Good Housekeeping’s Home Renovation Awards

Renovating a home is basically choosing between 47 shades of “Warm Cloud” paint while someone in the background
whispers, “Have you considered upgrading to a smart faucet?” (No. I have not. I’m just trying to wash a spoon.)
If that sounds familiar, Good Housekeeping’s Home Renovation Awards are a genuinely useful reality check:
a curated, tested roundup of renovation products and services that are meant to perform in the real worldaka the
place where kids slam doors, pets sprint on wet floors, and your “quick weekend project” becomes a three-week saga.

In this guide, we’ll break down what the awards are, how the winners are tested, what trends keep showing up year
after year, and how to use the list to make smarter renovation decisionswhether you’re planning a full-blown remodel
or just trying to stop your bathroom fan from sounding like a distressed helicopter.

What Are Good Housekeeping’s Home Renovation Awards?

Think of the Home Renovation Awards as a shopper’s shortcut for home improvement: a yearly collection of winners
across key remodeling categorieskitchens, bathrooms, exteriors, flooring, paint, tools, smart home, heating and
cooling, and more. The point isn’t to make your house look like a showroom that nobody is allowed to sit in. The point
is to help you choose materials and products that balance performance, style, efficiency, and value.

What makes these awards stand out is that they’re tied to a testing culture. Instead of “This looks nice in a staged
photo,” the vibe is closer to: “Can this countertop survive mustard, grape juice, and the emotional damage of a
birthday party?”

How the Winners Are Chosen (and Why That Matters)

Renovation decisions are expensive, permanent-ish, and surprisingly emotional. (If you’ve ever argued about grout
color, you know.) The awards try to remove some guesswork by focusing on hands-on evaluation. Testing can include
controlled lab work (like scratch resistance and stain performance), review of technical claims (performance, safety,
sustainability), and real-world trialsbecause materials behave differently when installed on actual homes than they do
in a perfect, fluorescent-lit product demo.

What “tested” tends to include

• Performance trials: durability, wear resistance, stain resistance, run time, power, output, noise levels.
• Practical usability: how easy it is to install, maintain, clean, and troubleshoot (a love language).
• Safety + standards: products that meet recognized benchmarks, especially for electrical and structural categories.
• Efficiency: less energy, less water, less wastewithout sacrificing function.
• Design review: because if it performs great but looks like a spaceship console, you still might hate it.

The bigger point: when you’re remodeling, you’re not just buying a productyou’re buying a future where you don’t
regret that product at 7:12 a.m. on a Monday.

The Award Categories You’ll See (Translated Into Human)

Award lists can feel like a wall of brand names. Here’s how to think about the categories in a way that actually helps
planning.

Kitchen All-Stars

Kitchens take daily abuse: heat, moisture, spills, sharp objects, and the occasional “I can totally chop that directly
on the counter” moment. Winners here often focus on surfaces (countertops, flooring), fixtures, ventilation, lighting,
and appliances that save time and reduce mess.

Best in Bath

Bathrooms are basically humidity laboratories. The best choices resist water damage, clean easily, and don’t turn into
slip-and-slide arenas. Winners commonly include water-smart fixtures, durable flooring alternatives, and finishes
built to survive frequent cleaning.

Aging-in-Place Essentials

“Aging in place” isn’t about turning your home into a clinic. It’s about making spaces safer and easier to use over
timecurbless showers, better lighting, easier-to-grip hardware, and layouts that don’t demand Olympic-level balance.
(Bonus: many of these upgrades are also great for guests, kids, and anyone who’s ever injured an ankle.)

Outdoor Living + Exteriors

Curb appeal matters, but so does durability. This category often highlights low-maintenance decking, siding, roofing,
fencing, and outdoor toolsplus products that handle tough weather without needing constant babysitting.

Smart Home Tech

The “smart” in smart home should mean “solves a problem,” not “adds one more app you forget your password for.”
Look for winners that improve safety (leak detection, fire prevention), comfort (air quality, temperature control),
reliability (better Wi-Fi coverage), or convenience (lighting schedules that don’t require a second job).

Trends the Awards Keep Spotlighting

Award lists are like a yearly highlight reel of what homeowners care about most. Lately, several themes keep popping
upand they’re worth noticing because they align with real-world pressures: higher utility costs, more extreme
weather, and a general desire to stop replacing the same stuff every five years.

