Renovating your home is more than just updating the aesthetic appeal of your personal living space. It’s also a huge investment that improves your quality of life, the value of your home and possibly also makes your home much more sustainable.   OakWood has been a trusted leader when it comes to the design, build and renovation space for custom homes in Ottawa due to our innovation and commitment to customer satisfaction.  As we look ahead to the rest of 2024 and beyond, it is important for homeowners to look at new home improvement and renovation trends so they can make better informed decisions that lead  to smart and impactful changes.  Lets take a look at the 5 main trends that are most common in home renovations across Ottawa. 

Table of Contents: 

1. Mud + Laundry Room Multifunctional Spaces 
2. Basement Renovations: Transforming the Lower Level 
3. Home Offices with Noise Reduction: The New Norm
4. Primary Bathroom Renovations: Luxury and Relaxation 
5. Kitchen Renovations: The Heart of the Home 

  Mud + Laundry Room Multifunctional Spaces

A mudroom is much more than a place that stores your coats, jackets and shoes. In modern homes, entrances are looked at multi-functional spaces that keep everything organized and optimized for each household members’ needs. 

• Enhanced storage solutions: Homeowners are leveraging built in benches with shoe storage, wall mounted coat racks and adding custom cabinetry to their mudrooms to reduce the amount of clutter at the entrance. Some even go as far as creating custom cubbies for each family member to make it easy to grab what they need when they are on the go. 

• Easy to clean, stylish materials: By incorporating high quality and durable materials such as porcelain tiles, engineered wood and waterproof paints, you can create a mudroom environment that will withstand the elements that will be brought into the home plus all the wear and tear that comes with daily use in a stylish manner. 

• Combining laundry areas with mudroom spaces: Combining a mudroom and a laundry room into 1 high-functional space is a top growing trend today. Merging these two spaces together will allow you to contain your mess into 1 area of your home. This typically involves creating custom folding stations, drying racks and adding extra storage spaces for all your laundry needs. 

Basement Renovations: Transforming the Lower Level

Homeowners, especially those with unfinished basements typically use their basements as spaces that are used for extra storage. Today, this is not necessarily the case and homeowners are looking for ways to transform basements into new spaces that becomes a more functional space that adds to the living area of the home. 

• Creating separate guest suites or rental units: Depending on your needs, the right basement renovation could mean turning the space into one that is designed to serve as a fully functional guest suite that is complete and includes a bedroom, bathroom and even a small kitchen area. This can also serve as a great space that can be perfect for homeowners to generate a bit of extra income by renting out the space.  

• Custom home theatres and game rooms: Your basement is a great place for you to create your own entertainment hub. By incorporating soundproof walls, a large projection screen, comfortable seating, smart lighting amongst other features, you can easily transform your basement into a cinema-like space. You can also consider adding things like pinball machines, pool tables and gaming consoles to boost your basement’s recreational zone. 

• Adding home offices or gyms: Many homeowners who are renovating their homes are also considering turning their basements into a more dedicated space for their fitness or work-related needs. Lighting, ergonomic furniture, noise reduction designs and materials can help create a home office that gives you the focus you need, while rubber floors, mirrors, and gym equipment will convert your basement into a personal workout gym area. 

Home Offices with Noise Reduction: The New Norm

Remote work and hybrid work is not going aways anytime soon. With the rise in remote work, noise reduction solutions in addition to comfort are critical expectations that come when renovating and building new home office spaces. 

• Soundproofing solutions: You may choose to select and add acoustic panels, thicker carpeting, more insulated walls to isolate the sounds coming from other areas of your home. Solid-core doors and double pane windows can also help you create a quieter space that makes it easier for you to focus and be productive. 

• High quality furniture: Ergonomic chairs, adjustable desks, and proper storage solutions and custom cabinetry can evolve your office space into a more comfortable and efficient workspace. High quality furniture not only boosts productivity   but also promotes the overall physical and mental wellbeing by reducing strain and pain. 

• Lighting and layout: Its no secret the great lighting boosts productivity. Try to incorporate as much natural light as possible. You can do this by ensuring that your office is near a window. You should also consider adding lamps with adjustable brightness to reduce any strain on your eyes. By carefully planning the layout of your office, you can optimize the space in a way that everything you need while working is within reach, organized and boost productivity. 

Primary Bathroom Renovations: Luxury and Relaxation

Bring the high-end spa experience into your home! When building or renovating bathrooms today, many homeowners are looking for features that you typically find at luxury spas to create a safe space that promotes relations and self-care. 

• Spa-like features: Freestanding soaker tubs will add an element of elegance and perfect for long relaxing baths. Heated floors are great for colder months and rain showers adds to the luxurious experience that feels like a spa visit. 

• Advanced smart technology for water and efficiency and convenience: Smart showers and bath faucets allow you to set your bath to your desired temperature and water level to reduce your water waste. Furthermore, automatic lighting, voice-activated controls and an immersive sound system can add to the convenience and crate a more personal and relaxing space. 

• High end finishes: Consider using marble, granite or quartz for your bathroom countertops for durability and a more sophisticated look. Custom cabinetry will allow you to make storage solution that is tailored to your space while promoting organization and cleanliness. Lastly features such as custom under cabinet lighting, built in hampers and cabinets with built in mirrors can boost functionality and aesthetics. 

Kitchen Renovations: The Heart of the Home

Your kitchen is the heart of your home and that will never change. Looking ahead, the renovations of kitchens will continue to be the main focal point of a home renovation, significantly increasing the overall quality of your life while boosting the value of your home. 

• Open-concept kitchens: Open concept kitchen designs tend to involve the removal of walls between the kitchen and living space to create a more spacious and inviting living environment. It also encourages social interactions and allows family members and guests to interact more freely during get-togethers. An open concept kitchen typically involves the integration of a kitchen island or peninsula with seating to make the space more accessible and communal. 

• Smart kitchen appliances: Newer and more modern kitchens are increasingly equipped with smart kitchen appliances. This includes smart refrigerators, ovens, and dishwashers that can be controlled and monitored through a cellphone for convenience and energy efficiency. Touchless faucets and voice activated smart lights can also simplify your life. 

• Custom cabinetry and unique countertops: custom cabinets that are tailored to your cooking and dining needs adds a layer of functionality without sacrificing the aesthetics of your home. By using high quality materials such as wood, glass, metal and various stone finishes, you can create a custom look that matches your preferences. By incorporating high-quality materials, you can create a stunning space that is highly functional. 

Ready to transform your home into a space that precisely reflect your unique style and needs? 

At OakWood, we pride ourselves on providing the industry’s leading renovation and custom home building services that are backed by our 65 years of serving Ottawa. By choosing to work with OakWood, you are prioritizing innovation, craftsmanship and customer satisfaction.  Contact OakWood today for your next home renovation project or schedule a consultation with one of our award-winning designers  to turn your dream home into reality.