Happy New Year from Emerald House Design Co.! If you’re like me, the start of a new year gets you thinking about possibilities—and not just resolutions, but what your home could become. Maybe you’re dreaming of a kitchen that’s more functional for your growing family, or a bathroom that feels like a luxury spa instead of an afterthought. 

Home design is personal—it’s about crafting rooms that not only look amazing but also make everyday life easier and more enjoyable. With 2025 here, it’s the perfect time to refresh your space and find a style that feels right for this next chapter of your life. Let’s dive into some ideas and practical advice to get you started.

1. Start with a Vision: What’s Missing?

Before diving into trends or picking paint colors, take a step back and think about what’s missing in your current space. Is your kitchen too cramped for hosting friends and family? Does your office lack the inspiration you need for those long workdays? Starting with the problem areas helps focus your redesign on what really matters.

Once you’ve identified the challenges, imagine what the ideal version of the space would feel like. Picture the kind of memories you want to create there. 

2. How Do You Want Your Space to Feel?

Choosing a style and color palette for your space can feel overwhelming, but it’s about more than just personal preference. Consider the existing style of your home and the atmosphere you want to create.

For example, if you live in a mid-century home, a full farmhouse renovation might feel out of place. But if you love the airy, open feel of farmhouse design, you can incorporate elements of it while respecting your home’s original aesthetic.

Similarly, if you’re drawn to bright purples and blues but want your living room to feel calm and serene, opting for neutral tones like whites and tans as a base allows you to bring in pops of color through decor and accents.

The goal is to embrace trends in a way that remains timeless. We love helping clients strike that balance—keeping their homes fresh without feeling outdated in just a few years.

3. Make Functionality the Star

At Emerald House Design Co., we believe great design starts with how you use your space. Sure, it’s nice to have a beautiful kitchen, but what’s the point if you’re constantly bumping into your partner while cooking dinner? Functionality and beauty should work hand-in-hand.

For example, in a bathroom redesign, think beyond just looks. Would a double vanity make mornings easier? Could built-in shelves in the shower eliminate clutter? For kitchens, consider layout changes that improve flow, like relocating the sink or adding a larger prep area. Functionality isn’t glamorous to talk about, but when your space works better for your life, you’ll notice every single day.

4. Color: Be Bold, or Be Balanced

Color is one of the easiest ways to completely transform a space. If you’re nervous about going bold, start small. An accent wall in deep navy or emerald green can add richness without overwhelming the room. In kitchens, we’ve seen clients fall in love with cabinet colors like soft sage or even black—both of which add sophistication and pair beautifully with natural woods and warm metals.

For bathrooms, consider playing with tile colors or patterns. A bright blue shower tile or herringbone floor can add personality to a space that often gets overlooked. And if you’re hesitant about committing to a big color, swap in colorful accessories like rugs or curtains that can easily be updated.

5. Personal Touches Make All the Difference

No two homes should feel the same—your space should reflect you. We encourage clients to include details that tell their story. Maybe it’s displaying vintage finds from a favorite trip, hanging your kids’ artwork in your mudroom, or using reclaimed wood from a family barn. These personal touches add depth and make your house feel like a home.

In your office, for example, consider adding bookshelves for your favorite reads or a gallery wall of photos that inspire you. If you’re redesigning a kitchen, open shelving is a great way to display unique dishware or family heirlooms. These details make your space feel alive and uniquely yours.

6. The Storage Struggle: Solved

If there’s one universal truth about homes, it’s that you can never have too much storage. But storage doesn’t have to mean bulky cabinets or boring closets. With smart design, you can create storage solutions that look as good as they work.

We love custom built-ins for mudrooms—imagine a bench with hidden compartments for shoes, hooks for jackets, and overhead cubbies for seasonal gear. In the kitchen, pull-out pantry shelves or vertical dividers for baking sheets can make a world of difference. Even in bathrooms, adding niches in the shower or a vanity with extra drawers can keep the space feeling clean and organized.

7. Lighting: The Unsung Hero

Lighting can make or break a space, but it’s often overlooked. A well-lit room feels warm, inviting, and functional, while poor lighting can make even the most beautiful design fall flat. Layering light sources is the secret: combine overhead fixtures, task lighting, and accent lights to create depth and flexibility.

In a kitchen, consider pendant lights over your island for task lighting, under-cabinet lighting for added functionality, and a statement chandelier for ambiance. Bathrooms benefit from sconces that provide flattering light around mirrors. And for offices, a mix of natural light and desk lamps ensures you’ll stay productive no matter the time of day.

