Home Design and Renovations for 2021: What Houzz’s Annual Study Hints at for the New Year

With 2020 in the rearview mirror, many of us are left feeling uncertain about what the new year holds. While we can’t predict the future, the annual Houzz & Home Study offers some valuable insight, especially for those planning renovations in 2021.

This study is the largest publicly available survey of residential remodeling, building, and decorating activity in the United States. To gather data, Houzz surveyed over 87,000 users, almost half of which took part in renovations the previous year. That means it’s very reliable when it comes to evaluating the state of the industry and where its headed next.

According to the study, the median cost of renovation totaled $13,000 in 2019. That's a drop of $2,000 from the prior year. But the true cost of renovation varies greatly depending on which room you’re remodeling, if you choose to hire professionals, and even your age! It’s true—Houzz found some very interesting generational differences between renovators.

We’ve broken down the key takeaways from the Houzz & Home Study to help you plan and navigate any upcoming renovations.

Older Generations Lead Renovation Activity

Baby Boomer and Gen X homeowners made up 85% of those renovating, according to the Houzz study. Millennials, on the other hand, accounted for just 12% of renovators, down from 14% the previous year.

According to data from Houzz, older generations led renovation activity in 2019.

Baby Boomers and Gen X also tended to spend more on renovations, averaging $15,000 and $12,000 respectively. In contrast, the average millennial spent $10,000 on renovations.

That could be because younger renovators were less likely to hire professionals, opting instead for a “do it yourself” approach. Although, spending from younger generations is trending upwards, so we could see further increases in the coming year.

Kitchen Remains Most Popular Room for Renovation

In 2019, kitchens continued to be the most commonly renovated spaces. 27% of survey respondents reported they were renovating their kitchens. Bathrooms followed closely behind. 25% of respondents chose to renovate their guest bathroom, while another 22% chose to renovate their main bathroom.

Among Accuride customers, there was a preference toward minimal, seamless designs. In both kitchen and bathroom renovations, customers opted to use our 3135EC Easy-Close Slide. The undermount design of this slide creates a streamlined appearance by concealing hardware underneath the drawer. In addition, this slide utilizes our patented Easy-Close technology, which ensures drawers come to a smooth and gentle close every time.

The 3135EC undermount design delivers full-travel drawer-access while keeping hardware concealed.

Customers also got creative with their kitchen storage. Our 340 Lock-Out Slide was a popular choice for concealing butcher-blocks within cabinetry. When needed, these hidden butcher blocks easily slide out and lock into place.

Pocket doors, used to conceal kitchen appliances behind clean lines, were another popular kitchen storage solution. Many customers chose our CB1321 Pro Pocket Slide due to its auto-open feature, which gently springs doors forward the last 1.25" of travel, ensuring pocket doors are extended fully before closing. Plus, the 1321’s design eliminates scuff-and scrape-causing impacts.

Pocket doors provide a smart storage solution that is both stylish and functional.

Although the year has just begun, we expect these design trends to remain popular as customers find new ways to utilize our movement solutions to create more harmonious, organized living spaces. For more design inspiration, be sure to visit our Homeowners page.

Renovations Continue During COVID-19 Pandemic

The Houzz & Home Study concluded in early 2020, before the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on renovations could be measured. However, a subsequent study by Houzz revealed that 51% of renovators chose to continue their project during the pandemic, while 47% put their projects on hold and 1% canceled them.

This data is a positive sign for home renovators in 2021. Even better, Houzz recently released its Q4 Barometer, which concluded, “home remodeling is back to pre-pandemic levels.” Based on this conclusion, Houzz is optimistic about the year ahead—and so are we!

Are you planning a renovation in 2021? Our online store offers a full selection of premium slides, guides, and tracks with 24/7 ordering and shipping anywhere in the United States and Canada. Make sure to share photos of your finished renovation on social media with #Accuride for a chance to be featured on our pages. We can’t wait to see what you create this year!