Remodeling

A home remodel presents an opportunity to enhance the value of the home with high-end upgrades. However, many homeowners wonder if remodeling features advertised as luxury items are worth the cost and labor. Some remodeled fixtures and styles will stand the test of time and improve the lives of people living in the home, while others become outdated as new trends emerge.

We’ve gathered a list of high-end home remodel features that are excellent investments; they elevate the lifestyle of the home while maintaining value beyond the initial trend.

1. Custom Cabinet Work

Custom cabinetry has a timeless charm precisely because it is customized to the distinct needs of the spaces it occupies. Recent trends in sustainable wood materials, natural wood grains and finishes, and vertical cabinet designs can help homeowners and designers achieve a more modern space without sacrificing its timeless appeal. Decades from now, natural wood cabinets with built-in shelves, inlays, and custom panelling will hold their value while enhancing the daily routines of the home’s residents along the way.

2. Upscaled Kitchens

The kitchen has always been the heart of the modern home, but recent trends have reasserted it as a multifunctional space for socializing, working, and recreation, making it even more important to design well. Modern upscale kitchens include not only professional appliances and islands but also integrated seating, custom cabinetry, inlays, and other millwork.

Some trending ideas in gourmet kitchens that will retain their value over time include warming drawers, hidden pantries, integrated appliances, built-in shelves, and custom lighting schemes that emphasize work areas, accentuate natural light, and lead to more usable and luxurious spaces.

3. Luxury Bathrooms

Another room that can be remodeled with confidence in the investment is the bathroom, especially in the master suite. Modern high-end bathrooms are more than just functional living spaces for daily routines. They’ve become spa-like, vacation-oriented luxury spaces that combine modern luxury fixtures, millwork, and design trends to create rooms that people will want to use. In the current housing economy, the right master bathroom can sell a whole house.

For example, curbless walk-in showers with tiling or natural stone and premium fixtures can turn an amenity into a centerpiece. Freestanding tubs have taken the place of shower/tub combos as symbols of bathroom luxury. Heated stone flooring, under-cabinet lighting, custom dual vanities, and natural light integration can transform bathrooms into high-end spaces.

4. Energy Efficiency

Energy efficiency upgrades are popular and desirable remodels that offer practical benefits, including a lower environmental footprint and higher energy cost savings, while also adding emotional value to the home through sustainable living trends. These investments, such as energy-efficient appliances, reworked HVAC systems, LED lighting, natural lighting enhancements, door and window sealing, energy-efficient glass, and more, will remain selling points for many years to come as energy prices continue to rise and homebuyers seek more environmentally conscious properties.

5. Architectural Features

The right architectural features can be worth the long-term investment, provided they enhance the natural appeal of the home. Layered lighting designs can be implemented to change the feel of a space, even its perceived size, using statement pendants, integrated lighting accents, and other fixtures to highlight the architecture. Other features can be incorporated from millwork and stone work, such as accent walls, integrated seating pieces, or style accents, to renew the appeal of the architecture through remodeling techniques rather than full-blown renovations.

6. Smart Technology

Smart technology investments can hold their value when done properly because they add luxury and functionality at the same time. The potential risk is that the smart technology becomes outdated, which is why these upgrades should be chosen selectively. Examples of smart applications that hold their value include smart temperature systems that can be set based on the residents’ habits, smart-controlled heated bathroom floors, smart sprinkler systems, and smart air and water quality controls.

7. Outdoor Upgrades

Luxury home remodels often include outdoor spaces to add luxury and value to other aspects of the property. Adding or remodeling a deck or patio can make the home feel larger while adding aesthetic value. Other upgrades that are worth the investment for those with the space to accommodate them include outdoor kitchens and dining areas, outdoor living rooms, integrated fire pits, built-in appliances, and pool upgrades.

Take Your Home to the Next Level with Luxury Remodels that are Worth the Effort

Not all remodels are worth the time, money, and effort. Many expensive upgrades attempt to capitalize on trends without accounting for the long-term value of the investment. Our goal at Southern Maryland Kitchen & Bath is to help homeowners contextualize their home remodels with the luxury fixtures, architecture, and materials that will make their ideas worth the investment. Rather than completely changing the home, many of these upgrades simply accentuate and revalue the home’s best structures and features.

Contact our team today and schedule a consultation to learn how our in-house team of designers and contractors can help you plan and execute the high-end remodel with the best return on investment.

