This week in design, the chaos of installation day often lingers after a project has come to a close—luckily, Elle Decor has compiled a guide to cleansing every room to prepare for new beginnings. Stay in the know with our weekly roundup of headlines, launches, events, recommended reading and more.

Business News

Spending on remodeling projects among U.S. homeowners declined in 2024 from the year prior, according to the latest study by Houzz, though activity still remains within historically high levels. In a survey of nearly 22,000 respondents, the site found that median spending—which was $24,000 in 2023—fell 17 percent to $20,000 among the 54 percent who took on home projects in 2024. Even within the 90th percentile, median spend declined from $150,000 to $140,000. In a bright spot, median budgets for major kitchen remodels and large bathroom projects held steady or rose slightly year-over-year.

U.S. existing home sales fell 5.9 percent last month amid an uptick in interest rates and economic uncertainty over tariffs, NPR reports. The decline comes even as the inventory of existing homes increased 8.1 percent in March, up 19.8 percent from a year ago. In part, cost remains a contributing factor to stalled buyer activity, with the median existing-home price at $403,700 in March, up 2.7 percent from last year. On the other hand, sales of new homes reached a six-month high in March, marking a 7.4 increase from the month before.

Global shipping company DHL has reversed course on its decision last week to pause shipping on packages valued over $800, NPR reports. DHL originally rolled out the temporary policy in response to new U.S. Customs rules, which dictated more extensive clearance processes for packages over $800 (down from the previous minimum of $2,500). After the company’s recent discussions with the Trump administration over the operational challenges of the new rule, it announced that shipments between $800 and $2,500 are once again allowed through informal processing.

Last week, Saks Global laid off roughly 550 workers, or 3 percent of its total workforce, as part of a continued consolidation effort following the company’s acquisition of Neiman Marcus late last year, Women’s Wear Daily reports. The job cuts will primarily affect Saks Global’s corporate employees (300 of whom were let go) in addition to staff members employed at its Saks Fifth Avenue and Neiman Marcus stores and in other areas. This marks the latest round of downsizing efforts from the newly combined company, which included a 5 percent workforce reduction in February and the elimination of 500 jobs following the recent closure of a Tennessee fulfillment center.

Meanwhile, The Container Store issued its own round of layoffs last week, cutting 2 percent of its workforce, or just shy of 70 positions, Retail Dive reports. The reduction comes amid a turbulent few months for the company, which filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy at the end of December before exiting the process a month later with almost $88 million less in debt. More recently, the company found itself embroiled in an executive shake-up after last month’s resignation of CEO Satish Malhotra, who was replaced by a team led by executive chair Joel Bines and chief commercial officer Martin Schumacher (with board member Mike Nicholson, J. Crew Group’s president and CEO, set to advise).

Flooring and home decor manufacturer Natco Home has acquired the brand and certain IP rights of fellow domestic rug manufacturer Orian Rugs, Furniture Today reports. The terms of the deal were not disclosed. Established in 1979, Orian designs and produces woven rugs for national, specialty and e-commerce retailers, as well as manufacturing yarn for other home products.

New research suggests that concerning levels of toxic chemicals found in children’s bedrooms are likely the result of off-gassing from their mattresses, The Guardian reports. Researchers in the peer-reviewed study detected highly toxic phthalates, flame retardants and UV filters—which, when ingested or absorbed by the skin, can cause serious health issues over time—in a survey of children’s bedrooms, and then detected the same chemicals in an accompanying study of 16 kids mattress brands. Though researchers involved in the report did not name the companies they studied, they noted that the products were sourced from common brands sold in the U.S. and Canada for under $150. Though such products largely dominate the market, those looking for alternatives with a lower risk of off-gassing can seek out mattresses that don’t use flame retardants or that include natural materials like wool, cotton or latex.

Launches and Collaborations

Target announced the debut of a collaboration with bedding brand Parachute last week, Retail Dive reports. The collection includes more than 200 bedding and bath linens at lower price points (ranging from $12 to $199) than Parachute’s typical fare, marking an expansion for the brand following an extended period of store closures in recent years. For Target, meanwhile, the partnership falls within the retailer’s “multiyear merchandising revamp strategy”—an approach that follows consumer backlash brought on by the company’s scaling back on DEI initiatives.

Design gallery and strategy firm Colony has announced the studios featured in its third annual Designers’ Residency, which aims to highlight the work of emerging furniture and decor design talents. The designers selected for the 2025 incubator program include Youtian Duan and Yingxi Ji of Another.World, Blake Carlson-Joshua of Studio B.C. Joshua, and Maxwell Taylor-Milner of MTM Studio. Along with debuting their work at an exhibition at Colony’s Tribeca gallery, the trio will be added to its roster of designers.

Recommended Reading

There is no shortage of options when it comes to AI design tools, with Home Visualizer, Interior AI, Palazzo, Muse, and plenty of others offering services that promise to generate a new vision for users’ spaces with the click of a button. For Elle Decor, Catherine Hong uses her home as a testing ground for various platforms, exploring how capabilities differ between each and ultimately sharing the tool that most closely mimicked the value a real-life designer brings to a project.

Though the U.S. is one of the largest exporters of cotton globally, sourcing the material domestically can be a major challenge. Case in point: Less than 1 percent of what bedding brand Coyuchi (which specializes in organic cotton bedsheets) can source is grown in the country. For Modern Retail, Melissa Daniels uses the company as a case study for how new trade policies may complicate the global supply chain.

Showhouses

The Lake Forest Showhouse & Gardens is now open to the public. This year, a Georgian-style home called Pembroke Lodge—built in 1895 by architect Henry Ives Cobb—has been reimagined by more than 45 interior and landscape designers, including Amy Kartheiser, Cynthia McCullough and Joey Leicht. The space will be open for tours through May 25, with proceeds benefiting the Infant Welfare Society of Chicago. For tickets, click here.

The 46th annual San Francisco Decorator Showcase has debuted, unveiling a 9,400-square-foot Pacific Heights home redesigned by a group of top Bay Area designers, including Geoffrey De Sousa, Kathleen Navarra, Sabah Mansoor and more. The event is open to the public through May 26, and proceeds benefit the San Francisco University High School financial aid program. For tickets, click here.

Cue the Applause

The 2025 edition of the 1stDibs 50 was unveiled this week, highlighting a cohort of designers with elevated takes on curating furniture, art and objects from across the design spectrum. The eighth annual list includes designers Heidi Caillier, Brigette Romanek, Zoë Feldman and Bryan O’Sullivan, among others. For the full list of honorees, click here.

The Atlanta Decorative Arts Center, in collaboration with Veranda, has announced the winners of this year’s Southeast Designers & Architect of the Year Awards, honoring standout firms and individuals from across the region. The 2025 honorees include Nashville-based Matt Donahoe of Bureau Interior Architecture | Design for residential design; Atlanta-based Jillian Rooker and Amanda Dashwood of Rook and Dash for contract design; and Atlanta-based Joel Kelly of Joel Kelly Design for architecture.

The American Home Furnishings Hall of Fame has named five industry executives Paul Broyhill Leaders. The annual honors recognize individuals for their leadership and contributions to the home furnishings industry. This year’s awardees are Aaron Fenske, vice president of sourcing for Ashley Furniture; Jill Johnson, vice president of Tempur-Pedic brand management; Scott Kahan, director of product for Regal Fabrics; Jaye Anna Mize, vice president of advisory and partnerships for Future Snoops; and Zoe Wong, executive director and general manager of international markets for Manwah Holdings.