Keep Up to Date with These 2017 Home Remodeling Trends

The real estate crash made people feel understandably leery of spending money on home remodeling, but we’ve seen such recovery and stabilization in Peoria and the Greater Phoenix area that a lot of homeowners are getting excited about home improvements again. Many of our customers have been delaying kitchen remodels and other big projects like bathroom renovation, but are now ready to move forward with major home remodeling projects as well as simpler remodeling jobs and are looking for information on the latest features and trends.
TWD has been a remodeling contractor in Peoria for over 20 years and we make it our business to stay on top of what’s happening in the market. Our showroom provides customers with a chance to come in and see full-size kitchens and bathrooms done in the latest styles, demonstrating a range of designs from traditional to super modern.
Home design is an active field and new technologies are continually resulting in new materials and features for homes. Here are the trends we see being popular for 2017 to give you an idea of what you can expect, and what to look for when you start designing your own home remodeling project.

Bright, Welcoming Front Doors Get the Remodeling Off to a Good Start

The first thing your guests see upon arrival at your home is the front door. Traditionally it’s been a rather non-descript feature of the house, and not considered essential to the home’s décor, but that’s changed. Bold or bright colors get attention and create energy upon arrival.

Colors Tend Toward Bright and Bold

Jewel tones made a comeback last year, and these rich, bold colors are expected to remain popular in home design through 2017. Favorites include emerald, sapphire, and amethyst. Any of these colors stand out in accessories, make for striking furniture upholstery, and make statement walls that bring a room to life. Jewel tones bring a sense of luxury into a décor theme.
For bathrooms and kitchens, white and shades of gray are expected to continue to be the most popular. White kitchens faded from popularity for a while, but have made a comeback. The clean, bright look gives a feeling of spaciousness and light, and is a perfect canvas for accessorizing with jewel tones.
Gray can be warm or cool, so if you think you don’t like gray, make sure you take a look at what’s available now, before making any final decisions. You may remember gray as dull or depressing, but find that a cool gray is uplifting and much cozier than white. Paint chips are available in hundreds of grays, so you can find the one you like best.
If there’s a single-color theme for use throughout the house, or in individual rooms, this year it’s blue. From a soft, pastel blue to jewel-toned sapphire, everything from walls and furniture to window dressing and accessories looks beautiful in blue. As an added bonus, blue is a relaxing cool color, perfect for when you just want to come home and “chill.”

Celebrate the Tropics

Big green leaves, whether on live houseplants or in prints in wallpapers and textiles are bringing the tropics home. In addition to the lush look of plants, prints and embellishments include animals and tropical fruits to add color and interest.

Cork Walls

Chalkboard walls are generally past their prime, and cork walls are another useful wall treatment that can be not only very functional, but also environmentally friendly. Cork is a renewable resource, which makes it desirable for those who want to create an eco-friendly environment. It is also a practical wall covering for anyone who likes to tack things to walls. So for those who like an ever-changing décor, changing up the look of the wall is guilt-free because it is not damaging to the surface or leaving unsightly holes to plaster over next time you paint.

Geometrics Bust Out Beyond Squares and Rectangles

Patterns in floor and wall tiles have always been used to add interest, but they consisted mainly of squares, rectangles, and small hexagons. Suddenly, many more interesting geometric shapes and patterns are available, and make an amazing difference in the effect on the space. The new geometrics are bright and big instead of being repetitions of tiny shapes like we’ve seen in the past.

Universal Design to Accommodate Aging in Place

Peoria and the surrounding Phoenix-area communities are home to a large population of retirees who want to stay in their homes rather than moving to assisted living communities. We call this “aging in place,” and believe it makes sense to plan ahead for it when doing home remodeling.
Universal design incorporates features to meet the needs of people of all abilities, from the very young to the elderly. Since the industrial revolution, or earlier, there has been a trend towards standard sizes of home fixtures. For example, kitchen cabinets come in many configurations, but they are typically expected to be 36 inches tall and 24 inches deep on the bottom, with 12-inch deep upper cabinets hung 18 inches above the counter top.
That may be perfect for some people, but awkwardly low for very tall men, and too tall for wheelchair-bound people to work on. In that particular case, no standard height will work for everyone, but adding a taller bar on the kitchen island, and one low section in the counter provides a work surface for everyone, while still maintaining an attractive design.
As you can see, universal design can be very simple. Large D-shaped door and drawer handles make opening them much easier, and sliding racks in lower cabinets and drawers make accessing their contents possible without having to bend, kneel or squat to get things from the bottom shelf. Likewise, racks that open out and down from upper shelves put their contents within reach.
Bathrooms are an area of concern for the aging, and universal design principles have been incorporated in ways that meet their needs for ease of access and safety while turning the bathroom into a luxurious, spa-like environment.
Even if aging isn’t an issue yet, putting in the structure for it is a good idea during home remodeling. If walls are being demolished to update plumbing, braces can be installed before the walls are repaired, so that the support is ready when handrails need to be put in place.
And speaking of handrails, you won’t believe how nicely many of today’s universal design features blend into the décor. You don’t have to worry about surrendering your lovely home to an institutional hospital look. Most universal design elements will just blend right in.

Mother-in-law Suites Facilitate Multi-Generational Living

Multiple generations are living together more now, whether it’s college graduates moving back in with their parents or adults moving their aging parents in with them to make it easier to care for them. Converting a part of the home into separate living quarters has become an increasing trend in home remodeling.
Traditionally, basements have often been chosen for the extra suite, but universal design aims to keep everything on the first floor to avoid having to go up and down stairs and to reduce the risk of falls, so expanding the first floor may be the best option for adding space for another person or two, even though it will be more expensive than transforming an existing part of the house.

