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New Year, clean reno slate. Is that how the saying goes? According to a new report from home improvement planning and booking app Thumbtack, it just might be. Last month, the platform shared that 57% of design industry pros it surveyed predicted that homeowners would opt for renovations over new-build projects in 2025. Not even a month into the New Year, that prediction is bearing out. Based on thousands of home-improvement projects users added to their to-do lists on the platform between December and January, the ten most popular—which range from fresh coats of paint to refinishing flooring—seem to show that homeowners are doubling down on polishing up their spaces. Here’s their breakdown.
- Interior painting – $545-$1,668 on average/1,000 sqft
- Installing new windows – $395-$675 on average
- Installing new closet systems – $358 on average
- Landscaping design – $300-$2,500 on average
- Replacing or installing new floors – $1,505 on average
- Installing new appliances – $120-$150 on average
- Installing or new heating systems – $3,449-$4,143 on average
- Installing new lighting – $150-$250 on average
- Refinishing hardwood floors – $1,500 on average
- Installing new carpet – $550-$913 on average
While the average expense of, say, overhauling a heating system or enlisting a landscape designer can run well into the thousands, it was installing new lighting that caught our attention. The relative simplicity of swapping a fixture makes this to-do arguably the most low-lift, high-payoff on the list. For inspiration, we looked to the homes that have made the case for the magic of this simple—and affordable—swap. Keep reading to shop our picks.
This tulip-shaped cast ceramic flush mount adds a complementary, utilitarian touch to this bright white kitchen.
Aspiring to be a “ban the big light” household? Take notes from Maggie Glendenning who has installed these petite, dimmable sconces in the bathroom of her St. George, Utah new build.
Angelenos clearly know a thing or two about light. In Eric Wareheim’s sunny loft this Noguchi pendant evokes understated ease in the dining area.
With peak coziness as the design North Star of this Napa Valley family room, is it any wonder the designer leaned on Arhaus’s rattan sconces to set the vibe?
You’d be hard pressed to find a space where this sleek Schoolhouse pendant and its subtle romantic scalloped details don’t fit right in, but they’re perfectly at home in the pretty pink kitchen of Claire Vivier.
