HGTV Star-Approved Design Trends They Use In Their Own Homes

Fans love seeing what trends their favorite HGTV stars incorporate into their client work, but what's even better is seeing what they use at home. It's one thing to create a dream house for a client, but to really understand Erin Napier, Joanna Gaines, or even Nate Berkus, it makes more sense to peek into their own properties. Because if someone is going to invest the time and money to include a certain look in a space they see every day, it must mean that they really love it — and to them, it's not just a passing trend.

Here, we've rounded up the HGTV star-approved design trends they use in their own homes. You'll get a sneak peek into the best countertop materials for certain lifestyles, learn whether or not all-white kitchens are all they're cracked up to be, and how what some HGTV stars love, others can't stand. Whether you're hoping to incorporate a few of these trends into your own house or just feel a little bit nosy, this is what your favorite TV personalities really have at home.

When choosing finishes for your kitchen, one of the most liberating things to realize is that not everything needs to match. You can keep things complementary, sure, but breaking free from the constricted matchy-matchy kitchen set, and building a multi-finished, visually dynamic space is something that has been gaining popularity in recent years. And Jasmine Roth is all over it, even using the trend in her own kitchen. "I know this has been around for a while, but I really like brushed brass. This is something that I just started using, and I'm using it very sparingly," she told Realtor.com about designing her dream kitchen. "I might still do chrome door knobs, chrome plumbing fixtures, maybe even still chrome cabinet hardware."

Her reasoning behind this is simple. "I feel like that can elevate the design, it adds a different color and something that's a little bit special," she continued. Recreating the same look at home takes only a little bit of planning. The key is — unless you are going for a maximalist, eclectically hodge-podge look — to match categories. For example, if you want chrome door knobs, each doorknob should be chrome. Don't randomly have the pantry show up as brushed brass. It's the same for other finishes, too, like drawer pulls, cabinet handles, and even light switch covers. This way, you still get a varied look, but nothing feels too random, as there is still a little bit of continuity.

Although famously "anti-trend," this HGTV power couple loves sharing their home online, so it's easy for fans to see what timeless classics stand out to them. For flooring, it's clear that they both love black and white checkered tile. "Checkered flooring is something I don't think I will ever grow tired of," Nate Berkus shared on his Instagram, with Jeremiah Brent adding, "The one thing we'll always agree upon — checkered floors," in an Instagram post of his own.

So much so that the pair has vintage checkered tiling in the entryway of their NYC townhome. "What's different about it from when we lived here the first time is the floor and the railing," Berkus told Architectural Digest via Facebook. "This is the floor we always wanted; it's antique, Spanish concrete tile. I think they are 200 years old." The couple chose concrete tile for two reasons: function and fashion. Brent explained that it was essential to them that the first impression of their home really speaks to what the rest of the house will be like, too. "This real interest in contrast and bringing in things that feel really elevated in execution, but in practicality they're actually really durable," he shared. Black and white tile, whether antique concrete or more typical ceramic, works well as flooring throughout the house, kitchen backsplashes, and as the main feature of any updated bathroom. While it's classic enough for the tastes of these two powerhouse HGTV designers, Checkerboard flooring is set to be one of the tile trends dominating 2025. If you want to put your own unique spin on the look, feel free to veer from the traditional black-and-white combo. Think navy and cream, terracotta and sage, or even a tonal combination of two slightly different shades of the same color for a softer, less high-contrast effect.

Erin Napier is known for her cozy, gentle designs — and part of what makes things work so well is that she loves restoration projects. Styling homes with vintage decor makes them feel comfortable and lived-in, instead of sterile. Napier understands this, and has long been a fan of the upcycled furniture trend. "My mom bought a couch in 1999, and it was the world's greatest," she told Southern Living about the piece in her living room. "Then she wanted something different and gave it to us. We used it for years. I got it re-covered, and Ben made new feet for it. Every time she comes over, she says, 'I can't believe I gave that to y'all. I want it back.'"

Couches, and furniture in general, can be very expensive to buy new. If you are trying to revamp your space and don't want to go into debt over a new set, you have a few options. You can visit thrift stores, haunt estate sales, or learn how to use Facebook Marketplace as the ultimate online shopping tool and nab a great deal. If you can't find something in your style, but it's a good price, you can still make it work by reupholstering it, like Napier did. If you don't have the DIY skills for that, consider a slipcover. They come in many different colors and something like this H.Versailtex Velvet Couch Cover can completely transform the look of a worn-out couch within a few minutes.

