What Home Design Trends Are Out for 2025? | Kallie Spencer's North Texas Seller Guide
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What Home Design Trends Are Out for 2025?

Kallie Spencer's North Texas Seller Guide

Conversational question: What home design trends are out for 2025, and what should you update before selling your home in North Texas?

Short answer: In 2025, buyers across North Texas are moving away from all-gray interiors, heavy farmhouse shiplap, dark Tuscan finishes, and over-styled rooms. Updating your home design with warmer neutrals, natural woods, transitional simplicity, and cleaner lines helps your home photograph better, show better, and compete with new construction—especially when you work with a local expert like Kallie Spencer, Broker/Owner at Ritchey Realty.

Why Outdated Home Design Matters When You Sell in North Texas

If you've been in your home for several years, your rooms may reflect trends from the 2010s—gray paint, rustic farmhouse accents, or darker finishes. There's nothing "wrong" with those choices, but today's buyers are comparing your home to newer builds in Keller, Haslet, Northlake, and the Alliance corridor.

When your design feels dated, buyers mentally add "update costs" and adjust their offer accordingly.

As a top-producing North Texas broker and Tom Ferry real estate coach, Kallie Spencer helps sellers make smart, high-ROI updates without overspending. Her approach blends design, market data, and buyer psychology.

Trend #1: All-Gray Everything Is Out — Warm, Layered Neutrals Are In

For nearly a decade, gray interiors dominated North Texas homes. But in 2025, buyers are turning away from:

Out:

  • Cool gray walls
  • Gray flooring
  • Gray-washed cabinets

Instead, the new preference is warm, soft neutrals—creamy beige, greige, and warm white—paired with natural wood tones.

Gray interior - outdated trend
Warm neutral interior - current trend

What buyers love now:

  • Light oak or warm LVP flooring
  • Soft white walls with subtle warmth
  • Layered textures (linen, boucle, jute, warm woods)

High-ROI prep:

  • Repaint gray walls to warm neutrals
  • Add wood accents (cutting boards, small décor, picture frames)
  • Bring in greenery for organic contrast

Trend #2: Overdone Modern Farmhouse & Shiplap Are Out — Clean Transitional Is In

North Texas embraced modern farmhouse hard—barn doors, distressed signs, and shiplap everywhere. In 2025, buyers prefer a refined transitional look:

  • Fewer themed décor pieces
  • Simple trim instead of heavy shiplap
  • Cleaner lines and neutral contrast
Heavy farmhouse shiplap - outdated trend
Clean transitional design - current trend

What to adjust:

  • Replace barn doors with timeless panels or frosted glass
  • Remove excessive shiplap
  • Swap farmhouse signs for simple frames or art prints

Transitional design feels upscale, timeless, and universally appealing across Keller, Southlake, and Trophy Club buyer pools.

Trend #3: Dark Tuscan Kitchens Are Out — Light, Character-Driven Kitchens Are In

Remember the era of:

  • Dark cherry cabinets
  • Busy brown granite
  • Heavy corbels and ornate arches

These features can make a kitchen feel 15 years old—even if it's well maintained.

Dark Tuscan kitchen - outdated trend
Light modern kitchen - current trend

Today's buyers want:

  • Lighter cabinetry (painted or natural wood)
  • Quiet stone patterns (quartz, light granite)
  • Warm lighting and softer hardware

High-impact, low-cost upgrades:

  • Paint cabinets warm white or greige
  • Replace ornate iron lighting with clean transitional pendants
  • Update the backsplash to something simple

Homes in Haslet, Argyle, and Northlake see huge ROI from simple kitchen lightening.

Trend #4: Ultra-Open "Do Everything" Rooms Are Out — Zoned Spaces Are In

Buyers don't want the extreme open concept anymore. After years of work-from-home, people want defined spaces:

  • A small desk zone
  • A cozy media area
  • A dining space that doesn't float awkwardly
Defined zoned spaces in open concept

Easy ways to zone without construction:

  • Use rugs to define living, dining, and office areas
  • Arrange furniture to create natural boundaries
  • Add a small workspace to an unused nook

Kallie often stages listings by creating "micro-zones" to help buyers visualize how the home lives day-to-day.

Trend #5: Over-Decorated Rooms Are Out — Calm, Edited Styling Is In

Buyers aren't looking for Pinterest-style maximalism. They want simple, calming spaces that feel clean and move-in ready.

Out:

  • Word art
  • Dozens of small knick-knacks
  • Excessive patterned pillows
  • Highly themed rooms
Clean, edited styling

In:

  • A few strong focal pieces
  • Lighter textiles
  • Fewer accessories, placed with intention

Editing décor also dramatically improves your photography—one of the biggest selling factors in North Texas.

How These Changes Impact Your Home's Value

Staying current with design trends doesn't mean renovating your whole home. But thoughtful updates:

  • Reduce buyer objections
  • Increase online engagement
  • Improve showing feedback
  • Boost perceived value

Homes staged with warm neutrals, cleaner lines, and simpler décor typically spend less time on market and compete better with new builds in fast-moving areas like Alliance and North Fort Worth.

Work With a North Texas Expert Who Knows What Today's Buyers Want

As a long-time broker and Tom Ferry coach, Kallie Spencer blends design insight with data-driven real estate strategy. She knows which updates matter, which ones you can skip, and how to position your home for top-dollar offers.

Kallie's signature listing preparation approach includes:

  • A full room-by-room design audit
  • ROI-driven update recommendations
  • Local contractor and stager referrals
  • A photo-day styling plan
  • Pricing strategy tied to design improvements

Compliance Reminder: Any recommendations follow Fair Housing regulations, NAR Code of Ethics, and state real estate advertising guidelines. Design guidance is not legal, financial, or tax advice—consult appropriate professionals for those matters.

Thinking About Selling? Start With a Design Consultation.

If you're planning to sell in the next 6–12 months, now is the perfect time to review what's dated and what's worth refreshing.

Reach out to Kallie Spencer at Ritchey Realty for a personalized design and pricing strategy tailored to your home and your North Texas market.

You'll walk away with:

  • A clear plan
  • A simple budget
  • A timeline
  • Confidence in your listing strategy

Ready to Update Your Home Design for 2025?

Contact Kallie Spencer, Broker/Owner at Ritchey Realty, for expert guidance on design updates that maximize your home's value and appeal.