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Design

The Top 25 Home Reno Trends That Are Based on ACTUAL Data… Caitlin Digs In

Every month at EHD is a blast, but January really stands out. We launch every year with a series of trend posts – catch up on our kitchen, bathroom, and decor predictions – and pulling them together is unbelievably fun. There’s a lot of Zoom conversations and Instagram DMs of inspirational spaces and “I’m noticing this…have you seen it anywhere, too?” messages peppered with like, a tiny splash of wild speculation. What a treat!

But like…what if I told you that I, the team’s resident data wonk/person most likely to wear a pocket protector, knew which trends people were actually installing in their homes? BECAUSE I DO, and I’ve been keeping it to myself quietly, but NOW I WANT TO SHARE.

So basically, the folks on Yelp’s data science team looked at all of the site’s searches and review mentions to pinpoint the home-centric terms experiencing the biggest growth. I love this because it shows the projects – big and small! – that folks at home have actually decided to invest in this year. It’s one thing to read a trend post or to pin new inspiration, but seeking out quotes or vendors signals real commitment. Let’s get started, yeah? (PS. I had literally never heard of one of the renovation trends on this list before and autocorrect STILL says it’s not a real word, so we’re gonna be doing some LEARNING together in this post.)

25. Up 13%: Solar Panel Installation

photo by sam frost | design by malek alqadi | via dwell

Our first renovation trend: renewable energy! This Joshua Tree cabin is one of my favorite solar-powered projects – instead of stacking panels on the roof (“there was no way we were climbing up twenty feet to put panels on the roof in the desert sun in the middle of summer,” said the designer), the design team installed a solar tree that’s simultaneously architectural and functional.

24. Up 30%: Stained Concrete

Emily Henderson Design Trends 2018 Kitchen Concrete 01
photo by derek swalwell | design by auhaus | via oracle fox | seen in: 2018 design trends: kitchen

We’ve been singing the praises of concrete for a few years now (see: that 2018 trend post). It’s durable, affordable, and a real workhorse. (Concrete floors. Concrete countertops. Concrete islands. Concrete sinks. Concrete tubs. Concrete tiles. Is there anything it can’t do???) But if you’re tired of its traditional matte gray appearance, staining concrete can add new long-lasting color, depth, or shine – a dramatic change – without sending you into a full renovation spiral. I have deemed this a “make it work” trend (you’ll see even more of these below) and am preeeetty sure it’s pandemic-related.

23. Up 34%: Cabinetry

photo by sara ligorria-tramp | from: inside all our (super organized) drawers & cabinets in the mountain house kitchen

Plot twist: if you take millions of people and force them to cook almost every meal inside their own house, they will proooobably start coming up with some ideas on how to make their cabinet layouts more efficient and their kitchen organization more enjoyable. Who would have seen that coming??? Everyone?

22. Up 39%: Home Organizers

Emily-Henderson_House_Modern_English_Traditional_Makeover_Organization_California-Closets_18
photos by tessa neustadt | from: our closets, designed and styled

The lone non-renovation trend and a real plot twist!!! HOW DID THIS GROW BY SO MUCH? I know that we’re all feeling clutter body™ (an EHD go-to term that describes the anxiety you get when you’re surrounded by stuff) but guys…people got hopped up on The Home Edit’s Netflix show and are hiring strangers to come into their house to help them organize! During the pandemic! WILD. All that said, I do love that a bunch of small businesses in this space are probably taking off and if you’re on the hunt for a side (or main?) gig, this may be something worth exploring.

21. Up 49%: Quartz Countertops

Emily Henderson Mountain House Kitchen Lores92
photo by sara ligorria-tramp | from: it’s finally here: the reveal of the mountain house kitchen

Get lost, marble!!! There’s a new gal in town and her name is QUARTZ. She’s low maintenance, but you have to keep her out of the sun (she can be sensitive to UV rays) and keep her away from super hot things (she burns easily – me too, girl!). I actually re-learned both of these things just now by revisiting this 2019 post, which I’m 100% sure is the most internet’s most comprehensive guide to selecting stone countertops.

20. Up 51%: Glass Door Installation

photo by carlos naude | from: tour this breathtaking minimal home – proving that windows and doors can truly make the space

Like most design blogs, we’ve been very bullish on the whole “EMBRACE INDOOR/OUTDOOR LIVING” messaging over the past year, so it’s exciting to see that we are all seemingly on the same page. I’ve long been obsessed with the scenic sliding door in Em’s family room (there’s a GIF in that post if you want to view it in action! It’s even better in real life, if you can believe), but the above house tour took it to a whole new level – the family chose to go super minimal on their furnishings so their splurge-worthy doors would shine.