1) Resiliency is the new “nice-to-have”

Homes are being asked to do more: handle intense rain, heat waves, storms, and temperature swings. That pushes demand
for tougher roofing, more durable siding, and materials designed to resist moisture and impactespecially on the
exterior, where the weather does not care about your aesthetic mood board.

2) Energy efficiency (because bills are also emotional)

Efficiency upgrades often show up as heating and cooling improvements, smarter insulation strategies, better windows,
and electrification-friendly equipment. Even if you aren’t doing a whole-house energy makeover, swapping one major
systemlike HVAC or water heatingcan change comfort and operating costs in a noticeable way.

3) Water-smart bathrooms and kitchens

Water-efficient fixtures aren’t just for “green” points; they’re about performance with less waste. Look for
certifications and product lines designed to reduce water use while maintaining pressure and function (because nobody
wants a sad shower).

4) Low-maintenance living wins

Decking that doesn’t demand constant staining. Flooring that can handle wet boots and pet zoomies. Paint that resists
scuffs. This trend is basically “I would like to enjoy my home, not maintain it as a hobby.”

5) Smart home, but make it practical

The most useful tech tends to be the unsexy stuff: leak alerts, safer electrical monitoring, backup power solutions,
better connectivity for work-from-home life, and lighting that’s easier to install and control.

How to Use the Awards to Plan a Renovation (Without Losing Your Mind)

The secret to using any awards list well is to treat it as a shortlist, not a shopping spree.
Here’s a simple approach that keeps you in control.

Step 1: Start with the problem you’re solving

• “My bathroom floor feels slippery and impossible to keep clean.”
• “My kitchen counters stain if I look at them wrong.”
• “My house is drafty and my energy bills are spicy.”
• “Our front steps are getting harder to navigate.”

When you define the problem first, you can match products to outcomes instead of vibes.

Step 2: Pick your “Top 3” per category

Choose three contenders, then compare them on the things that matter: durability, warranty, maintenance, install
requirements, and what your space can actually handle. (A massive farmhouse sink is gorgeous until you realize you
need cabinet modifications, plumbing changes, and maybe a small prayer.)

Step 3: Look for trusted labels, not just bold claims

Certifications and standardized ratings can cut through marketing fog:

• ENERGY STAR can help identify higher-efficiency equipment and appliances.
• WaterSense is designed to flag water-efficient, performance-tested plumbing products.
• NFRC window ratings help you compare energy performance across windows and doors (important if comfort or bills are a pain point).

Step 4: Budget for reality, not optimism

Renovations love surprises: hidden water damage, outdated wiring, backordered materials, the universe testing your
patience. Build a contingency into your budget so a surprise doesn’t become a crisis.

Step 5: Match upgrades to your timeline: resale vs. stay-put

If you plan to sell soon, projects with strong resale value (often exterior upgrades) may matter more. If you’re
staying put, prioritize comfort and function: better ventilation, safer bathrooms, durable floors, and efficiency
upgrades that reduce ongoing costs.

Four “Award-Inspired” Renovation Playbooks

1) The Bathroom That Won’t Betray You

Focus on moisture control, slip resistance, and easy cleaning. A barrier-free shower, well-placed grab bars (installed
into proper blocking), brighter lighting, and water-efficient fixtures can make the space safer and more comfortable
without making it look clinical. Add an exterior-venting exhaust fan strategy and your mirrors may finally stop
looking like they’re auditioning for a fog machine.

2) The Kitchen Upgrade That Saves Time (Not Just Looks Pretty)

Start with the surfaces you touch every day: counters, floors, and cabinet hardware. Prioritize materials that resist
stains and scratches, then layer in lighting that improves task visibility. If you cook a lot, ventilation is a
quality-of-life upgrade that pays off immediately.

3) The Weather-Ready Exterior Glow-Up

If storms, hail, or intense sun are common in your region, put durability at the top of the list. Roofing and siding
choices that handle impact and moisture can reduce long-term repair cycles. Add better exterior lighting for safety
and a little curb-appeal confidence boost (your home deserves a good selfie angle too).

4) The “Energy Bill Intervention” Package

Consider a high-efficiency heat pump for heating and cooling and a heat pump water heater for hot waterespecially
if your existing equipment is older. Pair that with improved window performance and smart controls that help you run
your systems more efficiently. The best part is that this path isn’t just about saving money; it’s about comfort:
fewer drafts, more consistent temperatures, and less “why is this room always freezing?”

