Houzz Inc., the leading platform for home remodeling and design, including the all-in-one software solution for industry professionals, today released the 2025 U.S. Houzz Kitchen Trends Study. The survey of more than 1,600 respondents found that more than a third of homeowners increase the footprint of their kitchens during a renovation (35%). With kitchens used for both eating and entertaining, it’s no surprise that homeowners sacrifice nearby spaces traditionally reserved for similar duties, such as dining rooms (29%) and living rooms (12%), to accommodate bigger kitchens. Additionally, nearly 1 in 5 homeowners builds a home addition to create more kitchen space (18%).
“Nearly half of the homes in the U.S. are 42 years old or older and were built to serve homeowners of a different era,” said Marine Sargsyan, Houzz staff economist. “As kitchens take on a more centralized role in daily activities, homeowners are choosing to surrender neighboring rooms and exterior spaces for additional kitchen square footage to meet their needs.
“Kitchens already command the highest renovation spend of all interior projects but what stands out is the increased focus and investments, with the top 10% of homeowners spending triple the median for high-end major remodels.”
Investment in kitchen renovations continues to grow, particularly for large and luxury kitchens. Median spend on kitchen remodels is $60,000, up from $55,000 the previous year. Homeowners in the 90th percentile of spend invest a minimum of $180,000, triple the median or more. That reflects a 20% increase for premium kitchen renovations, which started at $150,000 for the 90th percentile of spend in 2023.
Median spend on major* renovations of large kitchens (250 square feet or larger) grew 9% (from $66,000 in 2023 to $72,000 in 2024), while median spend on minor renovations of large kitchens jumped a significant 75% (from $20,000 in 2023 to $35,000 in 2024). In the top 10% of large kitchen projects, homeowners invest double the median, spending a minimum of $200,000 for major remodels and $74,300 for minor remodels.
Pro hiring for kitchen renovations remains strong: 86% of homeowners are working with a pro for their project. General contractors are in highest demand (50%), and other popular categories include kitchen designers (25%), architects (13%), design-build professionals (12%) and kitchen remodelers (8%).
Photo Credit: PureHaven Homes, Clayton Vance Architecture © Joshua Caldwell
Additional insights from the 2025 U.S. Houzz Kitchen Trends Study include:
- Backsplashes reach for the ceiling: Interest in full backsplash coverage surged in the past year, with coverage extending to cabinets or range hoods rising by 5 percentage points to 67% and full coverage to the ceiling increasing by 2 percentage points to 12%. While the majority of homeowners choose tile (76%), nearly a quarter opt for bold, larger-format slab backsplashes (24%).
- Traditional style makes a comeback: While transitional style continues to hold a commanding lead in the kitchen (25%), the share of homeowners choosing traditional style jumped 5 percentage points to take the no. 2 spot (14%), outpacing modern and contemporary (12% and 11%, respectively).
- Black makes its mark on countertops: White is the top choice for main kitchen countertops, selected by nearly two-thirds of homeowners (41% white and 23% off-white). But black is the second most popular color (8%) and nearly one in five homeowners install black for contrasting island countertops (18%).
- Glass-front accent cabinets offer display space: Shaker cabinets are the most common kitchen cabinet door style (61%), and more than half of homeowners add or upgrade an accent cabinet during renovations (52%). Glass-front cabinets rank the highest among accent cabinet door styles (36%). Homeowners use this space to showcase glassware (52%), decorative items (43%), dishware (34%) and cookbooks (23%).
- Photo finish in flooring material: Vinyl or resilient flooring, hardwood, and ceramic or porcelain tile are all popular choices for kitchen flooring (22%, 21% and 20%, respectively). This reflects a slow decline in the popularity of hardwood for renovated kitchens, which appeared in 25% of kitchens in 2023 and 24% in 2024.
- Specialty features drive oven preferences: Nearly two-thirds of homeowners choose ovens with specialty features (63%), including phone monitor controls (39%), remote timer activation (30%), control locks (30%), precise temperature control (25%) and automated cooking (22%).
The 2025 U.S. Houzz Kitchen Trends Study is a report of homeowners who are in the midst of, are planning or recently completed a kitchen renovation. The online survey was fielded to U.S. Houzz users in July 2024. n=1,620. You can download the full report here.
*A major kitchen remodel refers to a remodel in which at least all cabinets and appliances are replaced. A minor kitchen remodel refers to all other remodels.