19. Up 71%: Closet Design

photo by sara ligorria-tramp | from: sara’s closet reveal – the bold design moment she’s been craving

Closets: the unsung heroes of the home. They’re private, small, and the perfect place to flex some design muscles without fear. (I also feel this way about powder rooms, but that’s neither here nor there!!) Last year, Sara shared several of our favorite bold, beautiful, and functional walk-in closets before taking a stab at designing her own and to no one’s surprise, she did a GREAT job. You can learn more in the reveal post above about how she set about working with a closet designer and how she laid out zones for all her essentials. (And if you want to get REALLY in the weeds on your own closet, hop down to the comments for a long note from me about the IKEA Pax system vs. The Container Store Elfa system – the one Sara actually used – because we learned a lot!)

18. Up 80%: Home Office

photo by sara ligorria-tramp | from: sara and mac’s office/guest room reveal – lots of function + even more color and style

My mom and I moved into my childhood home – or at least, the one where I spent my formative teen years – in the early 2000s. One of her first agenda items? Turning a random first-floor walk-in closet into an office for me. She fully decked it out with built-ins, two separate desk areas, and tons of drawer space and I loved it. (Trendsetter alert!!! Brenda originated the cloffice, pass it on!) Over the last few years, she’s been noodling on turning it (and her full-sized office in the room next door) into a secondary bedroom/bathroom suite, but 2020 threw all those plans in the garbage. Suddenly, having two offices – one that’s the perfect size for homeschooling two kids and the other that’s great for WFH – doesn’t seem like such a bad thing to have.

17. Up 83%: Kitchen Islands

photo by sara ligorria-tramp | from: velinda’s first freelance client reveal: molding the ‘builder-grade’ budget + where they saved & splurged

My thesis: everyone saw this Velinda Hellen Design island and immediately felt compelled to update their own island. Creative storage, tons of drawer space, a built-in downdraft range, and still room to sit? VISIONARY. When the world reopens, you just KNOW so many good chats will be had standing around the thousands of new-and-improved islands being installed nationwide as we speak.

16. Up 84%: Kitchen Remodels

photo by jess marés | from: a diy kitchen renovation in two parts (plus a diy pep talk)

So we’ve chatted cabinets and countertops and islands, but most people are just going ALL IN with all new kitchens this year. This actually tracks with the data I’m seeing on our end, too – our kitchen posts are performing at unprecedented levels and formerly esoteric posts are getting tons of google traffic out of NOWHERE. To that end, we’re going to have at least three new kitchen reveals coming your way early this year (Sara, Albie, and Rashida are all almost done!) so hopefully, we’ll be able to provide even more new inspiration as you undertake your own renovation 🙂

15. Up 85%: Outdoor Kitchens

design by three birds renovations

After last year, I can imagine the value of having a place where you can be outside AND cook. Like, who hasn’t dreamed of a dedicated area where you can simultaneously make delicious treats while getting a temporary reprieve from spending 24/7 within 1,000 square feet of another person at all times? More importantly, outdoor kitchens add a ton of value to homes long-term – and they’ll be GREAT for future celebrations with friends and family.

14. Up 97%: Fire Pits

Emily Henderson Intel Outdoor Movie Night261
photo by sara ligorria-tramp | from: the ultimate outdoor movie night and campout with intel

Ah, yes – we’re really jumping into the outdoor portion of the trend list here. If you missed out on a fire pit last summer (they sold out almost instantly everywhere), you may want to start budgeting for one now! New outdoor decor and accessories typically start dropping in March, but you can see some of our favorites from last year right here.

13. Up 111%: Gazebos & Pergolas

Exterior 1 001
photo by zeke ruelas | from casa soria reveal: orlando’s parents deck is done

Who doesn’t love a pergola? They’re DIY-able (I mean, if you have Shavonda Gardner-level DIY skills) and they’re an easy way to bring zones, definition, and a little bit of sun coverage to an outdoor space. The turn towards being more intentional about outdoor living isn’t just a Covid fad – it seems to be a permanent fixture in the design world that we’ll see throughout all of 2021.

