BLD Marketing 2025 Home Design Features Omnibus Study Demonstrates Shift in Preference to Natural-Looking Materials

PITTSBURGH, PA… BLD Marketing, a results-based, digital-first, full-service strategic marketing agency serving the building materials category exclusively throughout North America and abroad, has once again tapped into the design preferences of consumers who might build or renovate a home by publishing the results of the BLD Marketing 2025 Home Design Features Omnibus Study.

Conducted in collaboration with Researchscape in late winter 2025, the second annual study probed consumers on their choices when it comes to the exterior of their home, the color of their window frames and front doors, and their priorities for the interior and the back yard. The survey provides cues for architects, developers, builders, designers, and building materials manufacturers when it comes to emerging trends in residential construction.

The results show some shifts in preferences compared to the 2024 study:

• The Look of Wood: Again this year, a majority of respondents (45%) chose brick as the preferred exterior cladding for their new or renovated home. Vinyl siding again came in second (21%). In 2025, more respondents chose engineered wood (17% this year versus 13% in 2024), once again making it the third-highest choice. Fiber cement (11%) ranked fourth. The look of mixed materials for facades on both single-family homes and multifamily developments continues to dominate the residential construction space. Ongoing advancements in material science are providing builders with cladding options that mimic the look and feel of real wood but with solutions that are much more resilient and durable. Beyond engineered wood, these solutions come in the form of fiber cement panels or mineral-based composite siding. 
•  White Windows Still Win: Homeowners have increasingly embraced color when it comes to the window frames on their home. That being said, white window frames still dominate the marketplace. In this year’s survey, 45% of respondents said they would choose white window frames. Black (14%), Brown (6%), and blue (5%) round out the top four. The survey shows that younger generations – particularly Millennials and Generation Z – are more open to color options for their home’s window frames.
• Check the Front Door: What about the color of the front door? White (18%), black (14%), and brown (12%) were the top three choices. A front door with the look of wood saw a noticeable rise in popularity (9% in 2025 versus 2% in 2024), making it the sixth-highest choice.
• Bushes, Flowers, and Mulch: Investing in the backyard became a priority during the pandemic when travel and recreational activities were unavailable. The penchant for extending the living area to the outdoors appears to have staying power given the value it produces. When consumers were asked to rank their priorities if they were to upgrade the backyard today, landscaping took this year’s top spot (28%), replacing a fence, which slipped to second place (26% in 2025 versus 29% in 2024). In this year’s survey, a deck tied a fence for the second-highest preference and showed a slight uptick from last year (26% in 2025 versus 24% in 2024). Further down the list, a fire pit came it at number seven but saw a rise in popularity from last year (13% in 2025 versus 7% in 2024).
• Gather Around the Table: When it comes to the home’s interior, homeowners provided preferences substantially similar to last year’s survey. If they were to prioritize, they would invest in the kitchen first (31%), followed by energy efficiency (25%), hardwood floors (20%), an open floor plan (17%), and luxury bathrooms (17%).

“The second annual BLD Marketing Home Design Features Omnibus Study has some noticeable shifts in preferences for homeowners, particularly when it comes to the look of real wood. We saw a rise in preference for wood or wood-like materials when it comes to the home’s exterior and the front door, which could indicate a growing desire for that classic look. The ongoing challenge for specifiers and designers is to select materials that deliver an authentic look but without all the drawbacks of wood,” noted David Sladack, president of BLD Marketing. “We are also seeing some constants in this year’s survey. For one, energy efficiency still ranks highly, and such a priority cascades to product choices throughout the home, whether it’s new construction or a retrofit. Plus, the kitchen remains the heart of the home and where consumers will spend their money when it’s time to upgrade.”

Sladack also noted how preferences reflect one’s generation. For instance, Baby Boomers who responded to this year’s survey ranked energy efficiency as their priority when it came to interior upgrades. By contrast, Generation Z respondents placed a home office at the top of the list.

The BLD Marketing 2025 Home Design Features Omnibus Study surveyed 1,108 consumers in a wide range of geographies, age ranges, and demographic categories. The full survey results are here.

For more information on BLD Marketing, visit www.bld-marketing.com.

About BLD Marketing:

BLD Marketing is a results-based, digital-first, full-service strategic marketing agency exclusively serving the commercial and residential building materials category. We offer a portfolio of strategic marketing services and implementation capabilities to help our clients build, grow, and optimize a healthy digital marketing ecosystem, leading to quicker growth rates and higher profitability. Visit: www.bld-marketing.com

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