more seating
- Well curated, layered lighting — pendants over islands, wall sconces, small flush mounts replacing recessed lighting, table lamps, and lighted cabinet interiors
- Statement range hoods6 — according to the National Kitchen and Bath Association, a large majority of designers will choose wood, stainless steel, or mix of materials and metals to make the kitchen range hood a focal point
Opening up a kitchen creates more space to prepare meals and entertain friends and family. The old model involved cooking behind a closed door, then bringing the meal to family or guests, accompanied by ooohs and ahhhs. The problem with that scenario was that the cook usually ended up missing lots of the mingling. The open-concept kitchen/dining area allows everyone to engage with the cook.
Top trends in 2024 bathroom remodels
Kitchens aren’t the only rooms opening up — nearly half of bathroom remodels involve removing tubs and enclosed showers. When it comes to bathroom design, function is no longer the sole focus — many remodels incorporate features that focus on health and wellness. Wet rooms, which typically have minimal to no enclosure separating the shower or tub from the rest of the bathroom (aka “curbless” showers) have grown in popularity. Adding larger windows and skylights has also been a hot trend.
More trends in 2024 bathroom remodeling:
- Separate sinks, in place of the long, double vanity (provides more personal space for those who share a bathroom)
- Spa-like bathrooms
- Steam showers (science has shown they may contribute to allergy relief, lower blood pressure and better sleep)
- Saunas
- Natural materials such as ceramic, marble, wood, clay and natural stone: Ceramic tiles are the popular choice for both shower flooring and walls. The majority of renovating homeowners opt for rectangular tile for their shower walls, while trends for shower floor tiles vary, with rectangular, hexagonal, and square all being popular options. 7
- Dual shower heads with handheld shower headset
- White or off-white countertops: White and off-white dominate countertop color preferences, far ahead of gray.8
- Aging-in-Place accommodations: 64% of renovating homeowners are adding grab bars to their bathrooms.9
- Specialty toilets: According to Houzz, more than 2 in 5 renovating homeowners install toilets with specialty features, the majority of which are built into the toilet. Bidet toilet seats and bidet toilet seats with water pressure top the list of specialty features in toilets. Others also opt for self-cleaning functionality, air dryers and heated seats.10
- Colorful, botanical wallpaper provides a burst of energy to a small bathroom
Let’s bring your bathroom and kitchen dreams to life!
Whether you’re contemplating a major or minor kitchen or bathroom remodel, we can make your vision a reality. Schedule time to talk to a Get Dwell project manager today.
Sources:
1, 7, 8, 9, 10 “2024 U.S. Houzz & Home Study: Renovation Trends”, Houzz Research, March 27, 2024
2, 3, 4, 6 “14 Kitchen Trends Taking Over the Design Industry in 2024”, Real Simple, October 10, 2023, discussing The National Kitchen & Bath Association (NKBA) 2024 Kitchen Trends report
5 Tigar, Lindsay. “Why You Should Choose Kitchen Drawers Over Cabinets, According to Interior Designers”, Martha Stewart, June 29, 2023