5 Hot Remodeling Trends to Customize Your Home in 2019

By the Mercury Team

Home remodeling projects were once done to increase a home’s resale value, but many homeowners are deciding to stay put for the long-term instead of planning a time-consuming move. HomeAdvisor’s 2018 True Cost Survey found more than 80 percent of homeowners plan to stay in their existing home, and half of the survey’s respondents are considering a remodel to make their homes more aesthetically appealing and comfortable.

Now that 2018 is in our rear-view mirror, we’ve taken a look back at some of the “what’s hot,” “top 10” and “hot trends” lists for home remodeling ideas that show up each December. If you’re planning to remodel your home, here are some home renovation ideas for 2019:

1. Open layouts, less clutter – “Open concept” is a term that is often heard in home improvement programs seen on HGTV, TLC and Bravo when describing floor plans. Sleek, modern lines with hidden, innovative storage solutions are definitely a “thing” in 2019. Gone are the days of leaving your toaster, blender or other appliances on the kitchen counter full-time. Instead, homeowners and designers are integrating appliances like microwaves into cabinets, pull-outs, and below counters. Adding to the open feel is a movement by designers to feature fewer upper cabinets, which makes for a greater feeling of space in the kitchen, and adding wide, deep drawers to help declutter kitchens and bathrooms.
2. Induction cooktops – Consumer Reports explains how these smooth cooking areas work: “With induction cooktops, the element below the surface generates an electromagnetic field. The field interacts with a pot and the pot itself gets hot. Therefore, if you turn on an element where there’s no pot, it won’t heat up.” There are some downsides, including high prices, but as more offerings come to market, prices will become more affordable. Also, if your current cookware isn’t magnetic, you’ll need to replace it to work with the new cooktop and finally, the magnets that generate the heat could cause trouble for users with pacemakers. Pro tip: they are easy to clean and the smooth appearance of your cooktop goes well with the sleek, modern lines of kitchen trends for 2019.
3. Farmhouse-style sinks – Another trend in kitchen remodeling is to replace the sink. Our research found a great number of experts like the functionality that comes with a large, single basin, whether it’s old-fashioned or something more modern in design. Some manufacturers provide a cover for the large sink, which delivers more counter space when needed and also can hide dirty dishes.
4. Smart appliances/technology – The “smart” home is here to stay, with today’s kitchens having features like touchless faucets, automatic in-cabinet lighting and wireless charging for cell phones. Throughout the house, Amazon’s Echo, Apple’s Siri or Google’s Home can help with remote lighting and thermostat controls or turning appliances on or off when you’re away from home. New bathroom features include warming drawers for linens and robes, wireless music systems, TVs, smart locks or touchless toilets that flush with the wave of a hand. Not as new, heated flooring in the bathroom is nice to have after your shower on a chilly winter morning.
5. Sustainable, organic materials and design – More and more designers are utilizing natural materials like wood, stone, iron, copper and concrete in their kitchen or bathroom plans, and many are sourcing recycled materials or using local suppliers to reduce the carbon emissions of transporting these items. LED lighting can help brighten your home, while at the same time being more efficient than similar halogen or fluorescent offerings. Another green trend is passive solar design, which positions a home’s windows and walls to absorb the most sun and heat in the winter months and keep the house cool and airy in the summer months. This sustainable design, a concept that has been used for thousands of years, reduces the need for electrical or gas heating and cooling systems.

When making home improvements, not everything can be “in” or “hot.” Our tour of the year-end lists showed that some home designs are showing signs of age. For instance:

• Stainless – Experts say this is a dated design whose time has run out. The refrigerator of 2019 will be taller with modular storage ability, and that stainless steel shell is being replaced with bright, attention-grabbing colors.
• White kitchens – White kitchens were in vogue in 2000, but bright colors, Spanish and Italian tiles and even matte black cabinets and counters are what we’ll see in this year’s redesigns.
• Subway tile – Very utilitarian and very popular in kitchens and bathrooms across the country since the 1950s, subway tile has had its day, according to the experts. If you have it in your house, don’t despair, as the white tiles with black trim are sure to make a comeback.
• Marble or granite surfaces – These pricey surfaces are being replaced by concrete, which is considered more budget-friendly while being modern and industrial, with mid-century Terrazzo surfaces also making a comeback. Better Homes and Gardens says quartz countertops will also be popular in the New Year.

No matter what the experts say, if you plan to spend many years to come in your home, be sure to choose design features that suit your needs and taste. If you can afford it, consider consulting with a professional about what you’re trying to achieve with your home renovations before the work begins. Ultimately, the goal is to help make your home just that…your home.

Whether you choose to renovate your kitchen, bathroom or another part of the house, be sure to remodel your homeowner's insurance, too. Many of these projects might leave gaps in coverage, as your existing homeowner's insurance policy might not protect the updated look and value of your home. Meeting with your insurance agent might not be in your initial plans, but it’s a vital component of protecting new upgrades, and you might find that some smart home upgrades may even qualify for an insurance discount.