Fewer people in the United States are moving from house to house these days. In fact, according to data from the U.S. Census Bureau, the percentage of the country's movers has been on a steady decline, from 16.8% in 2016 to 11.8% last year.

Additionally, more families aren't just choosing to live in their homes longer: They're spending more time there. This homebody trend began with the COVID-19 pandemic and its related lockdown, and has not only persisted but also grown over the past five years. Consumer analytics platform CivicScience found that the proportion of adults with a decreased desire to leave their home hit 35% earlier this year, which is higher than the 29% reported in 2020.

The problem is, deciding a house is a forever home—or at least a forever-for-a-while home—does not automatically turn it into a dream home. In fact, spending more time in your space may highlight the things you want to change. Does the kitchen look tired? Is the bathroom too bland? Do these floors need restoring? Is it time to update the woodwork?

For those looking to stay in their current home long-term but are still eager for a refresh, House & Home spoke with local professionals to discuss the many ways you can spruce up your home's interior and make it the perfect place to spend your time.

A smart investment
When staying long-term in a home, it makes sense to invest in quality craftsmanship.

"It adds value and personal character to the house," explains Pavlo Danylchenko of Signature Woodcraft. The custom interior woodworking business brings beauty to a home, from adding wainscoting to a hallway, to building a mantle around a fireplace, to constructing a custom staircase in a foyer. The company fields a lot of requests for mudroom cabinetry, too, as well as custom shelving and bookcases throughout a home.

"We've been doing this for a very long time," Danylchenko continues. "We know how to do it and it's very easy for us."

Adding charm with details is a great way to refresh a tired space, according to Rich Lauletta of Haddon Flooring. The company specializes in luxury hardwood, engineered hardwood and luxury vinyl plank flooring—the latter a popular choice because of its durability, Lauletta says—and also offers custom wainscoting and eye-catching accent walls, which have been growing in popularity.
"They really brighten up a room," Lauletta says. "It's a 'wow' factor. One couple told us they couldn't help but smile when they walk past it. Someone else told us the accent wall made the room their happy place. We love doing them and hope we can spread joy through them."

They're also practical and long-lasting, Lauletta adds, with the wood and high gloss paint used being much more durable than a regular painted wall.

Durability is a key reason to use professionals when refreshing your space: They know how to make things not only look great, but also last for years to come.

An upgraded lifestyle
"Many homeowners love their homes but feel their kitchen or bath no longer reflects their lifestyle or taste," says Steven Livingston of Kitchen Tune-Up Bloomfield. "Kitchen Tune-Up specializes in breathing new life into existing spaces—without the disruption or cost of a full-gut remodel."

There are a range of tailored solutions from Kitchen Tune-Up, including the cabinet refacing that gives a brand-new look to existing solid cabinet boxes, new custom cabinetry, and upgrades such as countertops, tile, hardware and smart storage solutions.

"These options allow homeowners to modernize their space and increase value while staying comfortably in the home they love," Livingston says.

Kitchen Tune-Up Greater Bergen's Todd Finkenstadt adds that the company offers options at every investment level.

"If you plan to stay in your home long-term and want a meaningful refresh, Kitchen Tune-Up offers a range of services, from quick updates to complete kitchen transformations to help you love your kitchen again," he notes.

Another way to upgrade a space without overhauling the entire room is by replacing shower doors and mirrors—accents that should, quite literally, shine.

"Primarily, we're going to be working in the bathroom," says Scott Kingsland of Glass Castle. "Shower doors are more modern, heavier glass, less metal. We also offer different mirror options—beveled, custom cut."

The safety of full-glass shower doors shouldn't be a concern, according to Kingsland, as it's tempered safety glass ranging in thickness between three-eighths of an inch to a half-inch.

"You could literally hit them with a hammer and they wouldn't break. They're that strong, and definitely very durable," he affirms.

From a longevity standpoint, coatings applied to the glass during the manufacturing process, such as Showerguard, not only come with a lifetime warranty but also seal the inside portion of the shower "so every time you clean it, everything comes off and it looks brand new. You can have a shower door that's 15 years old and it's still going to be as clear as the day installed," Kingsland says.

Although most of Glass Castle's offerings are focused on the bathroom, they have also been adding mirrored walls to basement gyms and, for higher-end customers, glass fronts for wine rooms to showcase the space.

On top of trends
When it comes to trends in the homespace, a lot of the shift is on finishes, whether it's the front of a cabinet or the hardware of a shower door.

According to Finkelstadt, homeowners are asking for warm, natural finishes and slim shaker cabinets, which "blend natural warmth, modern simplicity and low-maintenance practicality."

"We're seeing homeowners lean into warmth and texture—natural woods, matte finishes, and soft whites balanced with statement hardware or bold islands," agrees Livingston, adding that storage efficiency is another major focus. "Hidden charging drawers, pull-out pantries and built-in organizers are topping most wish lists."

The biggest industry trend that Kingsland has seen in recent years has been thicker glass and less metal on shower doors, with a wider option of finishes.

"Twenty years ago it was chrome and brass. Then brushed nickel was introduced," he says. "Today, matte black is popular. Satin brass, satin gold finishes are all pretty popular, too."

Finishes have changed in woodworking, too, as Danylchenko says, "Paint is trendier right now. It's rare we do stained jobs."

Starting the process
When it comes to booking a job for a home facelift, a simple phone call typically begins the process. Most companies offer free in-home consultations to get the ball rolling, too.

"We can show them a bunch of options, different samples where they can put it right in the space to really get the feel of what it would look like when it's done. We also do visualization tools where we can take a picture of their space and show them a rendering of what it would look like with a custom accent wall or new floors," Lauletta says.

Even when the customer knows what they want, Danylchenko says it's important for the professionals to bring in their own knowledge to make the space as functional and aesthetically pleasing as possible.

"We always provide our own drawings of the projects of how exactly it's going to look," he says.

Kitchen Tune-Up uses its own proprietary design quiz to help uncover each client's style and preferences, according to Livingston.

"It all begins with an in-home consultation, where we collaborate with homeowners to craft a design they'll love for years to come," he says. "During the visit, we review the space, discuss functionality and layout, and then translate that into a detailed design plan. From there, we guide clients step-by-step through every component of the remodel—incorporating 3D renderings where applicable for custom kitchens to help them visualize the finished space with complete confidence."

When a client starts the home upgrade process, they may know exactly what they want, or they might know that they need a refresh but aren't quite sure how to go about it. In either case, local businesses are ready to work with customers to find their perfect solution.

"We help make it a happy place to spend their time," Lauletta says.

RESOURCES
Glass Castle
Lawrenceville, NJ: (609) 312-5619
Neshanic Station, NJ: (908) 402-1057
GlassCastle.com

Haddon Flooring
Serving South Jersey
(856) 654-0005
HaddonFlooring.com

Kitchen Tune Up North Jersey
Steven & Takia Livingston (Bloomfield, NJ)
Todd & Ruth Finkenstadt (Glen Rock, NJ)
(201) 474-3112
KitchenTuneUp.com

Signature Woodcraft
Serving New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Delaware
(267) 736-9740
SignatureWCraft.com

Published (and copyrighted) in House & Home (November/December 2025)
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