Quartz Is Queen of the Countertop

Granite ruled as the counter material of choice for a while, and is still popular for less expensive remodels, but quartz is really the top choice now. It used to be that stone countertops were only used in expensive homes, but stone is so desirable that granite is even being used in some low-income level homes.

Waterfall Counter Edges Work with Any Stone

Instead of only having your stone surface on the top of an island, having it run down the side, all the way to the floor, creates a solid end and adds to the unified appearance of the room. It also shows off the stone in a way that makes it stand out much more than the top surface does.

Creative Backsplashes Customize the Kitchen

There is no limit to the kind of designs that can be included in tile backsplashes. It’s always a good idea to avoid getting too personal in a kitchen remodel so that you don’t invest in something that will appeal to you but appall potential buyers when you go to sell the house. That doesn’t mean the kitchen has to be dull or generic, though, and backsplashes have emerged as one of the best ways to make a design statement in your home remodeling.
The beautiful tiles of the Arts and Crafts Movement of the 1800s are being reproduced, tile images are readily available, and there are even glass mosaics that can be bought pre-made and installed without having to come up with an original image or cut glass.

Stainless Steel Goes Black

Fans of stainless steel who want a more modern, less industrial look will love black stainless steel appliances. It has a rich, sophisticated look that blends perfectly with those grays we were talking about earlier.

Copper Accents Are Still Strong

Another alternative to stainless steel is copper. This year, we aren’t looking at bright shiny copper accessories, so much as exposed copper pipes, range hoods, backsplashes. Rosy copper, a carryover from the popularity of rose gold is another trend that will be big this year.

Advances in Technology Are Automating Homes

While we have a way to go before we catch up with the Jetsons, automation is finding its way into our homes more and more. As with all things high-tech, the first models were ridiculously expensive, but prices have come down into the normal budget range for home features that can be controlled by smartphones. Sound and lighting systems aren’t too surprising, but now we have HVAC systems that can be programmed from a phone.

Make It Easy to Stay Plugged In

Remember when there were never enough electrical outlets for all your gadgets? Well now in addition to more of those outlets, homeowners are having remodeling contractors install USB outlets so they can more easily charge devices and stay connected at all times.

Bathrooms Join the Bold Design Revolution

It used to be that not much more than a nice mirror and stylish faucets were all it took update a bathroom’s look. Unless there were plumbing or other functional issues, people didn’t think much about the look of the bathroom. The shower curtain and matching towels carried off the décor—but that’s not the case anymore.
2017’s bathrooms are more colorful and stylish than ever before. Luxurious, spa-style bathrooms are still hot in more upscale homes, but not very realistic for more moderate houses. Bathroom remodeling trends for those homes mirror many of the trends in other parts of the house, and the bathroom is no longer hidden behind the door, but colorful and bold with patterns that flow with the overall home’s design.

Patterned Tiles Are a Statement Piece

In addition to bold geometrics, Moorish and Mediterranean patterns are at the top of this year’s style. These traditions have a long history of producing designs that are intriguing and add an energetic feel to a room. Black and white or blue and white patterns are striking without the need for bright color, though the tiles are also available in color combinations to match any decor.

Simple Tiles in New Patterns Add Interest

For homeowners who aren’t bold enough to go with dark colors and dramatic designs, remodeling contractors can install plain white tiles in unexpected patterns to give the bathroom a stylish 2017 look without pushing the boundaries of the comfort zone.

Cabinets Take a Subtle Stance

With walls, showers, and even floors taking on colors and designs, cabinets are taking on a low visual profile. Unpainted wood cabinets with flat, unadorned fronts are a popular option. To keep a clean line, doors have few pulls or handles. To incorporate universal design into this trend, handles should be D-shaped without any frills so that they are easy to grasp, but keep the line of the cabinets clean.

Walk-in Showers Are Replacing Bathtubs

It isn’t great news for those who love a good long soak in the tub, but bathtubs are waning in popularity. Most people shower almost exclusively, rarely or never using the tub. By eliminating the tub from the bathroom remodeling plan, more room is available for the shower, which is easier to get in and out of and also much easier to clean than a tub. These larger showers can be designed with no lip to trip over, making them perfect for aging in place, even when one becomes wheelchair-bound.

Mixed and Dark Metals Change Up Fixtures

Remember when it was a design faux pas to use both gold and silver? That’s a historical concept, and not only are those two being used together, but copper and brass are both popular, and they are being used in all kinds of combinations.
Dark metals are the newest of the metal trends and are particularly striking in a bathroom with the black and white Moorish patterned tile.

Fan Caves Bump Man Caves

Man caves had their day, and now fan caves are becoming popular. The appeal may be the inclusiveness for couples and families that share an enthusiasm for sports, and it may be enhanced by the popularity of decorative items proclaiming the greatness of one’s favorite team.
Designing a room around a particular team makes choosing colors a snap, and even focusing on a sport in general provides a theme that is easy to work with. The colors are bright and design elements are bold, resulting in a room with high energy and a sense of fun.

She Sheds Bring on a Feminine Alternative

Maybe the man cave was a reaction to many people seeing the rest of the house as being primarily a woman’s domain, or maybe it was just a fun “manly” thing to do for a while, but women are finding their own space in what’s being called a “she shed”—and they usually really are sheds. You can buy a shed and have it installed, or remodel an existing shed. Have your renovation contractor run electricity to it, finish the interior walls, add insulation and a little air conditioning, enlarge the windows, install a pretty door, and you’ll be ready to decorate your own private space in just the way you want to.
TWD has been following home remodeling trends in Peoria for 20 years. If you would like to find out about the latest innovations in bathroom remodeling, kitchen remodels, or any other aspect of home renovation, give us a call at 623-544-1211. We have certified design professionals available to answer questions and help with your remodeling plans.