Do you ever wish you had more insight on trends in home renovations and decorating projects?
Maybe you’d like to know which projects homeowners are prioritizing, how much they are willing to spend, or how they’re paying for these upgrades. And what about purchase behavior around those big-ticket items like furniture and appliances to complete the projects?
Thanks to Houzz, you can access data on all of the above — and more. If you’re familiar with Houzz, you might consider it a comprehensive resource for homeowners seeking help and inspiration for anything from DIY projects to upgrades requiring a general contractor or other service pro. And you wouldn’t be wrong. However, Houzz can also be a resource for business owners looking to find local customers, spot trends, and access consumer data.
Let’s talk about the latter: consumer data.
Each year, Houzz releases the U.S. Houzz & Home Study, which, according to its website, “is the largest survey of residential remodeling, building and decorating activity published.” The 2025 report offers several key takeaways for Independent retailers in the appliance or furniture categories, as well as Independent contractors in the residential market.
1. Home Renovations and New Home Construction Remain Steady
In 2025, over half of the U.S. homeowner population (52 percent) plans to embark on a renovation project this year. While this is slightly down from 2024 (54 percent) and 2023 (56 percent), the Houzz study still considers the renovation market to be “strong and within historically high levels.”
Similarly, plans for home decorating projects this year are down only 2 percent, with 44 percent of homeowners looking to invest in new home furnishings.
What is the most popular project on homeowners’ to-do lists?
2. Kitchen Renovations Topped Home Renovation Projects Again in 2024
Houzz data shows that homeowners historically choose kitchen projects over other renovations. In 2024, nearly one fourth of renovating homeowners (24 percent) upgraded the kitchen, and while this number is down from 2023 (27 percent), kitchen remodels still come in first place — albeit tied for first with guest bathrooms (also 24 percent) in 2024.
Kitchens projects also top the list in terms of renovation costs. In 2024, the median spend on kitchens was $22,000, only slightly down from 2023’s median spend of $24,000, and up from the 2022 median of $20,000. And for major kitchen remodels “that involve replacing at least all of the cabinets and appliances,” median spend was flat or up year-over-year (YoY), depending on the size of the kitchen. For example, the median spend for large kitchens (200 square feet or more) remained at $55,000 for the third year in a row. Yet, for kitchens less than 200 square feet, the median increased by 9 percent YoY to $35,000 (2024) up from $32,000 (2023).
What about the rest of the house? Median spend on renovations for living rooms, primary bedrooms, dining rooms, and home offices was down double-digits in each category YoY.
Up or down, let’s look at how homeowners outfitted their renovated and redecorated rooms.
3. Home Furnishing and Appliance Purchases for Projects Showed Minor YoY Changes in 2024
The 2025 Houzz report details 2024 purchase behavior for both appliances and home furnishings as part of homeowners’ renovation and decor projects. Below is a comparison of purchase frequency among homeowners with projects in 2024 versus 2023, using the 2024 Houzz report to obtain 2023 data.
- 33 percent purchased major kitchen appliances (32 percent in 2023)
- 15 percent purchased laundry appliances (18 percent in 2023)
- 41 percent purchased large furniture (37 percent in 2023)
- 39 percent purchased small furniture (39 percent in 2023)
- 49 percent purchased rugs (48 percent in 2023)
- 45 percent purchased pillows and throws (48 percent in 2023)
- 34 percent purchased lamps (32 percent in 2023)
4. Large Interior Furniture Purchases Were Up Across Multiple Generations in 2024
Digging deeper into the 4 percent increase in large furniture purchases, the Houzz data attributes the bump to four generations of homeowners: Millennials, Generation X, Baby Boomers, and Seniors. Each group bought a greater share of large interior furniture in 2024 than in 2023. Here’s the breakdown.
- Millennials: 48 percent (2024) from 44 percent (2023)
- Gen X: 47 percent (2024) from 40 percent (2023)
- Baby Boomers: 39 percent (2024) from 35 percent (2023)
- Seniors: 31 percent (2024) from 26 percent (2023)
LEARN MORE about the generational perspective on home renovations in the report.
5. Fewer Homeowners Paid with Credit Cards in 2024
In addition to capturing various homeowner projects and purchases, the Houzz study also surveyed homeowners to find out how they funded these home-related expenses. Here’s a look at how homeowners paid for their project(s) in 2024, with a comparison to 2023.
- 84 percent used money from a savings account (83 percent in 2023)
- 29 percent paid with a credit card (37 percent in 2023)
- 12 percent financed with a home loan (14 percent in 2023)
- 10 percent applied cash from a home sale (12 percent in 2023)
- 5 percent used gifts or inheritances (6 percent in 2023)
- 5 percent utilized an insurance payout (5 percent in 2023)
Credit card usage was the only purchase behavior that changed dramatically YoY, though this varied by generation, per the full report.
Access the Latest Houzz & Home Study
In full, the 2025 U.S. Houzz & Home Study on renovation trends covers far more than these five takeaways. Here is a complete breakdown of the contents:
- 2024 overview and 2025 plans
- 2024 financing and motivations
- Projects and spend
- Professional involvement
- 2024 popular product purchases
- Generational perspective
