Home renovation ideas: 7 biggest DIY trends of 2025 you should note

Sometimes the only way to achieve the look you want is to do it yourself. That’s the motto, at least, for scores of DIYers who seek home renovation ideas again and again for the sake of personalization. They scour Instagram, and YouTube for the newest DIY trends and projects making the rounds and—whether they’re renovation experts or novices—likely give it a whirl.Interior designers, contractors, and other home experts have a front-row seat to the kinds of requests homeowners are making these days, as well as what projects are taking off on and offline (for better or worse). Last year, for example, they pointed to bold tilework as a bathroom trend—and shower tiles indeed had a moment. Plus, they know which cringey project ideas to ditch too. In tandem with new industry research, we’ve identified seven DIY home renovation ideas you’ll be seeing in 2025.

Punching up seemingly mundane home features is the name of the game for DIYers. So it makes sense that alcoves will be having a moment from the kitchen to the bedroom. According to Houzz’s 2025 trend report, range alcoves are on the rise, in which an oven is tucked into its own recessed corner.

Similarly, Gabriela Narvaez, general contractor and founder of Guild Properties, shares that requests for principal bedroom alcoves are increasing. “In the bedroom, you can create an inset in the wall for the bed and the nightstands,” she says. “The effect on the room is that you get a clean look with a cozy feel.”

Accent Lighting Anywhere

Adding more accent lighting to a room can get tricky, depending on your approach. “Even the boldest DIYers have been stymied by electrical work, particularly relocating or adding wiring for new fixtures,” says Madelaine Mayer, founder and design principal at AD:ROIT Architecture and Interior Design. That’s where cordless rechargeable lights come in. “These fantastic fixtures can be installed in a matter of minutes, adding accent lighting wherever needed,” she notes.

“As cordless lighting fixtures continue to flood the market, the trend toward layered lighting is gaining momentum,” add Mallory Robins and Elizabeth Bennett, founders of Kansas City–based interior design firm Kobel + Co. “The layered approach is all about creating a dynamic, ambient atmosphere—where each light source contributes to the overall mood and style of a room.”

Spa-Like “Wet Rooms”

If you haven’t heard of a “wet room” yet, you will soon. Also known as shower rooms, they’re spaces in or near bathrooms where every surface can be splashed with water. Typically, you’ll find a curbless shower and a bathtub in this one waterproof (and spa-inspired) space. According to Amanda Pendleton, Zillow’s home trends expert, wet rooms are appearing 19 percent more often in listings on the real estate website. “The pandemic changed how we want to live and made us increasingly aware of how our surroundings impact our mental and physical wellbeing,” Pendleton says. “Spa-inspired wet rooms make you feel like you’re stepping into a luxurious hotel suite bathroom where you can decompress from the day and prioritize self-care.”

Patterns upon Patterns

Colour-drenching may not be going anywhere, but pattern-drenching is making an entrance. According to Shea McGee, founder of interior design firm Studio McGee in Salt Lake City, you’ll notice a mix of bold design elements in the new year. Think: A room with plaid wallpaper and floral sofas. Patterned curtains, specifically, will add further dimension to statement spaces, according to Jordan Slocum and Barry Bordelon, the restoration team better known as the Brownstone Boys. “We love the way patterned curtains can add texture to a space in an unexpected way,” they share in an email.

English Kitchens

A return to warmer, more traditional interiors has been making the rounds this year, and next year, that will expand to kitchens as well. English country kitchens are top of mind, per Houzz, and for DIYers that means rich woods, historical paint colours, and natural countertop materials entering renovation projects.

“English kitchens seamlessly blend traditional elegance with modern convenience,” explains Gena Kirk, vice president of corporate studio at KB Home, one of the nation’s largest homebuilders. “Characterized by natural materials like oak, pine, or cherry wood cabinetry, marble countertops, and beautiful tile flooring, these kitchens evoke a sense of warmth and authenticity.”

Discreetly Integrated Technology

Modern technology simply has no place in homes seeking old-world charm and character. After all, smart homes aren’t the houses filled with gadgets and touch screens anymore—they’re the ones where sophisticated systems are integrated seamlessly. “It’s nothing new that people have been hiding or camouflaging their kitchen fridges and appliances for a while, but what I am seeing more and more of is that the need for appliance discretion has expanded to other types of technology,” says Narvaez. “I have been asked to hide televisions—putting them behind cabinet doors or doors on tracks,” adding that this request has been more common in homes that have combined kitchen, living, and dining rooms.

Discreet tech also took first place in the furniture, lighting and decor trends category in 1stDibs’ eighth annual Interior Designer Trends Survey. Aside from TVs, seamless tech integrations rising in popularity include voice-controlled lighting, wireless charging furniture, and hidden speakers. It’s all a part of what Wayfair Professional’s 2025 Design Trends report calls “New Wave Futurism,” or a mature, accessible take on futuristic style.

Dark Wood Finishes

The blond woods of Scandi-style interiors have been on their way out for some time, but in 2025, homes will embrace darker finishes in earnest. “We’re excited to use darker wood tones across floors, staircases, and mantles in the new year,” say Slocum and Bordelon.

In fact, “wood-infused architectural warmth” landed on Houzz’s trend report, with wood accents appearing in the form of ceiling beams, millwork, trim, wall paneling, and more. DIY renovators, of course, are no strangers to adding faux architectural elements to their spaces, not to mention wood paneling galore to create “all-over wood interiors” like in Laura Santo Domingo’s ski home.

Published in Architectural Digest
By Madeline Bilis