Grout lines are forecasted to decrease in popularity. A release from the National Kitchen and Bath Association reported 89% of homeowners want to minimize or remove grout lines in their homes. Interior designers agree, noting the absence of grout allows for less maintenance therefore less chemicals in the home. “Less grout means less maintenance, which feels right for how people live today,” said Julie Beuerlein, founder of JKB Home Design. Designers also recommend minimizing lines by using full slab porcelain or quartz or large format tiles. “People’s lives seem to…
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Bathroom remodel design prioritizes lasting functionality
Bathroom remodel designs are being selected with a different goal in mind: Performance. While beauty is still an end goal, prioritizing how the bathroom functions as clients move in it throughout the day has become the primary focus during a remodel. Homes are aging and clients are thinking longer term. A bathroom can no longer be treated as a short-term upgrade, but as a space that must support daily routines for years to come. Wider clearances around vanities and toilets, door swings that do not interrupt traffic flow, shower entries…
Read MoreRemodel of the Week: Aptitude Design & Build
Aptitude Design & Build took on a never-renovated 1985 house in St. Charles, Miss. The project’s priorities were functionality, low maintenance and long-term livability. The project scope included two phases of renovations. The first in the kitchen, half bath and throughout the lower level. Matt Mierek grew Aptitude Design & Build from a side construction jobs with constant demand for his expertise. He began to take the business as his full time venture with the ethos of, “What would I do if this were my house?” The company quickly scaled…
Read MoreKitchen renovation designs to avoid
Designing a kitchen renovation can feel like a daunting task; trying to find a balance between a beautiful layout while still maintaining the functionality of one of the most frequently used rooms in a home. Interior designers assembled a list of mistakes to avoid while planning a kitchen renovation. Big kitchen islands seem like a good idea at the time, but they pose a risk of disrupting flow. “Some are so big you can’t reach the center of them to make use of the area or even clean it,” said…
Read MoreRemodelers expect influx with existing home sales rising
Existing home sales rose in February with lower mortgage rates and increased buyer confidence. According to the National Association of Realtors (NAR), existing home sales in February increased 1.7% to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 4.09 million. Inventory levels indicate a healthy supply. The price for all existing homes increased a modest 0.3% from the year before, with a $398,000 median sales price. “This marks the 32nd consecutive month of year-over-year increases,” said Fan-Yu Kuo, senior economist at NAHB. “Recent gains for home inventory will put downward pressure on resale…
Read MoreRenovating Homes and Lives
I recently presented a talk about my journey into this industry, and why I founded Hope Renovations, my nonprofit that prepares women and gender-expansive folks for jobs in construction and helps older adults age in place. In my talk I shared that, although the number of women in construction is now at a 20-year high, at this rate it will take about 200 years for us to achieve gender equity. When I started Hope in 2020, my intent was to help underemployed women access meaningful, living wage-paying work in an…
Read MoreConstruction industry accounts for a quarter of recent added jobs
Construction added 33,000 jobs in January, accounting for nearly a quarter of the 130,000 jobs added in the month. This is according to the U.S. Labor Department’s Jobs Report. The recently released ADP national employment report, construction payrolls increased by 19,000 jobs in February. This is out of the total 63,000 jobs added in February, the most since July 2025. While ADP report is not always predictive of the BLS report, it shows a strong construction sector. “Construction continues to be a powerful engine of economic growth. Strong hiring reflects sustained…
Read MoreRemodel of the Week: Trina Turk
Fashion designer-turned-builder Trina Turk added her own flare to a 1963 home renovation in Palm Springs, Calif. High in the Cahuilla Hills sat a home with peeling wallpaper in dull metallics, chipped tiles and flaking flocked patterns. The Soleil House was Turk’s first solo renovation project. The glass walls, asymmetrical pool and the home’s indoor-outdoor relationship felt classically midcentury; all aspects Turk wanted to preserve in the renovation. “I could tell what this house could look like, and what it could be, as soon as I walked in,” said Turk. …
Read MoreCabinets take center stage in kitchen renovations
Kitchen cabinets set the tone for the entire room, making this selection important in the kitchen renovation process. The largest visual element in the majority of kitchens, the material, color and style a client chooses will shape the entire design, from countertops to lighting. Cabinet trends heading into 2026 are less about chasing a single look and more about creating a kitchen that feels personal, warm and built to last. Wood-tone cabinets have overtaken white as the most popular choice in kitchen renovations. The emphasis is on celebrating the natural…
Read MoreFunctionality becomes primary goal in kitchen remodeling
Kitchen renovation design is changing, most prominently in the end goal. Functionality is becoming the primary focus, rather than a design that is purely aesthetic. Clients are looking past dramatic finishes and focusing on layouts, materials and planning methods that support real life, seeking kitchens that hold up under daily cooking, entertaining and family routines without constant maintenance or regret. This shift reflects a growing understanding that a kitchen is not a showroom, but one of the hardest-working rooms in the home. The most noticeable shift in 2026 kitchen design…
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