Let’s Make 2025 Your Home’s Best Year Yet

If you’ve been dreaming about a fresh start for your home, now’s the time to make it happen. Whether it’s a complete kitchen remodel or a small mudroom upgrade, Emerald House Design Co. is here to help you turn your ideas into reality. Let’s create a space that fits your life perfectly—and looks amazing while doing it.

Ready to get started? Contact us today, and let’s make 2025 the year your dream home becomes a reality.

The post New Year, New Style: Fresh Home Design Ideas for 2025 first appeared on Bathroom Remodel | Emerald House Design Co. | Broken Arrow, OK.

The Armitage Project is a lake house design built for hosting a large gathering. The entire space is designed for function, ease of use, and plenty of space when you’re hosting a group at the lake. The project includes a kitchen, pantry, laundry room, and bathroom. Take a look and find out how we brought a sleek black and white theme and tied in more traditional lake house elements. We did this by highlighting the exposed beams on the ceiling. Our goal was to combine a modern aesthetic with a more relaxed and rustic feel. If you like to host, this design will be sure to inspire you!

The Goal for the Armitage Project Lake House Design

The goal for this lake house design was to create a beautiful, spacious, and functional space at the lake that could host events and large groups with ease. From plenty of prep space to ample counters, storage , and more- this entertainment space at the lake doesn’t disappoint.

The Lake House Kitchen: An Open Concept Dream

The Armitage Project’s kitchen is an open concept dream. It features dual sinks for separate work and wash stations. Both sinks are under mount, allowing for easy countertop clean up. Perfect for when you’re hosting a large gathering, as there never seems to be enough space at the sink. The cabinets are a bright white finish on a shaker style door. The gloss black quartz countertop pairs perfectly with the bright white finish of the cabinets. The black hardware on the cabinet doors give a nice pop and contrast of color.

 The backsplash is a white glossy subway tile which is complemented in the bathroom design as well. The wood tones in the cabinets are brought in to tie in the exposed beams in the ceiling. The wood tones in the beams and the cabinets also helps soften the stark contrast of the black and white colors. To complement the black and white theme throughout the space, a dark colored floor was chosen. The space is finished off with a massive kitchen island fit for a dream. The island is 54” deep and 15 feet long, allowing enough preparation space for just about any gathering.

The Lake House Laundry Room

When you’re hosting large gatherings , it’s essential to have a conveniently located laundry room. We also wanted to make sure the laundry room had plenty of room to be able to move around and navigate the multiple loads of clothes and ample storage as well. The laundry room at the Armitage Lake House includes the open concept layout right off the kitchen. By stacking the washer and dryer it allowed for more storage and helped to keep more floor space. The same white cabinets, black quartz countertops, and hardware is continued throughout the laundry room as was in the kitchen. In addition, the close proximity to the extra large kitchen island allows for extra space to spread out when folding and sorting laundry.

The Lake House Pantry

We extended the open floor plan of the kitchen to seamlessly incorporate the pantry, making it a practical and stylish part of the space. The pantry features three spacious cabinets, each equipped with four doors that offer ample storage and easy access to essential pantry staples. Positioned conveniently near the island, it ensures that everything is within reach during meal prep and gatherings. Each cabinet is finished in white and mirrors the design and handles of the other kitchen cabinets, perfectly complementing the black-and-white theme for a cohesive, modern look.

The Lake House Bathroom Design

The bathroom design seamlessly extends the black-and-white theme from the rest of the lake house, creating a cohesive and modern look. We incorporated the same sleek black quartz countertops featured in the kitchen, providing a consistent, elegant surface throughout. The glossy black subway tile in the shower area mirrors the white subway tile from the kitchen, while the white cabinetry ties back to the kitchen’s clean, minimalist aesthetic. To enhance the theme further, we selected a black faucet for the sink and a matching black toilet, adding distinctive contrast and reinforcing the bold style of the lake house.

The Armitage Project: A Lake House Design Dream

The Armitage Project is a gorgeous open concept kitchen black and white theme warmed up by wood tones that brings a gathering space to fit a crowd. The crowning jewel of the space is a 15 foot long island fit for any size crowd at this lake house. We had a blast working on this project! We love to incorporate new and modern themes with rustic additions.

The post Armitage Project: A Lake House Design first appeared on Bathroom Remodel | Emerald House Design Co. | Broken Arrow, OK.