{"id":229365,"date":"2025-12-19T12:22:37","date_gmt":"2025-12-19T17:22:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.livabl.com\/articles\/?p=229365"},"modified":"2025-12-19T12:22:42","modified_gmt":"2025-12-19T17:22:42","slug":"how-new-home-design-evolved-in-2025-and-whats-next-for-2026","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.livabl.com\/articles\/design\/how-new-home-design-evolved-in-2025-and-whats-next-for-2026","title":{"rendered":"How New-Home Design Evolved in 2025, and What\u2019s Next for 2026\u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"

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At the outset of 2025, industry experts made clear predictions on what would shape new home design in the months to come. According to the experts, here is how some of these forecasted trends appeared in new-build homes, what to watch for in 2026, and some trends that were unexpected. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Kitchen\u2019s Role is Changing <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Despite\u00a0home sizes shrinking in general in 2025, kitchens grew bigger and more important.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Layouts moved away from the traditional kitchen triangle (where fridge, stove, and sink are located within steps from each other), to linear or zone-style design to support changing workflow. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kitchen islands\u00a0became a natural gathering spot for entertaining and built-in dining, as well as for prep and cooking,\u00a0explains Gladys\u00a0Schanstra, owner\/creative director of\u00a0Drury Design<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThis is revolutionizing the way we use islands because homeowners are now equipped to be able to perform all those tasks in one place,\u201d she says.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In addition to enhanced function, islands are now focal points, with stunning designs. \u201cI’m seeing a lot of sculptural islands, almost like a piece of art, whether in wood or engineered stone,\u201d says Schanstra. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Looking ahead:<\/strong> In 2026, expect to see more personalization in the kitchen, a return to warm minimalism, and a shift from kitchen as a workspace to a living space. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Timeless Took Off in 2025 <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Lee Crowder, senior director, national design and model operations for Taylor Morrison<\/a>, says timeless style led new home trends in 2025 and is expected to continue in 2026. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe trend started with neutral wood tones dominating furniture, cabinets, and flooring, then moved into warmer tones in leathers and fabrics for furniture and paired with golds, blacks, and polished nickel plumbing and lighting.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Timeless style appeared in paint colors too, according to Sue Wadden, director of color marketing at Sherwin-Williams<\/a>. \u201cWe saw builders increasingly rely on warm, approachable neutrals as a foundation, using colors that feel livable, timeless, and easy to personalize.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Looking ahead: <\/strong>Homeowners saw timeless, traditional style as a more affordable choice in 2025, which will continue to be a factor in 2026. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAs designers, our goal is to help clients spend their money in a way that will best suit their design aesthetic and budget while ensuring their homes are beautiful for years to come,\u201d says Crowder. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Wellness Design Became Mainstream in 2025 Home Design <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Health and wellness heavily shaped new home trends in 2025, including\u00a0biophilic design,\u00a0neuroaesthetics and neuro-inclusive design,\u00a0wellness kitchens,\u00a0spa-like bathrooms,\u00a0saunas, and wellness-focused spaces.\u00a0It\u2019s\u00a0expected that health and wellness will be a strong influence again in\u00a02026.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Homeowners are increasingly\u00a0prioritizing health and wellness at home<\/a>, so wellness design and products are now mainstream.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cFor years, wellness was defined primarily by fitness. Today, people are embracing a more holistic approach that supports both mind and body, prioritizing spaces that address their 360-degree wellbeing,\u201d says Emily Stubler, marketing director, Kohler<\/a> Wellness Products. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe\u2019re seeing spaces once dedicated solely to entertainment or exercise being reimagined as multifunctional wellness rooms.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Meanwhile, Kohler\u2019s ice bath, named one of Time Magazine\u2019s Best Inventions of 2025<\/a>, has a bespoke design and resembles a piece of furniture, demonstrating how wellness can now be style choice too. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cRather than hiding an ice bath in a corner or basement, we designed a version that can serve as a centerpiece in your wellness space,\u201d she says. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Designing for Joy <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Homeowners tapped into the emotional benefits of curated,\u00a0colorful aesthetics\u00a0in 2025, including\u00a0nostalgia-inspired interiors<\/a>,\u00a0Art Deco, and dopamine decor.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This \u201callowed homeowners to feel something strong. Big, bold colors and layered patterns created physical, emotional, and mental responses that an all-white or heavily muted palette couldn’t, and still won’t, provide,\u201d says color psychologist Michelle Lewis of the Color Institute<\/a>.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Homeowners gained confidence with color in 2025, seeing the emotional opportunities and ways to be creative in new builds. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

At the same time, homeowners are also still leaning into timeless, natural tones as backgrounds. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cInstead of cooler grays, palettes leaned into warmer whites, soft greiges, and earthy mid-tones that create an immediate sense of comfort. Homeowners then layered onto those builder bases with personal touches,\u201d says Wadden. \u201cPaint became a tool for grounding space emotionally, not just visually, and homeowners felt more confident using color to make new builds feel lived-in rather than overly pristine.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Looking ahead: <\/strong>All signs points to these trends continuing in the new year. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cEven as some segments of design – kitchens especially – start to tilt back toward minimalist aesthetics in 2026, that sense of empowerment people found in self-expression absolutely will continue,\u201d says Lewis. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThat\u00a0return to essentials is at the heart of our\u00a02026 Color of the Year, Universal Khaki,<\/a>\u201d a sign of things to come in 2026, says Wadden.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Is Farmhouse Really Fading? <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Experts predicted that\u00a0modern farmhouse style would be on its way out in 2025<\/a>.\u00a0While several of the\u00a0interior decor choices associated with farmhouse style fell out of favor, such as white kitchens, shiplap, distressed finishes, and barn doors, new build house plans told a different story.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cFarmhouse is still very much alive,\u201d says Aurora Zeledon,\u00a0vice president of product marketing for Zonda, including\u00a0Houseplans.com<\/a>, noting that the modern farmhouse\u00a0has been\u00a0the\u00a0bestseller\u00a0since 2019. In 2025 alone, it accounted for a third of sales.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However,\u00a02025\u00a0sales trends may\u00a0indicate\u00a0a shift is on the horizon, with\u00a0barndominiums\u00a0having a robust year,\u00a0comprising\u00a011% of total sales, up from 8% the year before.\u00a0Cottage-style\u00a0homes\u00a0have been inching upwards as\u00a0well and\u00a0will be a style to watch in the year to come.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As for the modern farmhouse, its light, bright, open floor plans have enduring appeal, and Zeledon feels that scalability is part of its longevity. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Surprises No One Fully Predicted <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In their 2025 forecasts, experts nailed many of the hottest interior design trends in new homes. However, a few surprises emerged as the year progressed. <\/p>\n\n\n\n