12. Up 121%: Tuckpointing

photo by john storey | via traditional building

I TOLD YOU WE WERE GOING TO LEARN. Basically, tuckpointing is when a mason uses two colors of mortar to make your bricks look cleaner. So in the example above, someone slathered on a matching red mortar to patch corners and holes and then added a new white mortar line for definition. It’s the brick version of Emily’s schmeared fireplace – a total ‘make it work’ trend. Love it. Love learning. Long live tuckpointing!!!

11. Up 134%: Gutter Installation

Emily Henderson Portland Traditional Exterior 1
photo by sara ligorria-tramp | from: two reveals, one post: the portland outdoor living spaces and a lot of styling tips

I honestly can’t explain the growth in this one. A lot of these trends are situation-based, with people making changes in reaction to the new state of the world. Gutter installation, though? Like, we’ve always needed gutters on our homes. Are you making them nicer? Just tired of looking at them? Would love to hear from someone who has taken on a gutter-related project this year!! 🙂

10. Up 172%: Sustainable Landscaping

Ehd Amanda And William Exterior 101
photo by sara ligorria-tramp | from: 5 outdoor ideas & hacks that’ll instantly add style (& save you money)

Another encouraging earth-friendly trend! Instead of just looking for beautifully landscaped yards, folks are on the hunt for sustainable choices – think drought-resistant plants, native trees and flowers, and inspiration for at-home fruit and vegetable gardens.

9. Up 253% Chimney Masonry

Emily Henderson_Living Room_Staged To Sell_Boho_Mid Century_Eclectic_Blue_White_Styled_Couch_Sectional_Staged7
photos by tessa neustadt | from: how we styled our living room to sell

This one hits home for us at EHD! In case you missed it, Em ran into chimney problems this year (you can read her full LA house update here). I have a sneaking suspicion that this growth is driven by the absolutely wild housing market, seeing as I’m sure that most normal people aren’t like “hey, I wonder how my chimney masonry is holding up, I should probably repair it.” Low mortgage rates = more homes being sold = more inspections being done = more chimneys in need of repair. The circle of life!

8. Up 272%: Decks and Patios

photo by zeke ruelas | from: giving life to our old wood deck

SURPRISE. Just kidding…obviously this is a huge one. If you’re still on the hunt for some inspo, might I suggest Malcolm’s small-footprint multifunctional deck, Velinda’s full-of-zones backyard, or Em’s springtime patio?

7. Up 374%: Pool Installation

photo by joe fletcher | via dwell

Not sure if anyone else tried to get a quote for a pool last summer, but y’all – it was IMPOSSIBLE. Pool builders nationwide were booked a year or two in advance. I was going to make a pun about it being ~time to take the plunge~ but uh, I’ll spare you.

6. Up 413%: Sauna Installation

Emily Henderson Design Trends 2018 Bathroom One Material 05
photo by brett boardman | design by carter williamson | via dwell | seen in: 2018 design trends for the bathroom

I have a sneaking suspicion that when most folks say “sauna,” they might mean “wet room.” (Unless you have the room and space to install a full-on steam room in your house, in which case…uh, hey, can I grab an invite sometime??) We’ve been loving on the freestanding bath + enclosed steam shower combo for years now, but they feel more relevant than ever. If it’s time to update, why not treat yourself to an actual spa experience at home?

5. Up 420%: Hardwood Installation

Emily_Henderson_Living_Room_Progress_Wood_Floors_No Text
from: the story of our herringbone wood flooring

Allow me to speculate wildly for a moment: people who spend all day at home make messes. Hardwoods are (a.) beautiful and (b.) easier to sweep and sanitize and keep clean. Who wouldn’t want to undertake a renovation that can make their lives easier and raise the value of their home? (PS. Em’s above post about picking and installing her LA home’s herringbone floors is enthralling, even if you’re not a homeowner. It’s a deep dive and a fun read with a full cost breakdown!)

