Byron Bay, Australia | Australia Sotheby’s International Realty

Looking back, 2025 will likely be remembered as a year of unease and acceleration. Environmental challenges became harder to ignore, cultural and political divisions deepened, and technology became ever more ingrained in our everyday life.

Against this backdrop of a world in flux, the design trends emerging for 2026 feel refreshingly grounded. There is a clear shift toward homes that prioritize natural materials, crafted finishes and a sense of connection to landscape and how we live now. What unites each of the trends explored here is a growing desire for a more human response to this changing world.

Natural materials

Mexico City, Mexico | Mexico Sotheby’s International Realty

One of the most dominant design shifts heading into 2026 is a renewed emphasis on natural materials. Stone and timber are being used to create richly tactile residences that feel connected to the land, and as they age, these materials only become more beautiful. AA315, in Mexico City’s Lomas de Chapultepec, is an impressive example.

Designed by Bernardi + Peschard with interiors by Gloria Cortina, the residence is defined by a palette of stone, timber and metal. Think Swiss larch and Macassar ebony joinery and cladding, expansive marble surfaces, and a sculptural staircase crafted by local woodworker Simón Hamui. “Natural materials are an extension of ourselves—a reminder of where we came from,” says Cortina. “Favor them always.”

Craftsmanship

Byron Bay, Australia | Australia Sotheby’s International Realty

There is also a renewed appreciation for craftsmanship, particularly bespoke, place-specific work that reflects local skills and traditions. In a world where mass production has become the default, celebrating the human hand can lend homes a depth and individuality that cannot be replicated.

Lo Scoglio, perched on a crest in Coopers Shoot near Byron Bay, Australia, exemplifies this approach. Conceived as a contemporary reinterpretation of a Sicilian masseria (rural estate), the main villa and guest house are united in their sensitive use of craft—from hand-chipped limestone walls, century-old hardwood floor and terracotta finishes to brass details sourced through Tigmi Trading. In a contemporary take on crafted luxury, the estate blends these artisanal details with modern systems, including solar power and rainwater harvesting.

Future-proofing

Calistoga, California | Sotheby’s International Realty - St. Helena Brokerage

As climate volatility becomes an unavoidable reality, future-proofing has emerged as a core design consideration. In 2026, this increasingly means homes that incorporate resilient materials and construction techniques capable of withstanding environmental extremes. In some cases, that means looking to the past for solutions.

At a modern sanctuary in Calistoga, California, designed by Signum Architecture, both shou sugi ban—an ancient Japanese timber-charring technique—and stained cedar have been used to create an exterior cladding that offers natural resistance to fire and insects. Combined with concrete and expansive glazing, the palette is a sophisticated balance of durability and material warmth. “This home occupies sensitive terrain that called for a design solution that is both sustainable and fire resistant,” says Jarrod Denton, partner at Signum. “Our approach was holistic.”

Statement glazing

Athens, Greece | Greece Sotheby’s International Realty

As we move into 2026, glazing is taking on a more expressive role, moving beyond transparency to become a defining architectural feature used to frame landscapes, heighten spatial drama, and reinforce the relationship between inside and out.

Orama, a private residence in Vouliagmeni on the Athens Riviera in Greece, is a dazzling showcase of glazing ingenuity. Designed by ISV Architects, the four-level home is wrapped in expansive glass facades that capture sweeping views of the Aegean. Inside, tall ceilings and full-height glass walls flood the interiors with light, making the coastal setting as much a design feature as the finishes and furniture.

Energy passivity

Bluffdale, Utah | Summit Sotheby’s International Realty – Draper

Sustainability standards continue to rise, with energy passivity the benchmark rather than the exception in 2026. As a result, passive house principles, once associated with modest dwellings, are now being applied at an ambitious scale, nowhere more so than in a 15,000-square-foot home in Bluffdale, Utah built by Cross Construction.

The sprawling home, which has earned recognition as the world’s largest certified single-family passive house, is powered by geothermal and solar energy. It also features triple-pane Alpen windows and continuous filtered fresh air. This mix of luxury living and ambitious design is a powerful blueprint for sustainability at any scale. “Passive homes matter today because they allow luxury to perform at a higher level,” says Alex Cross, CEO of Cross Construction. “When executed properly, they deliver a healthier, quieter, and more comfortable living experience, preserving the luxury you may never see, but always feel.”

Rooted in the local

Hudson Valley, New York | William Pitt Sotheby’s International Realty

Expect a renewed commitment in 2026 to homes that are deeply rooted in place, celebrating the unique attributes of a particular site and breaking away from a generic approach to the built form. A forthcoming residence in New York’s Hudson Valley by Kushner Studios—playfully titled Falling Rocks in a nod to Frank Lloyd Wright—embodies this ethos. Set in a landscape shaped by ancient glacial activity, the six-level home has a bold form inspired by these local geological forces.

“Every foot of land is unique—sacred even—and thus worthy of consideration,” says Adam Kushner, president of Kushner Studios and owner of Falling Rocks. “It is the role of the architect to make the most of these opportunities, to create a narrative and propose a unique way of living.”

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