Luxury interior design in 2025 is so much more than showing off expensive fixtures. Today, luxury means high-impact design choices that bring a vision for a lifestyle to reality, increase a property’s value, and welcome guests into a curated space. The emphasis is now on craftsmanship, material selection, and personality, rather than pure opulence.

Homeowners partner with experienced designers and contractors to bring these visions to life, shifting from ostentatious designs to the trends that create spaces curated for elegant emotional appeal.

This article reviews some of the most prevalent luxury design trends that can elevate any home with a modern fusion of form, function, and personality.

Naturalistic Materials Bring Warmth to Luxury

Sustainability has transformed from a lifestyle choice into a popular visual style. Homeowners and buyers hope to translate naturalism and sustainable living to design choices that combine warmth and luxury in modern homes.

One example of this trend is the prevalence of natural stone statements, as well as luxury materials that replicate the look and feel of stone, to make spaces feel more organic. Carrera marble, quartz, and more can be incorporated into countertops, shower surrounds, feature walls, cladding, backsplashes, and other features for that naturalistic feel.

Beyond stone, designers eyeing a natural feel can also use luxury hardwood to create spaces that feel warmer and more inviting. Some of the most popular choices for flooring, accent walls, casework, and furniture include birch, hickory, oak, maple, and white oak.

Bamboo, while not a traditional hardwood, is an increasingly trendy choice since the material is more sustainable and moisture-resistant than many of its hardwood counterparts. It can yield pieces with a distinct appeal that immediately reflect the trend of sustainable home living.

Custom Lighting Turns Spaces into Statements

Modern architectural redesigns do not require full remodels. A popular design trend is to use architectural details to convert the feel of a space into an opportunity for luxury. For example, built-in accent, ambient, and task lighting can add functionality to spaces like open-plan kitchens.

This makes users feel more catered to, which in turn creates a feeling of luxury through functionality. Cove lighting and lighting integrated into custom casework can add more fine details for users to discover.

Other architectural additions can include pendants and sconces to change the perceived shape of walls, add zones of lighting, and make bold statements without changing the layout of the room. Smart lighting controls with scene settings and automatic adjustments for usage and time of day can add more convenience to these details.

Spa Conversions Turn Daily Bathroom Usage into a Wellness Retreat

Bathroom designs have followed luxury trends to become more than the site of a simple daily routine. Taking inspiration from spas and resorts, interior designers are striving to deliver elevated experiences that enhance the homeowner’s mood and incorporate more luxury materials.

Fixtures such as freestanding soaking tubs and rainfall showers provide elevated comforts. Natural stone, heated floors, and attractive wall finishes create a more complete experience. Even the incorporation of light through windows, skylights, mirrors, and integrated lighting systems can make even a small bathroom seem large and luxurious.

Custom Casework and Built-ins Expand the Space

Custom cabinetry is an artform that modern designers use to create showpieces in any room. Kitchen islands can now become oversized pieces styled like furniture with built-in room for appliances, charging stations, mini work desks, functional kitchen inlays, cabinets, and more. Experienced designers can hide storage in seating arrangements, such as bench-style breakfast nook seating or custom banquette seats.

Personalization is a standard of luxury designs, and custom casework can deliver with as many handcrafted details and hardware integration as the designers and homeowners envision. Technology is a mainstay of the modern home, but it doesn’t have to become clutter. Cords, charging stations, appliances, and storage can be integrated into custom cabinets to make spaces feel bigger and more functional without negating the feeling of clean luxury.

Smart Technology Elevates the User Experience

Modern smart technology turns home living into a seamless entertainment and wellness experience. Integrated speakers, screens, panels, and smart lighting/appliance systems combine efficiency and elegance into an elevated design. Homeowners can automatically change the function of the space from entertaining or dining to wellness and relaxation through voice-activated lighting and temperature changes and other smart technologies.

Southern Maryland Kitchen and Bath Designers Elevate Homes with the Latest Trends

Modern designers can elevate homes into luxurious, multi-functional experiences by following the right trends. Though some upgrades are costly, cost alone is not the deciding factor when elevating a space. Designers and owners need thoughtful, detail-oriented designs that achieve the modern user’s expectation for sustainable, spacious, and functional living at any budget.