4. Up 469%: Exterior House Painting

photo by sara ligorria-tramp | from: my secret front yard is finally revealed

You thought I wrote a literal dissertation on picking exterior paint colors FOR FUN? Well…I kind of did (still trying to manifest my dream home by pinning future exterior colors, like a cool and normal person) but it was mainly inspired by an uptick in general internet search traffic. If you’re planning to paint your place this year, I’d love to hear about it 🙂

3. Up 473%: Plaster

Emily Henderson 2020 Kitchen Trends Wood And Plaster 4
photo by swiley interior photography | design by natalie saunders and louis litrenta | via sunset | seen in: the 9 kitchen trends we can’t wait to see more of in 2020

PLASTER. It’s not just for walls anymore! We’ve fallen in love with plaster cabinets, like the ones above, and the water-safe version called tadelakt. (Arlyn wrote that full-on 101 with tons of inspiration of plaster in use if you’d like to take a peek!) But never fear – if you love the look of traditional plaster walls, you can replicate it at home by using a special lime wash or roman clay paint like this one. Plaster for all!!!

2. Up 864%: Backyard Remodel

photo by virtually here studios | from: the house tour that took all our breath away – shanty’s japandi style oasis

No surprise here. We’ve seen outdoor kitchens, fire pits, sustainable landscaping, decks and patios, gazebos, and pools trending…but it seems like this year, the overwhelming majority of folks are hoping to finish the whole space at once. The backyard historically didn’t seem like a space to remodel – I mean, sure, maybe you’d have a patio to sit on and some landscaping with grass in between for playing – so this dedicated idea of installing something with new layouts and zones for activities is truly a HUGE shift. We’re all trying to make the most of the space we have, which is kind of nice to think about. 🙂

1. Up 2,000%: Tub Reglazing

Emily Henderson Portland Traditional Master Bathroom41
photo by sara ligorria-tramp | from: portland reveal: creating the dreamiest of master bathrooms

TWO. THOUSAND. PERCENT. Tub reglazing is the ultimate “make it work” trend. Score a great deal on a freestanding vintage clawfoot tub? Reglaze it. Live in a 1930s apartment with a 1930s tub that has faded a lot more than the surrounding tile? (Just me?) Reglaze it. Have a classic white built-in tub that’s just looking a little worse for the wear? REGLAZE IT. It’s affordable, sustainable, and it’ll make you smile a little more every time you walk into your bathroom. Mother earth likes this trend and SO DO I.

That’s a wrap on the huge renovation trend list for 2021! Have you started on any of these projects, or any of them on your list? Are any of them surprising to you (i.e. gutters?!?)? Did you also learn about tuckpointing for the first time today? LET’S CHAT. xx

Opening Photo Credit: Design by Three Birds Renovations

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Alice
3 years ago

I laughed out loud about the gutters. We are planning on installing gutters this year, as we moved into an older home that doesn’t have them (why? I don’t know! I live in drought-stricken CA, so when this home was built in the 50’s there was measurably MORE RAIN! How did they deal with the puddles? Didn’t they worry about the foundation??). Maybe the uptick in gutters is also related to people moving and fixing up their new homes!

KS
3 years ago
Reply to  Alice

We just got a quote for new gutter installation! Buh bye six thousand of our dollars. Why gutters now? I guess because we are spending so much time at home and in our yard we finally noticed our gutters were sagging and crammed full of debris. I don’t know if we would have noticed this if we weren’t here 24/7 for almost a year straight.

Elizabeth Binggeli
3 years ago

Sorry, the data you describe from Yelp does NOT scientifically show what is actually happening in the world for several reasons. One, people often search for info on projects they don’t actually do. Two, not everyone uses Yelp. Three, not every who uses Yelp writes a review. Plus, Yelp is a for-profit service that has an interest in supporting certain industries, so likely has all kinds of bias in their data. As the data wonk, of course you know all this. So perhaps say what the data might suggest, and explain the limits of the data. Don’t make sweeping unsupported claims—THAT is science.

Emma
3 years ago

It also seems that it would inherently skew the “data” toward projects requiring a professional, whether it’s a mason or an installer or whatever. That’s obviously inaccurate on its own but especially during a year when most people don’t want strangers inside their homes. Wouldn’t this pretty much eliminate all DIYs from the equation? I’m assuming those have been the most popular, and anecdotally it’s certainly what I see the most interest in!

Mary Lynne
3 years ago

Where can I see Emily’s schmeared fireplace?

KS
3 years ago
Reply to  Mary Lynne

The mountain house fireplace.

Lynn W
3 years ago

Now I know “tuckpointing “. I can use this at the home improvement store I work at and look so smart 😂. Seriously, thank you 😊
New gutters makes sense along with the newly purchased homes being improved. Old gutters that have rotted and are now hole filled. Before we moved from CA to AZ we put on a new roof and all new gutters!

