Shag carpet was all the rage in the 1970s. Wallpaper borders and glass bricks were beloved in the 1980s. Along came the blonde wood in the 1990s. And now, these features are some of the first things to go when planning a home remodel.
Wondering which current home design trends are heading to join the others in extinction? We posed that question to real estate agents. Here’s what they think is becoming totally overdone:
Barn doors
They started as an interesting accent, but now barn doors are everywhere, says James McGrath, a licensed real estate broker and the co-founder of New York City real estate brokerage Yoreevo.
“Not only have they become overdone, they never really made any sense,” he says. “They are terrible at blocking sound since they just hang over the doorway.” Plus, barn doors feel mismatched in more modern or contemporary homes, McGrath says.
All gray everything
Gray floors, gray walls, gray kitchen cabinets! Treating gray as a neutral is something that’s starting to feel predictable, says Samira Tapia, a Los Angeles-based Realtor with Compass: “I specifically have buyers asking me not to send them any all-gray listings.”
All-white kitchens
Remember black stone countertops—the ones that were trendy at the turn of the century but now look dated now? The all-white kitchen could be headed in that direction, too, says New York City agent Steven Gottlieb of Warburg Realty.
“We are seeing earthier colors now, including dark wood paneling on the cabinetry and stone countertops,” he says. He doubts the all-white kitchen will pull down sales, but any trend that has a big moment eventually dates itself.
Earlier this week the grays were on their way out, but it may take a while. Can you believe that 34% are removing the bathtub? From Houzz:
Anticipating Aging Needs: The majority of baby boomers (ages 55 or older) are addressing current or future needs of aging household members during master bathroom renovations (56%). One-third of boomers are addressing current aging needs (35%), while nearly a quarter are planning ahead for future needs (21%).
Curbless Enthusiasm: Nearly half of boomers change the bathroom layout and one-third remove the bathtub (47% and 34%, respectively). Other upgrades include installing accessibility features such as seats, low curbs, grab bars and nonslip floors in upgraded showers and bathtubs.
The Suite Life: Homeowners are focusing on the master suite as a whole, with nearly half of master bathroom projects accompanied by master bedroom renovations (46%). Master bathrooms command the second-highest median spend ($7,000) in home remodels, behind kitchens ($11,000), while master bedroom spend rivals that of living rooms ($2,000 versus $3,000, respectively).
Premium Features Galore: A surprising one in 10 master bathrooms is the same size or larger than the master bedroom (11%). Beyond size, premium features in master bathrooms are on the rise, with dual showers, one-piece toilets, vessel sinks and built-in vanities showing significant increases in demand in the last three years.
Bathed in Gray: Gray palettes continue to lead in walls and flooring and are increasingly popular in cabinets. Newcomer styles continue to overtake contemporary style, with farmhouse more than doubling in popularity, from 3% in 2016 to 7% in 2018. Matte nickel and polished chrome are the most common metal finishes.
Sellers should do more to their properties today to get them sold.
Even those who were nicely updated with the golden Tuscan look or cherrywood floors and cabinets just a few years ago look dated today. Modern photography doesn’t hide it, and in some cases can make it look worse.
Do you remodel the whole joint?
Nobody wants to go too far, but there are modest improvements you can make to help the cause:
New flooring and paint.
New pulls and handles on cabinets.
New towels and towel racks.
New lighting – especially the LEDs.
New sod and landscaping.
Here are a couple of extreme examples but for anyone selling a house that is more than ten years old, your trees are probably overgrown and more of a distraction. The clean, crisp neutral look goes for the exteriors too:
Do you have those high ceilings over the living area, and wonder about turning it into usable space? We’ve done three of them over the years, and I got the camera rolling for this one:
Sellers need to do more updating and improving to get their home sold these days, but you don’t want to go crazy. Here are a few quick ideas from Bob Vila:
10 Kitchen Updates You Can Do in a Day
You don’t have to live with your ugly cabinets one minute longer!
There are plenty of ways to give them a quick refresh without having to purchase replacements. Make a large-scale change by painting your units a bright color, or go for a mix-and-match effect by applying a few coats only to the top cabinets. Consider removing a door or two to create trendy open shelving, or use chalkboard paint on the doors or expanses of wall for a dose of cottage charm.
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