At Hometown Restyling, our expert team is dedicated to helping you create your dream home—and Michelle plays a pivotal role in that mission. As our lead kitchen and bath designer, Michelle creates designs that are as functional as they are beautiful. Here’s your chance to Meet Michelle (although she would love to get to know you in person).
Tap into her design process and favorite upcoming home remodeling trends.
Meet Michelle
Michelle’s journey started right here in Iowa, where she honed her love of design with a fashion degree at Iowa State University. After launching her own bridal business and working for retail giants like Target, she realized something was missing. “One of the reasons why I just didn’t really fit into the fashion design world, and why kitchen design was intriguing, is because of the space planning,” she shares. Drawing inspiration from her engineer father, Michelle found she loved solving problems and piecing together elements and designs like puzzles. Her eye for spatial puzzles eventually led her to the kitchen and bath industry, where she could blend her eye for design with practical, useful solutions.
Michelle spent a decade designing for high-end luxury homes in Arizona. Working in custom homes, she experienced the value of detail and craftsmanship first-hand. This experience and perspective helped shape her process and ultimately, when she came back to Iowa in 2008, made her a perfect fit for Hometown Restyling. Now, as part of the Hometown team, she combines that high-end expertise with a local touch to create timeless designs for eastern Iowa homeowners.
Why Michelle Loves What She Does
“When clients get started–Man, they’re excited! Feeding off of their energy and their excitement is my favorite part of the job,” she says.
“Many of them have dreamed about their remodel for years. Seeing their excitement when their vision becomes a reality is the most rewarding part of what I do.” Michelle enjoys bringing her high-end design background into her work in eastern Iowa. “Helping clients create spaces that are timeless, functional, and uniquely theirs is so fulfilling. At Hometown Restyling, I get to do that every day.”
Designing for Eastern Iowa
Michelle knows the eastern Iowa market well. While local homeowners may adopt trends after (and more intentionally) than those in bigger cities, Michelle uses her expertise to help clients make informed decisions. She emphasizes designs that stand the test of time, blending current trends with practical solutions.
“Many customers often spend their life savings on a remodel, so they want something that is going to last,” Michelle says. She approaches each project with her puzzle-solving mindset, ensuring every inch of space is functional while also incorporating design elements that reflect her clients’ personalities and goals.
2024’s Most Loved Trends
If there’s one thing Michelle noticed in 2024, it’s that homeowners are saying goodbye to the all-white look. “People are starting to mix things up,” she shares. “Painted finishes like white cabinets and natural wood accents, such as a cherry island, were especially popular.” This inviting style reflects a growing shift toward earthy tones and cozier designs, with natural wood elements bringing texture and warmth to homes.
Bathrooms are also becoming more spa-like, bringing comfort and luxury into functional home spaces. Features like freestanding tubs, programmable showers, and mood lighting turn everyday routines into moments of relaxation. “The feeling you get in a freestanding tub—it’s like a spa,” Michelle notes. These trends reflect a larger shift as more people spend more and more time at home. They prioritize their homes as places of rest, work, and entertainment, upgrading both the conveniences and comfort.
Michelle’s Trend Radar: What’s Hot for 2025
Seeing what resonates most with homeowners is always fascinating as new styles and ideas emerge. Michelle takes a thoughtful approach to drawing inspiration from what she sees as the latest trends at industry events. “When I’m at conferences or shows, I like to think about all the projects that I’ve done recently and some of the important features that customers were looking for, or some of the things that they were really intrigued by,” she explains. By focusing on what eastern Iowa homeowners are asking for, she ensures she’s ready with answers and ideas for future projects.
As we look to 2025, the focus on in-home comfort and convenience continues to shape design. Thanks to Julia Child, kitchens are moving away from the traditional work triangle and toward individual zones for cleanup, prep, storage, and entertaining. This change in mindset reflects how people live today—spending more time at home, working remotely, and entertaining in their homes with open floor plans where the kitchen isn’t hidden but is a key part of the entertaining space. “It’s about making sure everything you need is at your fingertips,” Michelle explains.
Michelle recently returned from Design Chicago, an event packed with inspiration. Here are her top picks for trends to watch in 2025:
Warm, Natural Woods
Tobacco-colored wood, bleached finishes, and earthy hues like greige, beige, and black dominate design palettes. Natural wood brings a cozy vibe to spaces, creating a balance between organic textures and contemporary lines and angles.
