Underscoring the premise that technology is what transforms commodities into valuable, sought-after solutions, four major trends in custom home and commercial design feature technology at their core. Whether in the family room, garage, home office, bathroom or kitchen, or across conference rooms, classrooms, retail floors, healthcare facilities, hospitality venues and transportation hubs, technology is enabling form and function through thoughtful, integrated design. Many of these technologies are first seen at CEDIA Expo/Commercial Integrator Expo (CIX), which takes place in the fall every year and attracts upwards of 15,000 technology professionals.
“The most exciting trends in home design often manifest first at CEDIA Expo/CIX because that is where technology brands and systems integrators converge to share ideas, consider possibilities and plan the entertainment systems, security systems, WFH systems, outdoor entertaining systems and much, much more,” said Jason McGraw, group vice president and show director of CEDIA Expo/CIX.
The major trends that McGraw believes will dominate home design in 2026 are:
Wellness — Homes are where we often start and finish our runs, where we work out and where we stretch and recover. This is also where we clean off and sometimes even pamper. It is fitting, therefore, that wellness is now a design feature that extends beyond aesthetics, furniture and lighting. Massage technology from brands like Therabody and air-quality zoning and monitoring technologies from the likes of Airzone and VOC Instrumentation are increasingly considered by wellness enthusiasts and are commonly featured in modern homes.
Functionality — From the first home offices to when ethernet ports began being installed in walls and floors to Wi-Fi mesh networks, productivity at home has been an important consideration for quite a while. This trend has gone into overdrive since 2020, as busy executives increasingly require robust networks, enterprise-grade cybersecurity, bigger, better monitors and other high-tech tools that previously existed only in the executive suite.
Lighting — Indoor and outdoor lighting has experienced a period of incredible creativity and growth, driven largely by advances in LED technology. Whether it is functional or accent lighting fixtures or the latest generation of smart switches, lighting is a new canvas for expression for home designers and homeowners alike.
Tech-Enhanced — Technology has been ubiquitous in the family room, kitchen and home office for decades, but tech is now also finding its way into more rooms in more ways than ever before. From smart toilets, shower speakers and next-gen heated floors in the bathroom to leak detectors in the basement, outdoor entertainment in the garden, and smart door openers and EV chargers in the garage, technology is enabling homeowners to better manage, enjoy and protect their properties.
“Smart technology has entered the next phase of adoption,” said McGraw. “Whether it’s new builds or retrofits, home and business owners now expect enhanced connectivity and control. This expectation underpins each of these significant trends we’re seeing in 2026.”
Across CEDIA Expo/CIX, the exhibitor mix shows how the 2026 home is being “de-commoditized” through technology that elevates wellness, functionality, lighting and tech-enhanced living. Brands such as Lutron, DMF Lighting, Elemental LED and American Lighting position lighting as both a wellness lever and a design canvas, with solutions that support circadian rhythms to elevate comfort and mood throughout the home.
Functionality is reinforced through robust infrastructure from Netgear, Ubiquiti and TP-Link, with whole-home orchestration from Crestron, Savant and URC ensuring these systems feel intuitive.
On the tech-enhanced side, platforms like Josh.ai and Nice North America underscore the shift toward ambient, room-to-room control, while integrated access, security and automation solutions from brands including Ring, Bird Home Automation and Level Home reflect homeowners’ growing expectation for seamless, design-integrated intelligence throughout the property.
CEDIA Expo/CIX will return to Denver from Sept. 2 to 4, 2026.
