Primary bathrooms and guest bathroom renovations are second only to kitchen renovations according to the 2024 Houzz & Home Study of more than 30,000 U.S. respondents. With a median spend for primary bathrooms reaching $15,000 in 2023, luxury bath retreats seem to be a sign of the times. Luxury aptly describes bath trends today when we take a closer look at the features and accessories that adorn the 2024 Bath of the Year winners. Serene, tranquility, sophistication and elegance are just a few adjectives that reflect updating the primary bath space today.

Trend: Tranquility

Letting the outdoors in creates instant tranquility, relaxation and privacy.

Trend: Bold Design: Flow and Function

Bold, sophisticated design choices that help to create a personal spa-like sanctuary while improving flow and function aptly reflects this homeowners desires.

Trend: Custom Cabinetry

Custom floor-to-ceiling cabinets dressed with elegant brass plumbing fixtures create a glamorous atmosphere that encourages relaxation and rejuvenation.

Trend: Transitional With Natural Stone

This rich, bold, marble-encased (Calacatta Viola) shower and bath is a statement maker and luxurious retreat for the homeowner.

Trend: Modern

Modern, bright and open describes this renovated primary bath with a unique custom two-sided vanity island and free-floating mirror.

Final thoughts; I love that each project showcased was designed to reflect the homeowners lifestyle and needs with function and beauty at the forefront.

Now that you’re inspired, it’s your turn!

The post Luxury Bath Trends | 2024 Bath of the Year first appeared on Loretta J. Willis, DESIGNER.

Kitchens become the most important room in the house during the holidays; now is the time to consider implementing an update or two that will add beauty and efficiency to your holiday traditions. The competition is stiff when it comes to considering upgrading kitchen appliances, decorative hardware, plumbing fixtures, countertops, cabinets and lighting. From floor to ceiling the options can be overwhelming, but taking a look at the latest and popular kitchen trends for 2025 straight from the experts should help streamline your decision making process.

Experts in this field have a resource for voicing their favorite brands annually during the Reader’s Choice Competition published by the Kitchen & Bath Business magazine. Criteria for selecting the winners are based on:

• local availability
• support from supplier/manufacturer
• style/aesthetics
• ease of use/cleaning
• price point for their typical client budget

(Brands listed in alphabetical order)

KITCHEN CABINETS | Criteria: Craftsmanship/Design/Style, Door Styles/Finishes, Ability to Customize/Modify, Construction Quality

Dura Supreme Cabinetry – Fabuwood – MasterBrand Cabinets, Inc. – NorthPoint Cabinetry – US Cabinet Depot – Wellborn Cabinet, Inc.

KITCHEN COUNTERTOPS | Criteria: Stain & Heat Resistance, Style/Aesthetics

Caesarstone – Cambria – Daltile – Dekton by Cosentino – Silestone – Wilsonart

COOKING APPLIANCES | Criteria: Energy Efficiency, Design/Style, Ease of Cleaning

Bosch – GE – KitchenAid – Thermador – Wolf

KITCHEN VENTILATION | Criteria: Effectiveness, Noise Level

Bosch – BROAN – Vent-A-Hood – Wolf – Zephyr

DISHWASHERS | Criteria: Energy Efficiency, Integration into Cabinetry, Design Style

Bosch – GE – KitchenAid – Miele – Whirlpool

KITCHEN SINKS | Criteria: Installation Type, Stain Resistance/Durability, Configuration/Style/Aesthetics

Blanco – Elkay Sinks + Faucets – Kohler Co. – Kraus USA – Ruvati

KITCHEN FAUCETS | Criteria: Water Efficiency, Style/Aesthetics/Finish

American Standard – Brizo – Delta Faucet – Kohler Co. – Moen – ROHL

REFRIGERATION APPLIANCES | Criteria: Energy Efficiency, Integration into Cabinetry, Design/Style

GE – KitchenAid – Sub-Zero – Thermador – Whirlpool

DECORATIVE HARDWARE | Criteria: Style/Aesthetics, Ability to Coordinate with Fixtures

Amerock – Belwith Keeler – Jeffrey Alexander – Richelieu – Top Knobs

FUNCTIONAL HARDWARE | Criteria: Style/Aesthetics

Blum, Inc. – Hafele America Co. – Hardware Resources – Rev-A-Shelf – Richelieu

LIGHTING | Criteria: Style

Hafele America Co. – Kichler – Richelieu – Task Lighting – Tresco

Keep in mind the criteria that the winners were based on; local availability, support from supplier/manufacturer, style/aesthetics, ease of use/cleaning and how well the price point complements your budget. Most importantly, choose going forward with as much innovation that your budget can afford.

Have fun updating your kitchen this season!

The post Kitchen Trends 2025 first appeared on Loretta J. Willis, DESIGNER.

