No Demo Reno's Jenn Todryk Expects This Design Trend To Take Off In 2024

For years, all homeowners wanted was an open-concept design for their space. In every home reno show, designers tore down walls to give their clients one large, central area for entertaining. But as the pandemic changed the way we live and work (i.e., more people working from home), folks began craving designated spaces for specific tasks, causing a decrease in the popularity of open-concept designs.

Jenn Todryk of HGTV's "No Demo Reno" agrees with this sentiment and attributes the shift in homeowners' desires to the current market. "People are learning to love the house that they are in or maybe the one that they just got given the demands of the market," Todryk told House Beautiful. "So, they are renovating these older homes and actually looking at it from a different perspective and liking the closed concept versus wishing they had the kind of open big box feel." If you're deciding between an open-concept versus a closed-concept space for your kitchen or other area of your home, here's how to lean into 2024's closed-design trend.

Having a closed-concept space gives your home boundaries. Whether you're working from home and need a quiet space to make calls or just want to cook dinner away from the noise of the television, separate spaces are a great way to achieve the cozy, warm home you crave. Smaller areas can also provide the perfect spot for a plush reading couch or an office that really lets you hunker down and get to work.

From a design perspective, closed-concept spaces allow for more creativity. More walls in a home means more opportunities for artwork or different design choices. As Jenn Todryk told House Beautiful, closed-concept means "you have more walls to decorate," a plus for anyone hoping to play with different design choices or colors throughout their home. It can also mean more storage, allowing you to more easily keep your home clutter-free — a common issue with open-concept designs.

If you're currently living in (or buying) a closed-concept space and are trying to love it the way it is, there are a few choices you can make to create a more appealing living area. The biggest drawback of closed spaces is that they tend to feel claustrophobic or dark. Avoid this problem by working with different patterns and colors in each space and adding light fixtures that draw the eyes upward. Vertical space is your best friend in a small, closed area.

Here's another tip: Designate each space in your home for something specific. Whether your closed space is your kitchen or your office, make sure the area conveys exactly what it is so you can maximize its utility. Finally, storage solutions will be your best friend in these spaces — when designing, make sure to maximize room for storing your belongings, whether that means adding built-in cabinetry to the wall or utilizing your vertical space by adding hooks.