Lane
3 years ago
Reply to  Lynn W

Gutters and roofs might be required by insurance too. We were forced to both when we needed to ensure a house we bought. They were old, probably would be fine for a few years, but insurabnce required it

Christine Schwalm
3 years ago

Can you provide a link for the data? I’m working on a project and would love to be able to note this information with a source. Thanks

Je
3 years ago
Cici Haus
3 years ago

Our kitchen renovation and hardwood floor installation were planned pre-COVID…but both happened this year!

Marci Lambert
3 years ago

we have a 1960s house with original bathtubs, which have become worn over the years. we looked at reglazing, but didn’t love that option. so i just had a contractor come to my house to talk about replacing just the bathtubs. for various legitimate reasons he suggested that we really need to redo the entire bathrooms ($20k! each!). so it looks like we will settle for tub reglazing after all!

Amanda McCullough
3 years ago
Reply to  Marci Lambert

yeah that’s insane!

Vicki Williams
3 years ago

Oh gosh not insane at all. A full on bath remodel can be upwards to…well the sky’s the limit. Now we aren’t talking just a toilet change but everything. For what it’s worth I am a 20 yr kitchen and bath remodel-designer. Meaning I have some experience. And that is even keeping all the plumbing in the same location. I’ve completed 3 baths in my latest client’s home. The master $30K 2 smaller $ between 15K and 17K where we didn’t pull out the tubs just did a new designer surrounds. Vanities HD, and Craigslist.
Having said that I am helping a friend move into a large mobile home and it needs new shower, toilets, vanities, mirrors counters at least and hoping to manage under $6,000. I hope, I hope, I hope. We’ll see.

Atiya
3 years ago
Reply to  Marci Lambert

Just had 3 bathrooms gut remodeled in our newly purchased 1957 home for $17k each, 2 small and 1 medium, northern Virginia. The originals were fairly deteriorated or we would have been happy to keep using them. Really makes the case for taking good care of the bathrooms you have!

Lane
3 years ago
Reply to  Atiya

The material alone for my small bath was $12k. Perhaps a tiny bit more that I didn’t catch. It took my dad a while to finish. Thankfully he had the experience needed.If I hired an outside company, I’d have to pay their salary for 2-3 months. And no. You can’t rip out tile only. Everything goes, including drywall. It’s impossible to replace a tub unless it’s a freestanding tub. Also new remodel must be up to code. So new electrical and plumbing, and barriers too. And if window is the shower it may require a new one too

Rusty
3 years ago
Reply to  Marci Lambert

My best friend had 2 bathrooms, the laundry and the kitcgen redone just before the pandemic. OMG!!! $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
Most of the money wasn’t for the trades or materials.
It was for someone else to project manage!! I still can’t believe they did that. I projecf managed a whole (albeit small) house myself and I’d never done it before.
If you’re a good communicator, organised and can work out work-flow (which trade does what, in which order) itsworth the big bucks you’ll save!

Ally
3 years ago

This was a fun read. Thanks!
About gutters: Ours were fine, but we recently replaced all our downspouts here in far northern CA. It’s made a world of difference. (We also added one in a spot where it was needed.)
The old downspouts were too skinny and square, ideal for catching debris and clogging up. Living amid pine trees that shed millions of needles & cones, free-flowing downspouts = better mental health.
And who doesn’t need that? The new ones match our house color and the whole job only cost $750. 🙂

Jessie
3 years ago

Okay so the gutter comment made me laugh so hard. BUT I swear to god on GUTTER HELMET. haha I thought my husband was crazy for wanting to buy that when we moved into our house but I tell you what we have never had to clean any of our gutters out! And it is supposed to save a lot of money in the long run. So we shall see haha

Sarah M.
3 years ago

Has anyone had luck with tub reglazing? Mine is chipping after 3 years…getting annoyed and want to replace the tub instead of stripping and reglazing yet again!

Donna
3 years ago
Reply to  Sarah M.

We bought this house 30 plus years ago. At the time we bought it it was 30 years old with the original bathrooms. We reglazed the white tub at that time and it lasted for 15 years. Then we thought about doing the whole bathroom again but since our tiles are set in plaster walls and we really like the tub we decided to leave as is and we reglazed all our pink 1950 tiles in white along with the tub again. We had such good luck that we did the shower and tiles in the second bathroom. We never use an abrasive cleaner and everything still looks fine! I’m sorry you had such a bad experience.

