Houzz identified the top emerging home design trends based on the latest search insights from its community of U.S. homeowners, home design enthusiasts and home professionals. The trends reflect a desire to bring a sense of calm into the home through organic modern design, Japanese influences, wellness features and reading rooms. And yet, some homeowners are seeking to make a bold statement with dark and moody interiors. This summer, we’re also seeing a growing interest in creating dedicated spaces for leisure activities that suit adults and kids, alike!
Below are some of the trends that apply to kitchens and baths. To see the full report, click here.
Organic Modern Style
Organic modern design elements (example in image above) form a balanced mix of sleek lines and crisp white or neutral-colored surfaces, contrasted with natural forms and materials. With searches on Houzz for “organic modern bedroom” jumping nearly 3.5x year-over-year, homeowners may be looking for a soft place to land at the end of a long day. But that’s not the only area of the home well-suited for this style. “Organic modern” searches have also grown over the past year for dining rooms, kitchens, bathrooms and living rooms.
Dark and Moody
In contrast, dark and moody decor is also gaining popularity, with searches for “moody living room” and “moody kitchen” more than doubling compared to the same period in 2023. This is likely a reaction to the bright whites and light grays that have dominated interiors in recent years. We see designers on Houzz use dark and moody colors to help make spaces feel cozy and intimate, or bold and dramatic. For example, layers of rich browns and dark reds can create a warm atmosphere in a “moody bedroom,” for which searches are up by 85% year over year. A dash of darkness can also bring about the desired effect. Searches for “dark ceiling” have reached new heights, up 60% compared with the same period last year.
Japanese Influence
Japanese design, which embraces simplicity, natural elements and harmonious living spaces, is experiencing a resurgence, reflected in notable increases for searches related to kitchens, bedrooms and bathrooms. Searches for “Japandi living room,” a term which relates to a hybrid design style that merges Japanese minimalism with Scandinavian functionality, have risen 48%. Two Japanese design aesthetics often associated with presenting the home as a sanctuary — “wabi-sabi” and “zen garden” — have also seen growth in searches on Houzz (up 44% and 22%, respectively).
Wellness
Wellness features continue to surface in trending searches on Houzz, with “cold plunge,” “indoor sauna,” “home spa” and “backyard sauna” all rising in the first quarter of the year, compared with Q1 2023. Homeowners are also finding professionals on Houzz to help bring in more natural light, which is important for maintaining the body’s intrinsic rhythm, with searches increasing for “large windows” and “skylights.”