Introducing lots of vibrant green into your home with houseplants has been a huge trend over the last decade, and it's one of Lyndsay Lamb's favorite ways to decorate a home, including her own. "I surround myself with things I like," she told HGTV, speaking of all the plants she has in her house. "Every Sunday we have a ritual. I water them, give them baths, talk to them and they make me happy."

If you don't have much of a green thumb, you might balk at this trend, but Lamb wants everyone to be included, no matter their gardening skills. "If you know me you know I LOVE plants. Whether real or faux, greenery is one of my favorite ways to decorate a home," she posted on Instagram. While the best live indoor plants for every room of the house might be up for debate, Lamb settles the score on the best fakes to include if you need help keeping up. "I know that taking care of plants might not be for everyone, and as much as I LOVE my plant babies, I think having a few good faux plants around is essential," she wrote on her website, Lamb + Co. She then lists a few of her favorite fakes, including succulents, potted aloe, and potted sansevieria, all of which are easy to find online, like this Hollyone Artificial Snake Plant. Imitation plants are ideal for dark corners where nothing wants to grow, no matter what you do. They're also an ideal option if you're yearning to have a potted tree indoors (like an olive) but there simply isn't a place to put it that will receive enough light and airflow. If you're keen to grow a collection of real plant babies, start with some of the easiest houseplants that anyone can keep alive, such as pothos, spider plants, and cast iron plants.

On a tour of their South Dakota farmhouse, one thing is clear about Chelsea and Cole DeBoer: They love a defined color palette. Black and white is a classic combination that has been popping up more and more in recent years. "We wanted a big island so we could have friends over and everyone could gather around our island. And we went fairly simple with just black and white contrasting cabinets in here," Chelsea said, showing off the kitchen for HGTV via YouTube.

This isn't a trend that the DeBoers just use at home, either. Black and white shows up often in their client work, too. "It's the contrasting colors," Chelsea said, emphasizing what she loved about a home in the 'Farmhouse Fab' episode of her show, per Realtor.com. "It's bold and it's clean," she continued. "But it's still very cozy and homey at the same time." For anyone introducing this trend into their own home, be sure to follow Chelsea's advice and use plenty of wood to balance out the starkness. The warmth of earthy, natural options like cedarwood and oak can bring life into a room that might otherwise start to feel a bit sterile.

Alison Victoria's Chicago dream house has some of the deepest marble veining we've seen come out of the trend so far. "It all started with my love for the color green and to make sure that my kitchen felt like the real living room of the house," she shared on Instagram. "The Calia Stone Boutique Calcutta turquoise slabs started to steal the show ... I never could've imagined it would turn out like this, and I love every nook and cranny and marble clad niche this kitchen has to offer!" She even has the veined marble in her Las Vegas home, too — which does a lot of work to make the countertops pop.

That said, Victoria knows it's difficult to care for stone countertops. "Don't get me wrong: I think materials such as granite and marble look beautiful, but they can be impractical for some homes," she told HGTV. "People don't realize granite should be sealed a couple of times a year and marble scratches and stains easily. I have marble at home, and I'm always forcing coasters on my guests!" For those who don't mind the effort, marble is worth it, especially with its bold and beautiful veining. Just stay on top of sealing the stone. To test its need for attention, drop some water and see if it forms little beads. If it doesn't, you need to reseal with something like the MiracleSealants 511 Impregnator Sealer.

If you also want to embrace the movement towards statement marble, take your time to decide whether ultra-graphic veining is really for you. While the trend towards bold marble veins is exciting and gorgeous, this look might fade from popularity in a few years. Given how distinctive this type of marble is, you'll need to carefully consider if you're going to love your Calacatta Viola counters for the long haul, or if the look only appeals to you right now because it's edgy and novel.

All-white kitchens are a classic design trend and have been around forever, making them beloved of many HGTV stars, including Mina Starsiak Hawk. "White kitchens work as a clean slate to add any color that you can change out whenever you want," she shared on Instagram. "Having that option gives you more flexibility when you get that itch to refresh your space." She's right, as the average cost to renovate a kitchen is well over $20,000. You do not want to be sinking that kind of money into the space just because you feel like a change of color palette. With this in mind, it's nice to have some flexibility around switch things up without needing to spend a lot.  