CW
3 years ago
Reply to  Sarah M.

I bought a kit from Amazon https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B000PTSBKW/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 and hired a professional painter (with powerful mask) to paint my 100 year old clawfoot. It’s been two years and still looks beautiful. Just follow directions on the amount of time to wait before using.

Rusty
3 years ago
Reply to  Sarah M.

Yes!!! In-situ with a cast iron tub.
I think there’s different quality of this though… x 2 types of process. Paint vs the real deal enamel.
The one I had done uses special lamps to set the new enamel.
It honestly looked (and still looks) great!

Julie
3 years ago
Reply to  Sarah M.

Hi Sarah! You might be interested in two blog posts by Yellow Brick Home. This one where they reglazed a white tub: https://www.yellowbrickhome.com/reglazing-a-bathtub/
And this one where they did it in pink: https://www.yellowbrickhome.com/can-you-reglaze-a-pink-bathtub/

Katie
3 years ago

Saunas are for sure a thing! I bet people actually did search for that and not a wet room. I live in the cold north and lots of people have them. I grew up in a very not fancy 1000 sq home (one bathroom!) And it had a sauna. The hardy folks from scandinavian countries know how lovely they feel, combined with a dip into the snow to cool off.

Emma
3 years ago
Reply to  Katie

I suspect this one is driven by gyms being closed – I LOVE the sauna at my gym and if I had space I would totally get one at home.

Lane
3 years ago
Reply to  Katie

That’s what I think too. A wet room would be more expensive. A sauna is just a small room with a radiant heater that can be store bought and placed in the basement

Rusty
3 years ago
Reply to  Katie

My neighbours have a proper cedar sauna room!

Lia
3 years ago
Reply to  Katie

Also, infrared saunas have be come very popular and are easy to install – the “healthiest condo” that was featured in last Sunday’s link-up right here on this blog had a built in infrared sauna in the master bedroom.

Colleen
3 years ago
Reply to  Katie

This^^^ Also,people are learning more about the health benefits of infared saunas, which are becoming much more mainstream, and differ from the idea of the traditional wood sauna.

Kelly
3 years ago

I wonder if the exterior painting uptick helps explain the gutter replacement. Gutters get a close look when you redo a roof and when you redo exterior paint. It doesn’t make sense to cover over rusting or failing gutters so folks may be discovering the problems when they approach an exterior paint redo.

Andrea
3 years ago

This was such a fun read, thanks!

L Q
3 years ago

Thanks for the interesting article Caitlin. Up in Seattle where we get lots of rain, tuckpointing is common home maintenance for houses that have brick siding or chimneys. It is simply getting rid of the crumbling mortar between bricks and replacing it with new mortar so that water doesn’t sit between your bricks and degrade them. I’ve never heard of it having anything to do with color. In fact this article reminds me that we need to take care of some of the bricks on our chimney this summer. Thanks!

Rusty
3 years ago
Reply to  L Q

I think that’s re-pointing.
Tuck pointing is different and Caitlin’s description isn’t quite on the money (sorry bout that Caitlin). It’s something that’s specific to old homes and it does have to do with red mirtar as Caitlin said.

Wendy
3 years ago
Reply to  L Q

In Chicago, we call that tuck-pointing too. It usually involves sandblasting out old, crumbly mortar and replacing it with new. I think color is just a personal preference. It’s more about proper maintenance and way less about looks.

Rusty
3 years ago
Reply to  Wendy

The two terms get mixed up all the time:
“Tuck-pointing and repointing are two terms often used interchangeably, although they are not the same thing. This mix-up has created some confusion in the masonry industry. Tuckpointing and repointing both involve adding new mortar joints to a brick structure, but each is slightly different. If your chimney, wall, or any masonry structure has mortar damage it needs some help, but do you need tuck pointing or repointing?

Repointing and tuckpointing involve digging out mortar joints to a certain depth and then refilling them with new mortar. Repointing is the actual process of removing damaged mortar joints and renewing them. Tuckpointing is similar in that it involves filling in pre-cleaned mortar joints, but it isn’t always done for damage control. Tuckpointing is a style used for pointing that includes the use of two different colors of mortar in order to alter the appearance of mortar joints.”

