Custom-built furniture, even if the definition of “custom” is a bit loose, is in demand as renters and homeowners alike seek to personalize and add warmth to their spaces. For an extra polished built-in look, the Brownstone Boys recommend painting the walls, shelves, and cabinets all the same color. “Make it a deep rich color to create an even more dramatic design,” they say.
Colorful tile work
The demand for blindingly white subway tiles may only come from transit agencies next year. Designers are opting for splashy tiles for both walls and floors—and novice renovators are following suit. “Bold tilework is definitely trending,” says Chicago-based designer Corey Lohmann, who recently finished fitting a bathroom with forest green tiles. “Using colorful tilework in a bathroom or powder room is a perfect spot since they are smaller spaces and the commitment isn’t as big.”
Patient DIYers may even opt for intricate designs. Houzz’s 2024 home trend report mentions herringbone as a pattern on the rise. “Herringbone tile lay is one trend that we continue to watch, along with large square tiles instead of the more traditional 12×24 linear design,” Kirk says.
Anything but drywall
Gone are the days when people saved room for neutral space on their four walls. Murals, wallpaper borders, and paneling, rather, are the popular DIY projects that eliminate such blankness. Murals appeared 18 percent more often in listings on Zillow in 2023, according to Amanda Pendleton, Zillow’s home trends expert, and she expects that number to increase in 2024.
Even if you’re not a painter yourself, you can still add peel-and-stick murals on your own. “In a weekend, you can apply a floral wallpaper mural to your home office for a stunning Zoom background or add a large landscape to the dining room to dial up the drama,” Pendleton says.
Although wallpaper has been back in style for a few years, it’s easy-to-apply wallpaper borders that AD100 designer and artist Justina Blakeney predicts will enter the arena next year. “I’m seeing wallpaper borders begin to appear in rooms—around doorways, windows, and or around the perimeter of a room,” she says. “I love the decorative accent it brings, and the borders are also fun when applied in conjunction with a contrasting or complimentary wall covering.”
Mudroom-laundry room combos
Houzz’s 2024 home trend report cites “mud-laundry rooms” as a project that will proliferate next year. They’re exactly what they sound like: a mashup of a mudroom and a laundry room, serving two important purposes with the same amount of square footage.
Mudrooms and laundry rooms became especially important during the height of the pandemic, when people needed a “drop zone” to shed their masks and outside clothes before entering their homes. Builder Ben Neely, president of Riverbend Homes, says mudrooms connected to garages have become a priority for his clients.
“Most of the drop zones we are now designing include full cubby or locker spaces for each person in the home to hang jackets, shoes, electronics, and more,” Neely explains. “Drop zone sizes have increased significantly over the past few years as well.”