Common Renovation Mistakes (and How the Awards Help You Dodge Them)

• Decision fatigue: too many choices leads to rushed choices. The awards help narrow the field.
• Choosing pretty over practical: great photos don’t equal great performance.
• Not selecting materials early: indecision can drag timelines. Pick key finishes sooner than you think you need to.
• Underestimating installation: “DIY-friendly” is a spectrum. Be honest about time, tools, and complexity.
• Skipping the boring stuff: ventilation, safety, and durability aren’t glamorous, but they’re what keep a remodel feeling good years later.

FAQ: Quick Answers Before You Fall Into a Renovation Rabbit Hole

Are the awards only for big remodels?

Nomany winners are for upgrades and maintenance projects too, like paints, tools, fixtures, and smart devices that
improve day-to-day living.

Should I buy the exact winners listed?

Use them as a starting point. The best product is the one that fits your space, budget, climate, and lifestylenot
the one that looks coolest in a listicle.

How do I avoid “new product” regret?

Prioritize proven performance, strong warranties, and products with standardized ratings or certifications. When
possible, see samples in person and read installation requirements like you’re studying for a final exam.

What’s the best way to keep costs from ballooning?

Define scope clearly, choose materials early, keep a contingency, and get bids that spell out what isand isn’t
included. Renovations go smoother when everyone’s working from the same playbook.

Experiences: What Homeowners Learn When They Use “Award Thinking” for a Remodel (Extra Section)

Here’s a funny thing about renovations: most people don’t regret the exact brand they chose. They regret the moment
they realized they were making decisions based on panic, not priorities. “Award thinking” flips that. Instead of
wandering aisle by aisle like a confused raccoon in a warehouse, you start with a tested shortlist and a clear idea
of what “better” means for your home.

One common experience homeowners report is decision fatigue. The kitchen faucet alone can come in
more finishes than a nail salon. When people use an awards list, they often describe a sense of relief:
“Oh, I don’t have to compare 70 options. I can compare fiveand then pick the one that matches our plumbing setup and
cleaning habits.” That sounds small until you realize it prevents the classic “We bought it because it looked cool,
and now it’s impossible to keep spotless” regret.

Another frequent storyline: the budget trampoline. You step on the original estimate, and it launches
into the stratosphere the moment demo begins. People who plan with a shortlist tend to lock decisions earlier:
they choose the flooring, the tile, the fixtures, the lightingthen the contractor can price real items, not vague
placeholders. That reduces the number of late-stage switches (which are basically renovation taxes). Homeowners often
say the best “upgrade” they made was boring: a simple tracking sheet of selections, lead times, and alternates.
It’s not glamorous, but it keeps projects moving when something goes out of stock.

A third experience shows up in smart home renovations: the reality check. People start out wanting
a house that “does everything,” then realize they mostly want three things: fewer leaks, fewer dead Wi-Fi zones, and
fewer moments where the lights feel like a confusing game show. Award-style shortlists tend to highlight practical
tech that solves problems instead of creating new chores. Homeowners often describe the sweet spot as “quiet helpful”:
devices that work in the background and don’t demand constant attention.

Finally, there’s the experience of future-proofing without overbuilding. Aging-in-place upgrades are
a great example. Many homeowners say they didn’t start the remodel thinking about mobility or accessibilitybut once
they saw how clean and modern features like curbless showers, better lighting, and easy-grip hardware can look, it
felt like a no-brainer. The best part is that these upgrades usually help everyone, not just future-you. Kids, guests,
anyone recovering from an injury, or just someone carrying laundry like a wobbly human tower benefits from safer,
clearer spaces.

If you want to borrow this mindset, try this simple exercise: make your own “mini awards” for your home. Write down
the five things you care about mostmaybe it’s “easy to clean,” “quiet,” “energy efficient,” “durable,” and “looks
timeless.” Then, every product choice has to score well on at least three of those five. Suddenly the decision isn’t
“Which one is trending?” It’s “Which one will still feel like a good idea after a year of real life?” That’s the kind
of renovation win that doesn’t need a trophyjust fewer headaches.

Conclusion

Good Housekeeping’s Home Renovation Awards aren’t a magic wand that makes remodeling stress-free (if you find one of
those, please frame it). But they are a smart tool: a tested, organized way to cut through noise and focus on
upgrades that deliver on performance, efficiency, safety, and style. Use the awards as your shortlist, then match the
winners to your home’s realityyour climate, your budget, your timeline, and the way you actually live. That’s how a
remodel stops being “a project” and starts feeling like a better everyday life.