16 Hot 2025 Renovation Trends In New York You’ll Wish You Skipped
New York homeowners are always chasing the latest design trends, but not every popular renovation choice stands the test of time.
Some of the hottest trends of 2025 might look amazing in magazines, but they could leave you with serious regrets down the road.
I’m here to walk you through sixteen renovation trends that are taking over the city right now, yet might have you wishing you’d saved your money and stuck with something more timeless.
1. All-Black Bathroom Fixtures
Matte black faucets and showerheads are everywhere in New York apartments right now. Designers love the dramatic contrast they create against white tiles and marble. Homeowners are replacing perfectly good chrome fixtures just to get this edgy look.
Here’s the problem though. Black fixtures show every single water spot and fingerprint within minutes of use. You’ll spend more time wiping down your bathroom than actually enjoying it.
The matte finish also wears down faster than traditional finishes. Within a year, you might notice the coating chipping or fading. Plus, when this trend inevitably passes, you’ll be stuck with dated fixtures that scream 2025, making your bathroom feel instantly outdated.
2. Open Shelving Instead of Upper Cabinets
Kitchen designers are convincing New Yorkers to rip out their upper cabinets for trendy open shelving. It creates an airy, spacious feeling that photographs beautifully for social media. The minimalist aesthetic appeals to people who want their homes to look like design magazines.
Reality hits hard when you lose half your storage space in an already tiny New York kitchen. Everything on those shelves collects dust and grease from cooking. You’ll need to wash your dishes constantly just to keep them display-worthy.
Open shelving also forces you to keep everything perfectly organized at all times. One messy stack ruins the whole look. Most people eventually regret sacrificing practical storage for aesthetic appeal.
3. Statement Wallpaper on Every Wall
Bold, maximalist wallpaper is having a major moment in New York interiors. People are covering entire rooms in loud patterns, from tropical prints to geometric designs. Interior designers are encouraging homeowners to embrace color and pattern fearlessly.
When you first install it, the effect feels exciting and fresh. But living with busy patterns on every surface gets exhausting quickly. Your eyes have nowhere to rest, and the room can start feeling claustrophobic.
Removing wallpaper is also notoriously difficult and expensive. If you get tired of the pattern or want to sell your apartment, you’re facing hours of steaming and scraping. Accent walls work better because they give you visual interest without overwhelming the space completely.
4. Luxury Vinyl Plank Throughout
Contractors are pushing luxury vinyl plank flooring as the ultimate practical solution for New York homes. It’s waterproof, durable, and looks surprisingly like real hardwood. Homeowners are installing it everywhere from bedrooms to kitchens because it costs less than genuine wood.
The catch is that it still looks and feels like plastic once you know what you’re touching. It lacks the warmth and authenticity of real wood floors. When potential buyers tour your apartment, they’ll immediately recognize it as vinyl.
Vinyl also doesn’t add value to your home the way real hardwood does. You can’t refinish it when it gets scratched or worn. Eventually, you’ll need to replace the entire floor, which creates more waste and expense than maintaining quality hardwood.
5. Industrial Exposed Ductwork
Leaving ductwork and pipes exposed has become a signature look in renovated New York lofts. Homeowners are paying contractors not to cover up mechanical systems. The raw, industrial aesthetic feels urban and authentic to the city’s warehouse history.
Unfortunately, exposed ducts collect dust like crazy and are nearly impossible to clean properly. They also amplify every sound your HVAC system makes. You’ll hear whooshing, clanking, and humming that properly enclosed ducts would muffle.
Temperature control suffers too because uncovered ducts lose heating and cooling efficiency. Your energy bills increase while your comfort decreases. What looks cool in a trendy restaurant doesn’t always translate well to comfortable daily living at home.
6. All-White Minimalist Kitchens
Pure white kitchens are dominating renovation projects across Manhattan and Brooklyn. White cabinets, white counters, white backsplash, even white appliances create a clean, gallery-like space. Designers promise this look makes small kitchens feel larger and brighter.
Living with an all-white kitchen in New York City is impractical. Every spill, splash, and smudge shows immediately. Cooking tomato sauce becomes a stressful event because one drop ruins the pristine appearance.
White surfaces also yellow over time, especially near the stove where heat and grease accumulate. You’ll spend weekends scrubbing to maintain that showroom freshness. Adding even small touches of color or natural wood would give you visual warmth while hiding everyday wear much better.
7. Smart Home Everything
Tech companies have convinced New Yorkers that every light switch, thermostat, and door lock needs smart technology. Homeowners are spending thousands to automate their entire apartments. Controlling everything from your phone sounds convenient and futuristic.
The reality involves constant software updates, connectivity issues, and compatibility problems. Different devices from different companies often don’t work together smoothly. You’ll waste hours troubleshooting why your lights won’t respond to voice commands.
Smart devices also become obsolete quickly as technology advances. That expensive smart refrigerator you installed might not receive updates in five years. Regular switches and locks last decades without needing upgrades, saving you money and frustration in the long run.
8. Concrete Countertops
Concrete countertops are appearing in high-end New York renovations as an alternative to granite or marble. The industrial look fits perfectly with urban loft aesthetics. Homeowners love the customizable colors and the fact that each countertop is unique.
Concrete requires intense maintenance that most people don’t anticipate. It needs regular sealing or it stains permanently from wine, coffee, and acidic foods. Even with sealing, it’s more porous than stone.
