Homes & Gardens’ Best Houses of 2025
In 2025, the biggest trend was the anti-trend – breaking design rules and creating homes that were playful, personal, and truly reflected the people who lived in them. It’s therefore no surprise that our most read, most viewed, and most loved homes of 2025 were all characterful, colorful, and comfortable – houses you can imagine being welcomed into by the decor.
We’ve taken a moment to reflect on the homes Homes & Gardens toured in 2025 – specifically the ones you, our readers, loved and read the most. Each house’s style and design is completely different, yet they all reflect the aesthetics that proved enduringly popular: layered decor and personalized style.
1. A Designer’s 1980s Ranch-Style home
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When designer Allison Clouser bought this ranch-style property, it wasn’t with the intention of living in it, but to do it up and resell it. But as the project developed, it became clear that she wouldn’t be able to part with it quite so easily, instead making it her home.
‘The home originally began as an investment project; we intended to restore and refresh it for resale, but once we set foot on the property, everything shifted,’ explains Allison. ‘It was one of those rare places that immediately sparked something. We saw its potential and felt the pull to take our time and do it right,’ she explains.
The redesign feels right at home in the ranch-style property. Plenty of wood finishes, slightly rustic but not perversely so, bring a charm to the rooms, bringing the outside in in just the right way. And it wasn’t just materials that were key, but maximizing the picturesque view surrounding the house, as shown in the bathroom.
‘That view was too good not to take advantage of. We get full mountain vistas, and because the back of the house is so private, we felt confident letting that light flood in. It’s now a full-on retreat. It’s one of the most peaceful spots in the house, where we start and end each day.’
Every room feels cohesive, yet has its own identity. The kitchen, which Allison describes as ‘one of the biggest challenges,’ has been transformed with wooden cabinetry, a zellige range hood, and charming paneled walls, bridging the gap between the softness of the nature-inspired interiors and the more functional requirements.
And throughout the home, soft textiles have been used to soften the wooden details, from the blankets in the living room to the fabric-lined doors of the bedroom wardrobes. It’s a home that artfully balances materials and styles, bringing a touch of rustic charm alongside softer, more traditional details.
2. A Modern European Home in Tennessee
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For a long time, modern meant white, minimal homes that prioritized sleek finishes over cozy style and personalized details. However, we saw a huge shift in the way we design more contemporary spaces, a new approach that is perfectly demonstrated in this modern European home in Tennessee.
‘The architecture has a quiet grandeur rooted in European tradition, and I leaned heavily on antiques and timeworn materials to give the interiors depth and history. From reclaimed stone to aged metals, decorating with vintage textiles, and art with visible age and texture – I wanted each room to feel as though it had lived a few lives before we ever moved in,’ says homeowner and designer Lauren Sullivan, of Well x Design, who collaborated with architects Brooks & Falotico on the project.
‘I didn’t sit down with a complete furniture plan at the start; instead, I allowed the interiors to take shape slowly throughout the four-plus years of construction. I always knew I’d decorate with antiques and vintage finds – my love for them began as a child shopping with my grandmother, and I truly believe that’s the only way new construction gains soul. That, and an obsessive attention to detail, natural finishes, and layers of custom millwork.’
The living room has a neutral base, yet layers of texture and materials instantly add interest and depth to the design, taking what could easily be a cold room to a warmer, more inviting space. The kitchen is also a masterclass in getting a modern kitchen right, with its wood cabinetry and striking marble surfaces.
‘For the kitchen countertops, we sourced Calacatta Paonazzo from ABC Stone and opted for an integrated sink – beautiful, but also practical for how we live, which isn’t especially centered around cooking,’ Lauren explains.
The bedroom is where the bolder design resides – a traditional green and white floral wallpaper covers the walls, creating an all-encompassing, charming retreat. And much like the rest of the home, modern pieces blend with antiques for a fresh yet collected and personal feel.
‘It’s important to give older pieces room to shine. I also think restraint plays a big role – when everything is old or new, it can feel one-note. The mix is where the magic happens. That blend is at the heart of my style and how I think about layering soul into every project.’
3. A Small Yet Colorful Remodel in Toronto
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If you ever needed proof that a small footprint shouldn’t hinder your design, this condo remodel in Toronto is exactly that. At just 750 square feet, this tiny home, which has only one very large window, needed a full rethink, and designer Cynthia Ferguson had the perfect plan.
