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Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate has released its 2025 Home Trends Insights, which outlines how homebuyers and homesellers are maximizing their spaces with affordable, high-ROI renovations.
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Ginger Wilcox
Hybrid rooms, mudrooms, laundry rooms and kitchens are at the top of the renovation list, BHGRE CEO Ginger Wilcox said. The popularity of these rooms took off during early-pandemic lockdowns, which forced homeowners to make their homes into multifunctional spaces for work and play. That lockdown time, albeit past, has continued to guide consumer preferences.
“People are looking at their homes differently, and obviously, I think 2020 put a focus on how to make the most out of your home,” Wilcox told Inman. “We’re seeing things like hybrid spaces, a home office that doubles as a workout room, and mudrooms become important for people. [Mudrooms] are getting a lot of attention with things like built-in cubbies, hooks, storage, which ultimately make lives easier. We know it’s always important to have a place to drop the keys.”
“Kitchens continue to be a major focus with updates like cabinets, fresh fixtures, and under-cabinet lighting to make it easier to see backsplashes and small nooks where people can either be doing work or they can do meal planning,” she added. “Laundry rooms are a big thing; they’re no longer an afterthought. They’re adding things like folding stations and shelves. Things like that are all new and interesting parts of our trends report.”
Although hybrid rooms, mudrooms and laundry rooms are a hit with buyers and sellers across the board, there are generational preferences agents should be aware of. Forty-eight percent of Gen-Zers gravitate toward maximalist design with bold colors, rich textures and patterns, and plenty of tchotchkes.
Meanwhile, 67 percent of millennials love a minimalist aesthetic inspired by Scandinavian and Japanese design. Cottage and farmhouse design continues to be a favorite among all generations, with both trends experiencing annual popularity growth of 70 percent and 67 percent, respectively.
“It’s interesting [that] we’re seeing farmhouse and cottage decor still are growing in popularity,” Wilcox said. “I think it reflects people’s desire to still have sort of that cozy, charming aesthetic and comfort in their home. What’s universal is that people see their homes as both a financial investment and an emotional investment. Homes serve as a sort of anchor, so people approach their spaces with intention for how they’re looking to live their life.”
The report found that homebuyers and homesellers are taking varied approaches to renovations, with some opting to do DIY painting, vinyl floor removal, backsplash upgrades, and other low-risk projects like wainscoting and millwork. However, they’re leaving more labor-intensive or high-skill projects, like landscaping, major decluttering, deep cleaning and staging, to professionals.
“We’re seeing an openness to fixer-uppers, especially among younger buyers — social media has made it easier to find how to do almost anything,” Wilcox said. “But we still recommend that people hire a professional, especially if they’re thinking about some of those bigger renovations. Renovations can have a really big impact when you think about resale value, but it has to be well executed.”
Alongside the report, BHGRE is encouraging affiliates to complete the BHGRE Trendmakers Accreditation. The year-old accreditation course teaches agents how to understand consumer trends and leverage them in their businesses. Thanks to BHGRE’s connection with Better Homes and Gardens and Dotdash Meredith, the brokerage gets cutting-edge trends data and insights from design and renovation professionals.
“The program is designed to ensure that our agents stay up to date. My vision is that it’s not a ‘take it, get it and forget it’ course because trends are changing constantly,” Wilcox said. “It’s a course that is going to be constantly evolving to make sure that we’re helping agents understand how to find trends in their local market and bring in that national and global expertise that can give them a holistic picture of what makes a home livable, interesting and relevant for buyers.”