3 years ago

It’s amazing to see the ‘ everyday’ elements of a house or interior that are hitting the mark. Stuff we actually take for granted, like gutters. ( chuckle). What really hit home for me, is something that I see great value in – Reglazing of bathtubs. It is such an economical way of upgrading a bathroom. I was introduced to it via a network buddy. Her husband has one such a business. I have often pointed folk in that direction and used his service one of our interior projects. Yet, somehow I have always been left with the impression that there was a resistenc to it. Glad to see that is not the case. Can you share the link to that particular blog article. I tried to search but came up with nada. Cheers and thanks for such an interesting article.

Jeffrey
3 years ago

For a fair percentage of the population, data shows that during the pandemic their savings rose as they have remained employed and have nowhere to spend their money since they can’t go out, etc. No doubt a lot of home improvement trends are being driven by people in that category.

https://www.wsj.com/articles/consumer-spending-personal-income-coronavirus-december-2020-11611873351

Rusty
3 years ago
Reply to  Jeffrey

And in Australia, new car sales are booming too!
Everyone’s going on massive road trips (luckily we’re not affected by Covid that much, by comparison, and verrrry grateful for the way our fed and state governments have protected us).

Lori
3 years ago

I have been working with a crew of remodeling contractors all year when they need landscape help, and my theory about the gutters is that it’s just part and parcel of making the landscape more functional– fixing drainage issues is one of the first things that needs to happen before you even think about the pretty stuff. I’ve been doing a lot more rain gardens, too, where we take the water from the roof and channel it in a functional way to slow it down and sink in rather than the old approach of trying to drain it off the property and into a storm drain. I don’t know about the rest of the country, but the climate change predictions for central Texas suggest that we’ll keep the same amount of annual rainfall but get it all in huge rain events a few times per year. Preparing for that when improving our landscapes is going to be absolutely key!

Rusty
3 years ago

Grrreat article, Caitlin!!! 🤗 I did several of these prior to Covid-19 smashing the world. TUCKPOINTING: I live in a nearly 100 year old house that had original tuckpointing. It was worn and needed major repair. Historians say patch, don’t replace, but I had it replaced. (Yikes!)It took two and a half weeks, sun up to sunset! Phew! Sooooo messy! Red everrrrrrrywhere! But…. so beautiful! Passers-by kept asking about it! One even knocked on the door for the tradie info. ***Caitlin, your description isn’t correct though, sorry to say. It’s not something that’s done to fill holes, etc. It’s a heritage process. Old houses have mostly grey mortar. This was covered with red mortar, going over the edges of the bricks slightly, to match the bricks and then a line of white pointing is laid over this. (There are different widths depending on the era and style of the building). Many homes also have limestone foundation and/or fancy work which is also tuckpointed with cream mortar and a black line of pointing over the top. *When you just repair the mortar between brickwork, that’s called re-pointing coz theresno tucking involved. SUSTAINABLE LANDSCAPING: Yaaaaay for this!!!! 🌏🌏🌏 EXTERIOR PAINTING: Ha! I… Read more »

Beth
3 years ago

I laughed at the pool one- I bought a house last year that has a pool and I want to REMOVE it. It’s not an especially nice pool (above-ground, only about 3 1/2 feet deep, small), and I don’t really like to “swim” for enjoyment (I would be more into it if it was a lap pool- I actually do like to swim for exercise, but that’s pretty much impossible given the size/shape of the pool I have). It just seems like a lot of maintenance and it takes up about half the backyard. My parents (who live around the block) convinced me to keep it last year by saying they would do all of the maintenance…but I think it might go this summer. Everyone else thinks I’m crazy to get rid of it, so I’m having a hard time deciding.

Suzanne
3 years ago

We had our house painted last year (needed to be done probably three years before that). And in the painting, we noticed that our chimney needs to be inspected. And for the third of the mentioned trends, we hope to remodel our kitchen this year, just finalizing plans, and hoping the permits will go through quickly.

Kalia
3 years ago

#11 gutters is a direct result of #4 exterior painting. You need to take off the gutters to paint the trim on a house, and why put back ugly old stained gutters on your freshly painted house? I didn’t. Paint 2 months ago, ordered new gutters, and a rain chain!, all installed last week.
I echo the comments about using yelp. I redid my whole house in the last 2 years, as did my sister, and neither of us used Yelp.
It’s a fun story, just could use that disclaimer.

3 years ago

My mom turned a little hall closet into a “cloffice” way back in the late 1970s.
So sorry, Brenda but Janice was the original cloffice innovator. 🙂