There's no doubt about it — voice assistants such as Alexa and Siri are changing the way we cook and use our kitchens. In fact, sixty-five percent of consumers say they use smart speaker based voice assistants while cooking, and the number one thing they use them for is researching recipes. And as these voice assistants get smarter, they are increasingly earning their keep in our kitchens. Here's the breakdown of how homeowners* are using their voice assistants, according to recent research conducted by RICKI, the Research Institute for Cooking & Kitchen Intelligence: Looking up recipes: 38% Surfing the web while in the...

In recent years, homeowners have been eager to turn the parts of the house that center on chores into more pleasant areas that emphasize function and style. Laundry rooms top the list of the functional areas that homeowners want to transform into spaces they actually want to spend time in. So what’s trending in laundry room design? The Houzz Trending Now series offers a deep dive into what homeowners want in their upgraded laundry rooms. Here’s an overview.  Color in Laundry Rooms Largely white or neutral palettes are the most popular hues for laundry rooms, which is not surprising since...

Kitchen design is ever-evolving. That's why the kitchen design and remodeling business is thriving. Not only do certain styles and looks eventually become outdated (hello avocado appliances!), design elements that make your kitchen more functional come on the scene and suddenly, not only does your kitchen look outdated, but it feels functionally behind the times, too.  There was a time in the not-too distant past when the only way to have an extended countertop was to support it with legs or corbels. The look aligns with the more traditional design styles, but the functionality is lacking. Plainly speaking, they get in...

What are the top trends in home improvement? From generational shifts to the most popular upgrades, here's a look at what's happening in the residential remodeling market.  Trend 1: Generational Shift The role of older homeowners continues to grow, with those ages 55+ driving over 50% of the home improvements spend. This group of homeowners is contributing the most to renovation activity in terms of larger project scopes as well as larger investments in the higher-end products, materials, and finishes. Trend 2: Kitchen Upgrades Kitchen remodels will continue to be more expensive yet will look increasingly similar. Since 2017, spending...