More than half of homeowners who participated in the eleventh annual Houzz & Home survey of nearly 70,000 U.S. respondents renovated their homes in 2021 (55 percent). Kitchen projects are the most popular among renovating homeowners and command the highest spend followed by guest bathrooms, laundry rooms, living room and guest bedrooms, in decreasing spend order.

Specifically, there are other considerations that we should give weight to when renovating our homes that are just as worthy of talking about, such as sustainability, healthy home must-haves, multifunctionality (two-island kitchens, for example), bringing the outdoor in with outdoor kitchens and entertainment, work from home (WFH) by making your space work for you.

Sustainability Homes that are constructed with sustainability in mind have proven to incur lower maintenance costs, reduce expenditure on utilities and provide a higher return on investment, according to Acme Brick.

Healthy Home Must have’s may include a “whole home” air purifier or antibacterial-tile, safety features like backup generators or hurricane-resistant design.

Multi-Functionality Single-use space may be a thing of the past, such as carving out home-office space in a home gym or incorporating a second island in the kitchen (one for tasks, one for entertaining, work or homework).

Bringing the Outside In Outdoor entertainment space makes sense as a popular trend in the aftermaths of Covid-19 with outdoor kitchens supporting the demand for outdoor entertainment space. The outdoor entertainment space trend is further supported by the American Institute of Architect’s 2021 survey that shows strong wellness design and home safety trends increasing from 61 percent to 70 percent among respondents compared to last year.

Wondering What’s Not Trending?

Word Art was at the top of the list! No more large letters reminding us of what room we’re in. Ouch.

Granite Overload Do away with too much dark granite in your kitchen.

Placing a TV Above a Fireplace If possible, it is suggested that you put your TV on the left or right side of the fireplace.

Oversized Clocks This trend is on the wane, according to Wayfair’s style advisor, Nadia McCowan Hill, as in her words, “we look to integrate our timekeepers into our interiors in a more discreet fashion.”

To view more What’s Not and What’s Trending in home renovations, please visit Acme Brick.

Happy Renovating in 2022!

Photography | Julie Soefer Photography, Adam Kuehl, Flower Magazine; Jared Kuzia, Greg Premru, NEH