The art of color planning is one of the most important design elements in the composition of interior design. The colors of the year offer a great start in creating colorful interiors that will instantly affect the mood and warmth of your home, as well as invite guests to linger longer than planned. Sherwin Williams, in the brands first-ever introduction of nine colors named Color Capsules of the Year, offer a range from classic to cutting edge. The color capsule includes Grounded (SW 6089, Sunbleached (SW 9585), Chartreuse (SW 0073), Rain Cloud (SW 9639), Clove (SW 9605), Malabar (SW 9110), Bosc Pear (SW 6390), White Snow (SW 9541) and Mauve Finery (SW 6282) ; Benjamin Moore’s Cinnamon Slate (2113-40) and Pantone’s Mocha Mousse (17-1230) round out the colors of the year featured in this post.

This purple brown blend has a soothing quality, according to Andrea Magno, Benjamin Moore’s director of Color Marketing and Design. It can’t be placed in a box, rather, it could bring sophistication as well as coziness.

Mocha Mousse, a mellow brown exudes warmth, as well as represents a “level of thoughtful indulgence,” according to Leatrice Eiseman, executive director of the Pantone Color Institute. She goes on to say that “it’s not just indulging ourselves, and treating ourselves, which we deserve, but also the possibility of sharing it with others.”

What are your favorites?

The post Color Trends 2025 | Colors of the Year first appeared on Loretta J. Willis, DESIGNER.

Changing the style of the kitchen remains the leading motivator, according to the 2025 U.S. Houzz Kitchen Trends Study in kitchen trends and renovations. If you can no longer stand the style of your old kitchen, you’re in good company, as you’ll see tons of kitchen style ideas and layouts in the kitchens featured in the annual Kitchens of the Year award winners.

Once the new kitchen style is determined, layout is the next major change/update to make as walls and traffic flow, task zones are impacted in the kitchen space. More than a third of the participants indicated that square footage was increased (with some willing to shrink their dining rooms or build a home addition) in order to create a larger kitchen. The most popular kitchen layout is an L-shaped, followed by U-shaped, then Galley.

The most popular kitchen upgrades during renovations begin with countertops, followed by backsplash, cabinets and sinks, in this order. Decorative elements such as faucets, light fixtures and flooring are also included in the upgrade category. To my surprise, according to the Houzz Study, kitchen appliances were not as high a priority as the previously mentioned upgrades.

White remains the top color choice for upgraded kitchen cabinets, with 33 percent of homeowners opting for it. Wood tones, followed by Off-white finish out the top three. Gray, green and blue almost tie for the second most popular cabinet color choice in the study.

For homeowners who choose contrasting cabinet colors for their upper and lower kitchen cabinets, white is the clear winner for upper cabinets, while wood (followed by blue), is the top choice for lower cabinets.

The most surprising trend piggy-backs on the number one motivator for renovating the kitchen, which is to change the kitchen style. Although transitional style kitchens remain the most popular (25%), traditional style kitchens are making a comeback, rising by 5 percentage points, now at 14 percent.

One final note regarding kitchen appliances; homeowners love appliances with special features, beginning with microwaves, refrigerators with freezers and in ovens. Sensor reheat in microwaves is the most popular, followed by automated cooking and oven functionality. Did you know that control locks (safety by preventing accidental use) are popular across all major kitchen appliances.

The 2025 Kitchen of the Year Award winners are loaded with inspiration and application for your kitchen upgrade. Enjoy incorporating these popular kitchen trends featured in this post for your upcoming kitchen project. Find more inspiration by visiting Atlanta Homes & Lifestyles, at 2025 Kitchen of the Year Award.

The post Kitchens of the Year 2025 first appeared on Loretta J. Willis, DESIGNER.

Kitchen fixtures have earned their way to the top of design offerings when it comes to choosing style, innovation and function into the most used room in the home. According to KBIS 2025, (Kitchen & Bath Industry Show), the most in-demand luxury kitchen fixtures are:

1. Workstation Sinks – 75%
2. Additional Faucets (Bar Tap, Pot Filler, etc.) – 72.6%
3. All-in-One Tap/Water-Filling Station/Water Filtration – 39%
4. Gesture-or Voice-Controlled Faucets – 31.7%
5. Glass Rinsers – 23.8%
6. Other – 3.7%

Workstation Sinks

The LedgeFit Ruvati brings a new level of functional freedom to the kitchen with 40 different accessories that integrate seamlessly into Ruvati’s signature ledge design.

Additional Faucets (Bar Tap, Pot Filler, Etc.)

All-in-One Tap/Water-Filling Station/Water Filtration

Gester-or-Voice-Controlled Faucets | Glass Rinsers

Once considered luxury upgrades to the kitchen space, kitchen trends speak otherwise, as practicality drives these sough-after offerings in the pursuit of convenience, accessibility, sufficiency and function. I call it “practical luxury within a well-designed kitchen.”

The post Kitchen Trends | Practical Yet Luxury Fixtures first appeared on Loretta J. Willis, DESIGNER.