The only drawback to this is that some might say white is too sterile and feels more like a hospital than a home. On her own property, Starsiak Hawk chose to offset the starkness with things like wooden chairs and stainless steel appliances. The presence of natural materials like wood create a warmness to complement white's cooler tones, while the sheen of the appliances and the off-white of the cabinets break up any visual monotony that might be present. If you feel like white might be too boring, consider using textiles to add personality, like a fun rug or bright dishtowels. For example, these DecorRack 100% Cotton Dish Towels come in a range of vibrant color options and are an affordable way to add that pop of color you're looking for. You can also add color and interest through things like Roman shades or window treatments like café curtains, displaying funky, bright dishware, or hopping on the colorful wine glass trend that took over TikTok.

There are some home trends that HGTV stars just can't agree on. For everyone that loves an all-white kitchen, Bobby Berk is ready to stand up and say he hates them. "When we bought our current house — which is a mid-century, but she had some abusive relationships in the '90s — somebody had put an all-white kitchen in," he told Parade. "Although we weren't ready to remodel the kitchen yet, because we want to do everything at once, I painted the kitchen cabinets black."

Painting your kitchen cabinets a bold hue is a great way to breathe new life into the space, because it's relatively low-commitment and easy enough to DIY. "Changing your paint will completely change the mood of your house, and you didn't really spend that much money to do it," Berk continued. "And it's something that you can do it yourself." Before you start on such a project, familiarize yourself with the different ways you can approach cabinet refinishing.

The first step is to strip off old paint if you don't plan on just covering it up. You'll want to give the surfaces a good sanding, this way, the fresh paint can go on easily. You'll probably also need to apply a coat of primer, and while you can paint cabinets with the doors on, removing them can actually make things easier, as you won't have to try and squeeze a brush between the doors and the frame on the hinge side. If you want a super flawless finish you might also want to consider buying or renting a small paint sprayer. Spraying your cabinets will give them a professional-level finish, and it's not that hard — just practice on some offcut wood first to get the hang of it. Alternatively, you can also send the doors in to get professionally sprayed and just paint the cabinet frames yourself. 

Color drenching is becoming more and more popular, and the "Fixer Upper" star appears to have hopped on the trend at home. Joanna Gaines loves showing off her all-black butler's pantry or her back kitchen, as they are sometimes called. The star uses black-on-black color drenching to really make a statement, with deep black cabinets, open shelving, and walls to match. The tiling on the floor is black, too — adding to the overall depth of the space. However, things don't feel closed off or crowded like they sometimes do in darkly-painted rooms, as Gaines still adds warmth to the space with brass accents, while anchoring the room with the contrast of cool marble countertops. The large windows that let in plenty of light in the day time don't hurt, either.

At its core, color drenching is a decorating style that uses one color throughout a room on walls, ceilings, trim, and furniture. Sometimes, it's even present on accents like lamps and picture frames, too. This method gives the space a unified, smooth look that minimizes any visual distractions and can make rooms feel bigger and more connected. To keep things from seeming boring, a great tip is to follow in Gaines' footsteps by adding touches of texture and other colors in the room's smaller finishes. This way, the space maintains plenty of personality.

When Hilary Farr renovated her own North Carolina home during Season 19, Episode 2 of "Love It or List It," there was a large empty wall left to fill in her primary bedroom. Instead of reaching for classic prints or photographs, Farr leaned into the trend of thrifting and used a disassembled old room divider to create unique wall art. Now in three pieces, the wooden modesty screen functioned more as a conversation piece. It also took up the same amount of space on the wall as a large print might, all without the additional cost of printing and framing. 

To recreate the look at home, you can also hop on the modern trend of thrifting pieces to repurpose into unique art and decor. You can typically find things like this at local second-hand shops, but might have more success online where you can search more specifically. In person, it's more luck of the draw. However, one place that is almost always guaranteed to turn up some real treasures is an estate sale. Often, the family of the deceased is interested in getting rid of things quickly and efficiently, so you can strike some great deals. Besides being a cost-effective way to decorate a large area of wall, Farr's ideal is also very flexible. The charmingly ornate screen she used for her bedroom fits right into the slightly upscale look that she enjoys — if your tastes lean more bohemian, simply look for something like a rattan webbing room divider instead.