At Southern Maryland Kitchen & Bath, our in-house designers and contractors help homeowners achieve greater luxury within their means. Smart designs don’t simply chase trends; they utilize the essence of trends to translate a vision for a home into a livable reality.

Contact our team today and schedule a consultation to learn how modern luxury designs can be achieved with the right expertise.

If you’re renovating, remodeling, or simply refreshing your home, new kitchen or bathroom cabinets provide a simple way to make the most impact. The best cabinet styles mix functionality and elegance to transform the room without overpowering it. Regardless of the style of architecture, the right cabinets can elevate it, and reflect the personality of the homeowner, making their daily routine more enjoyable.

However, trending designs of kitchen and bathroom cabinets can change dramatically, leaving many homeowners with outdated ideas that don’t show as well or last as long. If you’re interested in keeping your kitchen and bathroom as current as possible, these four trends will help you design a space that matches what the biggest names in design are doing with their cabinets in 2025.

1. Changing from White to Neutral

Stark white kitchens used to be in, but the look of a blank slate no longer dominates design trends in 2025. Designers in Maryland and elsewhere are opting for more neutral colors like grays, off-whites, and taupes to encourage more relaxing, less stimulating environments.

The logic behind this change is twofold. White is a stark and clean design choice, but it shows every flaw. As homeowners live with their choice for a while, they begin to see every smudge and fingerprint, such that even when it remains clean, it’s too bright and distracting to be relaxing.

More welcoming and versatile spaces require a more refined palette, which is why designers in 2025 are opting for pastels, neutrals, and warmer tones. They’re finding these tones to be a better fit for the wood and stone surface accents that homeowners crave, while also complementing the natural light and seasonal changes in Southern Maryland better than pure white.

2. Wood-Grain Finishes Look Better Than Ever

Sustainability is in, so homeowners are naturally looking for ways to incorporate natural tones, accents, styles, and forms into their cabinet designs. The trick is to invoke the past trends of wooden cabinet designs without relying on them. Glossy oak cabinets can look too formulaic, but with a modern wood finish, homeowners can make a bespoke kitchen or bathroom refresh pop with newfound elegance.

Instead of the glossy finishes of old construction-grade cabinet work, modern custom cabinets are made from textured wood grain with a matte finish, providing graceful yet understated designs. Instead of oak, white oak and walnut are becoming more preferred choices, especially for coastal, contemporary designs. Rift-cut finishes provide subtle, clean lines for a more modern style, perfect for modern takes on farmhouse designs.

Drawing out the wood grain and pattern instead of shying away from it is a way for modern designers to add authenticity and natural warmth to their kitchens and bathrooms. When it’s time to add stone or tile accents or flooring to the room, the contrast with natural wood grain can create the modern look that homeowners crave.

3. Maximizing Space With Hidden Functionality

Clean, modern kitchens and bathrooms have to keep a strict space economy to remain functional and relaxing. Homeowners in Southern Maryland want cabinets that combine spaces smartly and keep their rooms from becoming cluttered and uninviting.

This is why multi-functional cabinetry has exploded in popularity, from hidden trash drawers and custom spice racks to individualized flatware inlays, pull-out pantries, and drawer inserts. Homeowners are looking for any space they can use to double up with creative cabinetry and keep clutter out of view for their visitors.

Popular options include devoting space under the sink to organization, creating deep cabinet drawers for kitchen or bathroom essentials, or hiding charging stations in custom cabinet inserts. Many homeowners are looking for cabinet designs that add functional space to their most-used rooms without changing the overall impression.

4. Inset Cabinets Bring Tradition Back

The classic architectural styles of Southern Maryland, including Cape Cod, Colonial, and Farmhouse homes, can be resurrected in kitchen and bathroom cabinetry with inset doors. The flush appearance of the cabinet frame echoes these traditional styles, and unlike panel doors, they never go out of style. Inset cabinets will run up the cost of the kitchen and bathroom remodel, but for those with high-end property refreshes, they are still widely considered the peak of bespoke cabinet designs.

Partner with Kitchen and Bathroom Designers to Create Your Ideal Cabinets

When remodeling or updating kitchens and bathrooms, the cabinetry can set the tone of the experience, change the palette, and define how the room will be used every day. These trends in color, craftsmanship, materials, and utility are just a few examples of how Southern Maryland homeowners blend timeless designs with modern functionality.