These countertops also crack easily if not installed perfectly. Temperature changes in New York’s extreme seasons cause expansion and contraction. Repairs are difficult and expensive. For the same price, you could get durable quartz that looks great and requires almost no maintenance whatsoever.
9. Pocket Doors Everywhere
Space-saving pocket doors are being installed throughout tight New York apartments. They slide into the wall instead of swinging open, which saves precious square footage. Architects love them for creating flexible spaces that can open up or close off as needed.
Pocket door hardware breaks constantly and repairs require opening up your walls. When the door goes off track, you can’t just adjust hinges like with regular doors. You’re facing a major repair job.
They also provide terrible sound insulation because they don’t seal tightly against the frame. You’ll hear everything happening in the next room. Standard doors with quality hinges last much longer and function more reliably, even if they take up slightly more space.
10. Terrazzo Everything
Terrazzo has made a comeback in New York renovations after decades out of style. The speckled stone composite is showing up on floors, walls, and even shower enclosures. Its colorful, playful appearance feels both retro and contemporary.
Installing terrazzo properly costs a fortune because it requires skilled craftspeople. Cheaper alternatives look obviously fake and tacky. Even authentic terrazzo can crack if your building settles or shifts, which is common in older New York structures.
The busy pattern also gets visually tiring quickly. What seemed fun and energetic at first can feel chaotic after a few months. When this trend cycles back out of fashion, you’ll have a very expensive, very permanent reminder of 2025 covering your floors.
11. Glass Block Shower Walls
Glass blocks are returning to trendy New York bathrooms after being popular in the 1980s. Designers are using them to create shower enclosures that let light through while maintaining privacy. The textured glass creates interesting patterns and shadows.
Cleaning between all those blocks is absolutely miserable. Soap scum and hard water deposits accumulate in every grout line. You’ll need a toothbrush and serious elbow grease to keep them looking decent.
Glass blocks also feel dated because they remind people of that earlier era. When buyers see them, they think outdated renovation rather than cutting-edge design. Frameless glass shower doors provide better sightlines and much easier maintenance for a cleaner, more timeless look.
12. Barn Doors for Bathrooms
Sliding barn doors are being installed on bathrooms throughout Brooklyn and Manhattan apartments. The rustic hardware and reclaimed wood add farmhouse charm to urban spaces. They’re also space-savers since they don’t need clearance to swing open.
Barn doors provide zero privacy because they don’t seal against the doorframe. Sound travels freely, and gaps let light and odors escape. Using the bathroom while guests are over becomes awkward.
The hardware also gets loose over time and makes annoying rattling sounds. Keeping the door on track requires regular adjustments. For bathrooms specifically, you really need a proper door that closes completely and locks securely, even if it means sacrificing a few inches of space.
13. Zellige Tile Backsplashes
Handmade Zellige tiles from Morocco are the hottest backsplash choice in upscale New York kitchens right now. The irregular shapes and glossy glazes create a handcrafted, artisanal look. Each tile is slightly different, which appeals to homeowners seeking unique details.
These tiles cost an absolute fortune to import and install. You’ll pay premium prices for the imperfect look. The uneven surfaces also make cleaning difficult because dirt catches in the irregularities.
The glazes can chip easily when hit by pots or utensils. Matching replacement tiles is nearly impossible since each batch varies. For a fraction of the cost, you could install classic subway tile that looks elegant, cleans easily, and never goes out of style completely.
14. Integrated Appliances That Disappear
High-end renovations now include appliances hidden behind cabinet panels so they blend invisibly. Your refrigerator, dishwasher, and even your range hood disappear into the cabinetry. The seamless look creates a furniture-like kitchen appearance.
When these integrated appliances break, repairs become complicated and expensive. Technicians need to remove custom panels carefully to access the machinery. Replacement parts take longer because these are specialized models.
You’re also locked into specific appliance sizes forever. If you want to upgrade your refrigerator later, you’ll need custom panels made again. Standard appliances offer more flexibility, easier repairs, and better value while still looking perfectly fine in most kitchen designs.
15. Accent Walls with Wood Slats
Vertical wood slat walls are popping up in living rooms and bedrooms across New York. The three-dimensional texture adds warmth and visual interest. Homeowners appreciate the natural material bringing organic elements into urban apartments.
Those horizontal surfaces between each slat collect dust constantly. Cleaning them requires going over each individual piece with a cloth. Within weeks, they look dingy unless you’re committed to regular maintenance.
The slatted look also feels very tied to this specific moment in design history. In five years, it’ll clearly date your renovation to 2025. A simple painted accent wall or quality wallpaper gives you visual interest without the cleaning hassles or the trendy timestamp.
16. Oversized Format Tile
Giant tiles measuring three feet or larger are trending in New York bathrooms and kitchens. Fewer grout lines create a sleek, modern appearance. Installers promise easier cleaning since there’s less grout to maintain.
Installing oversized tiles requires perfect subflooring and expert installation. Any unevenness shows dramatically across large surfaces. If one tile cracks, replacing it means a huge visible patch that’s hard to match.
These tiles also cost significantly more than standard sizes, both for materials and labor. The weight requires additional floor support in older buildings. Standard-sized quality tile looks just as elegant, costs less, and is much easier to repair or replace if problems develop down the road.
