2025 Home Design Trends

Color Everywhere

Vibrant, rich and bold colors are making waves in 2025. White will always be a classic choice for any part of your home. However, a completely white kitchen with white floors, white cabinets, white countertops and white walls is a thing of the past. This year, clients are craving warmth and texture in their homes. Painting the walls and ceiling one color is an inexpensive way to make a big impression in a powder room or guest bath. Another way to add color is with beautiful art work to brighten up your spaces. If you already have a fully white kitchen, making a change to the backsplash or even the countertops are an excellent place to start adding in some character and personality to your space.  

Minimal Open Shelving

In past years, open shelving dominated the design landscape. In some kitchens, homeowners would choose to completely forego all wall cabinets in favor of open shelving. While this does create a more spacious and airy aesthetic, it simultaneously compromises the amount of storage, generates a constant dust build up and limits what items you may want displayed as over time it is difficult to keep your bowls perfectly stacked and the glasses evenly spaced. A few open shelves are still a great way to store cook books, display plants or place kitchen items that aren’t used regularly. 

Full Height Backsplash

We saw a rise in the popularity of full height backsplashes in 2024 and the design choice continues to trend in 2025. If you are someone who likes to keep your kitchen simple and streamlined, a full height backsplash is a wonderful option. Not to mention, if you select a stone that has intense veining or color variation, the larger scale usage will make a more dramatic impact. A full height backsplash eliminates grout from the equation making it an easy surface to quickly clean.

Colorful Tile

Using saturated colors and patterned tiles will become common practice this year. In a backsplash application, you can choose to continue with the color of your tile onto your walls to lean into the color drenching theme. This technique creates a seamless and cohesive look for your kitchen. People are choosing bolder palettes for their tile and embracing the excitement that comes with “going for it” and being proud of the outcome. Selecting an unexpected or prismatic tile in a bathroom can be a fun surprise for guests and a way to make you smile every time you see it.

Conversational Islands

A kitchen island is a must if you have the proper space for it. Previously, the seating was typically on one side of the countertop and the working side was on the other. Moving forward, islands that can create better conversational flow will be the first option for design. This is favorable so that everyone can be involved in the conversation and not just stare at the person who is working in the kitchen. Having seating on two or more sides of the island makes everyone feel included and more at home.

Dirty Kitchen/Butler’s Pantry

Open concept kitchens remain popular and are ideal for entertaining, but they can make it difficult to have everything presentable for guests. A butler’s pantry or scullery that contains the bulky countertop appliances, a secondary sink and dishwasher, and hides the mess and allows the primary kitchen to serve as a gathering space. Many are referring to this space as a “dirty kitchen” in 2025. If you feel the pressure of preparing meals and wanting a spotless kitchen for visitors, this trend could be for you. However, if you prefer a collaborative cooking experience, then save that space for a large walk-in pantry.

A common theme with all of these trends is encouraging homeowners to select materials for their homes that they truly love, not just what is neutral and appeasing or what your neighbor is telling you is good for eventual resale. Your home is your sanctuary and a place that you should be happy to come home to every day.