At Southern Maryland Kitchen & Bath, our design team specializes in custom bathroom and kitchen cabinetry. We work with an in-house team of contractors and tradesmen to help homeowners individualize the style, color, and function of their cabinets to the lifestyle they hope to achieve while staying current with the latest trends.

Contact us today to schedule a consultation and start designing cabinets that can turn any house into a trendy modern home.

Expanding your living space with thoughtful home additions can bring lasting value, though it requires careful planning, budgeting, and patience. When done well, an addition can increase the functionality, value, and comfort of the home. Yet, not all home additions are considered worthwhile. While some can be used to strategically increase property value, accommodate a growing family, or start a home business, others fail to be worth the cost.

We’ve compiled the top five most popular types of home additions, including the benefits and costs that homeowners can expect from them. Our goal is to help homeowners make more informed decisions about their homes and budget to choose the options that best suit their situation.

1. Room Additions

Room additions are the most common types of home additions. Also called “bump-outs,” these projects involve expanding an existing room, commonly to add more guest space or a larger kitchen. For example, by bumping out an existing kitchen, homeowners can add an attractive breakfast nook, walk-in pantry, or workspace. These additions can add a lot of value to a home as homebuyers look for roomy, multi-functional spaces.

The costs of a room addition, other than the construction cost, usually involve expansions to existing home systems such as a plumbing hookup, new electrical systems, or an HVAC expansion.

2. Full Room Construction

Building an entirely new room is an even bigger undertaking, but it remains a popular home addition. New room constructions often involve a new bedroom, bathroom, office space, or family room. As a new construction, the rooms require a full building cycle, including foundational work, roofing, insulation, electrical, plumbing, HVAC, flooring, and more.

The results can dramatically improve the functionality and value of the home, such as by turning a normal bedroom into a master suite by adding a luxury, en-suite bathroom, expanding the living room, or adding a guest bedroom.

However, the costs of full-room constructions quickly escalate when multiple system expansions or high-end materials are involved. Cost control will rely on making smart material choices and prioritizing the custom features that matter most to the vision of the homeowner.

3. Sunrooms and Porches

Sunrooms and porches are also popular home additions. They are enclosed spaces, typically on the front or rear of the home, that provide distinct benefits, such as allowing homeowners to enjoy natural sun without going outside. They can quickly become relaxing hobby rooms and appealing spaces, especially during more temperate times of year.

Compared to full room constructions, porches tend to cost less. They are sometimes called “three-season rooms” because they are usually not functional in the winter. However, a glassed-in sunroom or “four-season room” can cost considerably more since it warrants HVAC integration and an expansion of the insulation system.

While these rooms add value to the home, the variable costs warrant careful planning to determine how much value the room will have. The home’s location, sun exposure, materials, and weather patterns can impact the value created by the new addition.

4. Garage Conversion

While garages can be useful, not every homeowner needs enclosed space for car storage. Converting this square footage into something more immediately useful, such as a home office, gym, or in-law suite, is a popular choice. If done correctly, garages can even become rental units for an Airbnb or Vrbo side business.

For homeowners who don’t rely on indoor parking, these home additions are often the easiest way to add new rooms to the home. Since the garage structure is already there, the conversion costs less than a full construction in most cases. However, if adding plumbing or expanding the HVAC system is needed, this can create a cost increase.

5. Open-Concept Kitchens

Turning a conventional kitchen into an open-concept layout is an extremely popular home addition due to the increased utility and aesthetic appeal it provides. Many homeowners consider kitchen islands and open-plan, high-traffic spaces to be the epitome of modern home design. For homeowners who want to host parties, work from home, or interact with house guests, an open-concept kitchen is a great way to create a more consistent and accessible space.

Open layouts can be expensive depending on the additions required. Kitchen islands are a common addition requiring new plumbing and electrical hookups to create an ideal multifunctional space. Custom cabinets, new appliances, and high-end counter materials add up into a sizable project budget, depending on the space and the choices the homeowner makes.

Consult Professional Designers to Make Valuable Home Additions

At Southern Maryland Kitchen & Bath, our team of designers works with in-house material suppliers and contractors to help homeowners plan and execute the perfect home additions start to finish. We know that regardless of the goal of the construction or expansion, careful planning and budgeting is essential to getting the most value for the cost of a new home addition.