Tilework That Pops
Tile design adds color and texture with intricate patterns and chic materials. Natural stones like marble and travertine bring timelessness and durability. For homeowners looking for a touch of glamour, gold inlaid tiles are an eye-catching trend in bathrooms and kitchens.
Purple Basil Takes Center Stage
PPG’s 2025 Color of the Year, Purple Basil, is a hot trend for interiors this year. This deep, earthy color is rich with tones of plum and brown. It’s a sophisticated and warm choice for homeowners looking for something unique to add to their homes.
Smart Spaces
Smart technology is making even more inroads with advancements in everything from connected appliances to innovative plumbing fixtures. Think ovens, refrigerators, and cooktops with smart features that streamline cooking or hands-free faucets for convenience and hygiene. Michelle points out that even sinks are changing, with durable quartz composite materials now lasting longer than traditional stainless steel.
In 2025, Michelle is excited about incorporating the innovations she’s discovered at Design Chicago like advanced technologies, new surface materials, and smarter storage solutions. She knows the puzzles will continue as eastern Iowa homes need to support everything from working and entertaining to simply living comfortably—with everything you need at your fingertips.
Check out more inspiration from Design Chicago:
Advice to Kickstart Your Remodel with Confidence
As one of only nine Certified Kitchen and Bath Designers (CKBD) in Iowa (and likely the only one locally), Michelle brings unique expertise to every eastern Iowa project. Like the rest of the team at Hometown Restyling, she takes immense pride in her craft, making sure each of her designs delivers style and function. Her commitment is evident in her continuing education pursuits at industry events like Design Chicago, and her approach to meeting her clients and getting to know them backs up her advice to build a strong relationship with your designer and trust their expertise. “Spend time telling your designer what you want. The more you can communicate, the better trust you’ll build—it’s really more of a friendship than a working relationship,” she shares.
She also encourages clients to keep an open mind. “Don’t just get set on what’s trendy. Let us show you creative options and solutions you might not have considered.” She also offers a very mindful suggestion: consider balancing the latest technologies with reliability. “Some tech-heavy appliances can be frustrating if they break.” So consider if you need all the bells and whistles, especially when the technology is new and relatively unproven.
Thanks to advanced 3D rendering tools, exploring all of these options has never been easier. Michelle can quickly show you different materials, layouts, and finishes in a realistic virtual space, helping you make confident choices. “I’ll even order samples and create rendered views of them so clients can see how everything fits together,” Michelle says.
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“From design through implementation, Michelle, Dan, and the whole crew were excellent to work with.” ~Bill V. Iowa City
Michelle’s Kitchen and Bath Design Process
For Michelle, every design begins with a conversation. She insists on spending ample time with her clients during the initial meeting, diving deep into understanding their goals for the space and how they live in and interact with their homes. “If you don’t spend time getting to know your customer, you’re never going to design anything they’re going to be happy with,” she says. She takes a hands-on approach, asking thoughtful questions to uncover how clients use their space and what they need to improve it.
Each project is approached like a puzzle ready to be solved. Michelle begins with what she learned in design school—such as the bubble design method—mapping out essential zones like cleaning, prep, and storage to create a functional flow within the space. Using hand-drafting techniques or drawing programs, she meticulously lays out the room in two dimensions, ensuring that every inch is optimized.
“Once I have a footprint laid out, then I take it with my design hat, and I fluff it—I make it beautiful by adding design features and decorative elements,” she says.
Staying on top of the latest trends is another key part of Michelle’s process. She loves sharing ideas with her clients to help inspire them, but her ultimate goal is to tailor every project to the unique individuals she’s working with and their goals. Whether it’s maximizing storage, creating more countertop space, or opening up a room by removing walls, her thrill ride is making her clients’ wish lists into practical, beautiful designs—all while keeping the project on budget. This mix of problem-solving, creativity, and collaboration makes the process so fulfilling.
To see more of what Michelle has to offer in Bathroom Design, check out this article about an Iowa City couple that got a major bathroom makeover.
Ready to start your five-star kitchen or bath remodel? Michelle and the team at Hometown Restyling can’t wait to hear about your goals and bring the vision to life. Reach out today for a free consultation!