‘As soon as I walked in and saw the 22-foot window, I thought, how can we make it sing?’ Cynthia says. ‘How can we make it a masterpiece?’ The green living room, Kennebunkport Green by Benjamin Moore, lends itself perfectly to the view, so motorized drapes that don’t disrupt the light were added, complementing the windows’ scale while ensuring it felt cohesive with the scheme.
But color became the real star of the show in this compact space. Each room has its own saturated color that brings a bold design and makes the small proportions truly sing. And the kitchen, filled with bright yellow cabinetry in Stuart Gold by Benjamin Moore and a red and white checkerboard cement tile backsplash, because a’ solid backsplash would’ve been a missed opportunity for whimsy’, is perhaps the most striking.
She even manages to squeeze in a small kitchen island, adding more surface space without overfilling the room. And the small bathroom is only further evidence of Cynthia’s design success. The compact space has been brought to life with pink wall tiles, an unexpected yet charming choice which she describes as ‘warm, elegant and luxurious.’
So, if you ever needed convincing to put down the white paint and opt for something more daring in a small home, look no further. Cynthia has nailed a balance of bold design with careful restraint, preventing the small proportions from feeling overwhelming. There’s a surprising sense of calm here – it’s clear to see why you were all so taken by it.
4. The Refined and Natural Oaks Project by Shea McGee
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Named after the grove of oak trees the surround the property, Shea McGee’s Oaks Project in Texas may look like a home that’s been part of the landscape for years, but it’s a brand-new build, designed to expertly blend elements of modern and traditional style.
‘I do love the look of a modern shell house with a mix of traditional and vintage pieces. The Oaks Project is such a good example of this. The traditional and vintage pieces add some character and warmth to an architectural style that can sometimes be a bit cold. It’s such a beautiful mix when it’s paired together,’ Shea explains.
The materials and color palette really bring the whole home to life, and as you can probably guess, the inspiration came from outside. ‘The color palette was inspired by the home’s surrounding environment. The goal was for anyone walking into the home to feel the connection to the outdoors and see how much of the design was influenced by its natural surroundings.’
The living room, dining room, and morning room all have the same warm appeal, filled with layered materials and rich colors. ‘The morning room showcases one of the design trends we’re loving seeing more of: saturated colors and rooms that are washed in it from top to bottom. The coffered ceiling, walls, and trim are all painted in a rich, moody green-gray color,’ she notes.
The bathroom feels a little bit lighter and brighter, but it still has that err of warmth and inviting style. The bath framed by the window ensures a beautiful view, while the vanities on each side create a visually pleasing sense of symmetry.
And the colors are key. ‘We brought in a lot of earthy tones – greens, browns, and creams – along with vintage pieces made from raw materials like limestone, alabaster, brass, travertine, and linen.’
5. The Redesign of an Airy Vacation Home
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Designers Robert and Cortney Novogratz are renowned for their eclectic style, and it’s an aesthetic they have brought into their redesigned vacation home in Massachusetts. It needed to be a place to escape to when they needed a getaway from the busy streets of New York City, yet still reflect their collected style.
‘We love the area’s antiques, its art, its interesting people, and its relaxed way of life,’ says Robert. And antiques feature heavily throughout the home, paired with neutral bones and pretty pops of color through decor. The kitchen is a perfect example, where the white color scheme is lifted by colorful decor.
‘We kind of wanted to make it a bit cleaner, with less stuff,’ he explains. ‘This house has great light, so we needed to bring some color in, which comes from the chairs and the dotted rug. It’s hard to mix and match this sort of thing, but again, white is a good backdrop as it gives you freedom to play around with bolder pieces in front of it.’
The bedrooms are more colorful, with walls painted in shades of pink and purple, bedding in various patterns, and even more collected art filling the walls. But it’s the hallway that really catches your eye.
‘That’s all the family on the wall, and for years we kept adding to it. A lack of uniformity is what makes this gallery wall work so well,’ Robert says. ‘This house needs non-matching frames, as it’s such a relaxed space. If you free yourself from those rules you think you need to stick to, you have a lot more room to make a house feel like a place your shoulders can drop.’
It’s a space that proves eclectic doesn’t have to be busy. This vacation home feels calming and invites you to relax, yet it still showcases the style and personalities of the owners – it’s a balance that isn’t always easy to get right, but when you do, the result is something quite special.
There’s no denying that each of these homes is quite different from the next, but they all have something in common – thoughtful color choices and a mix of old and new. Antiques layered into contemporary homes, bold colors drenched across the walls of tiny spaces, and mixed materials that add comfort and texture. And luckily, it looks to be a similar exciting interior landscape for 2026 too.
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