Our clients choose us not only for our outstanding quality, but also for our customer service. We work on every project with the same care and dedication we would our own. Contact our team today to start planning the right home addition to add value, beauty, and functionality to your home without breaking the bank.

Strategic renovations can add value to homes by creating lasting impressions on potential buyers. What makes a renovation “strategic” is the idea of making the most impact for the lowest cost. A full remodel is not usually needed to transform a basic property listing into a high-value residence. In a competitive market, even small renovations can make a significant impact.

These 5 renovations or home redesigns offer meaningful advantages when attracting potential home buyers. Regardless of whether the property needs to sell quickly or slowly grow in value in a seller’s market, these changes can help property owners exceed their buyers’ expectations from the very first impression.

1. Modern Kitchen Functionality

Over the last few decades, kitchen remodeling designs have gone from focused on utility to multi-functional work and living spaces that are among the most influential in the entire home. A contemporary kitchen can make a huge impression on a potential home buyer, especially with so many people in the post-pandemic workforce adopting hybrid and remote positions.

Kitchens do not need to be gutted and fully remodeled to achieve an enticing and multi-functional space. Updating cabinets with custom pieces that match the space, adding warm natural materials, upgrading the appliances, and adding attractive finishes can go a long way.

Instead of changing the layout, many modern designers introduce natural light into the space to give an illusion of spaciousness. Simply adding under-cabinet LED lighting, attractive stone finishes, or redone backsplashes can subtly change the impression of the space from utilitarian to luxurious. 

2. Simple Bathroom Refresh

A compact bathroom can be refreshed with strategic renovations to be more attractive to potential homebuyers. Thoughtful enhancements could include a new custom vanity, under-cabinet lighting, upgraded tile, or a shower or tub remodel. Renovations that prioritize both style and purpose can make the biggest impact, such as updating the master bath with dual vanities or investing in a freestanding tub.

Even small renovations can enhance the appeal of limited spaces. Refreshing the palette to be lighter and more neutral, removing unneeded fixtures to make the space bigger, adding heated flooring, or introducing natural light can give any bathroom the impression of a low-maintenance, high-value space.

3. Upgraded Curb Appeal

Upgrading the curb appeal of the home does not have to involve a complete remodel. Simple changes can make the property show better from the street and set a better tone for all potential buyers. A fresh coat of paint, additional exterior lighting, and improved landscaping can radically improve the home’s first impression without costing much compared to structural upgrades.

Other simple changes include painting the door, choosing a neutral color popular with modern homebuyers, washing the siding, and cleaning the gutters.

4. Replaced Worn-Out Flooring

Flooring can be a major aesthetic asset or detractor when homebuyers view a house. Even though flooring is relatively cheap to replace, many prospective buyers look at flooring as part of the finished structure of the house, viewing dirty, old, worn, or mismatched flooring as a major negative and potential decision-maker.

What these buyers may not realize is that flooring is a relatively simple and inexpensive aspect to improve compared to structural issues that require full remodels. Property owners can take advantage of this by replacing or refreshing old flooring to create a better impression without changing the layout of the home.

Old carpet and laminate can instantly date a home. Property owners should replace it with flooring that modern home buyers prefer, including authentic hardwood, artificial wood, tile, and luxury vinyl. Buyers looking for durability or style would be turned off by the sight of old carpet, but a flooring refresh tells a buyer that home is cohesive and well cared for.

5. Expanded Natural Lighting

Natural lighting can be a huge asset to home renovations. Even a smaller living space can be artificially expanded by introducing natural light, such as by removing fixtures, adding a skylight, removing heavy curtains, or using strategic mirrors to redirect existing light.

Floor plans with a greater emphasis on light feel airy, larger, and more functional. Even if they are not open concept spaces and the property owner can’t afford to remove a wall, they can feel attractive to a homebuyer looking for cohesion, authenticity, and cleanliness.

Partner with Experienced Home Remodelers to Make the Right Impression to Future Homebuyers

Home renovations can attract potential homebuyers without costing a fortune. By refreshing kitchens and bathrooms, replacing flooring, and other simple renovations that make the home feel larger and more cohesive, property owners can make a better first impression on their prospective buyers.

At Southern Maryland Kitchen & Bath, our experienced team of local designers and remodelers works with property owners to make their spaces more attractive within their budgets. Contact our team and request a consultation to learn how strategic renovations can make an immediate impact on buyer appeal without requiring a full remodel.