12 Hot Trends Shaping Today’s Homes
By Kathryn Emery
Design & Construction Week once again proved to be the ultimate crystal ball regarding our homes. Spanning the International Builders’ Show (IBS) and the Kitchen & Bath Industry Show (KBIS) at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Fla., this year’s event spotlighted smarter living, timeless materials that look good and are built to last, wellness upgrades for the mind and body, and design details that simplify everyday life.
As we analyze the latest 2026 home improvement trends, one theme stands out: today’s homes are designed to work harder, last longer and feel more personal than ever.
Across the massive exhibit space—the size of 17 football fields—one theme stood out: Today’s homes are designed to work harder, last longer and feel more personal than ever. At IBS and KBIS, I focused on product trends that already or will soon translate into practical retail opportunities for hardware stores. The following dozen trends, with many more product examples, reflect evolving customer needs and what hardware retailers should look to incorporate.
Key 2026 Home Improvement Trends for Hardware Retailers to Watch
Trend 1: Smart Living Integrates with Window Blind
Smart home technology is becoming quieter and more intuitive. Simple tasks such as opening blinds with voice assistants are increasingly attainable at every price; they’re also a DIY project for just about any homeowner. Consider GE Lighting Smart Shades, which integrate seamlessly with platforms like Alexa, Google Home and Apple Home. With screw-free installation and clean aluminum frames, they offer automated privacy, energy efficiency and modern style without tech overload.
Trend 2: Whole-Property Visibility Moves Toward Unified Control
Monitoring the home is shifting toward integrated visibility, as homeowners seek fewer devices that deliver broader awareness. Products such as Honeywell Home X8S reflect this trend by combining HVAC oversight, indoor air quality tracking and live video from compatible doorbells into a single interface. At the same time, expanded visual coverage from solutions such as Ring Elite 360 View, with its multi-lens panoramic perspective, points to growing interest in whole-property awareness with fewer blind spots. Together, these innovations highlight a move toward centralized insight that connects comfort, safety and performance across the home.
Trend 3: Stone-Inspired Textures Move Inside
Stone is the most durable building material, period, and walking into Daltile’s booth, it was clear these are not your grandma’s boring tiles! Daltile’s newest collections feature large-format slabs, rich textures and stone-inspired looks that balance durability with high-end style. Perfect for kitchens, baths and outdoor spaces, these surfaces anchor today’s most stylish homes.
Trend 5: Hands-Free Functionality
Bathroom innovation continues to center on touchless operation and integrated comfort, as homeowners seek fixtures that bring automation and hygiene into everyday use. Products such as KBIS Best of Show finalist Coit Smart Bidet Toilet reflect this shift, with features such as motion-activated lids, automatic flushing and heated seating. It has even earned the nickname “the marriage saver” for its touchless kick plate that opens and closes the lid. Streamlined installation extends such upgrades beyond custom builds into more everyday projects.
Trend 6: Garages to Living Spaces
Garages are evolving into home gyms, offices and studios. Clopay’s Avante door with Smart Glass enables homeowners to switch from clear to opaque glass at the touch of a button, instantly controlling light and privacy. The sleek, wirefree design built into the durable aluminum frame makes it easy to turn a garage into a true extension of the home. This product was a 2025 IBS Best in Show winner, and when you see it you’ll see why—unless the glass is set to opaque, of course. Then you just need the remote control to click it to clear.
Trend 7: Maintenance-Free Natural Looks Gain Ground
Natural materials remain a favorite, but homeowners want beauty without maintenance. Tando’s Beach House Shake is an example, offering the classic look of cedar shingles but with durable composite technology. Each shingle features realistic texture and variation, offering lasting curb appeal that won’t fade, crack or weather. Not long ago, decking went through a transition into composite materials; siding now follows suit.
Trend 8: Power Access: It’s Not a Plug, It’s a Feature
Interior design is extending its focus to the smallest functional elements, as everyday fixtures take on greater aesthetic importance. Legrand’s introduction of fast-charging USB-A and USB-C outlets, pop-up countertop solutions and decorative wall plates from its “adorne collection” reflects this shift. As utility continues to integrate with visual style, power access points are becoming intentional design features.
Trend 9: Personalized Living Meets Embedded Intelligence
The IBS/KBIS floor showcased several examples of home design advancing toward environments that reflect individual taste while integrating seamless technology. Offerings such as LG Tailored Collection appliances and Brizo Kintsu fixtures highlight growing flexibility in finishes and components, while bold expression through True Residential Refrigerators signals renewed appetite for color and visual identity in daily-use spaces. At the same time, embedded connectivity from products such as GE Profile Smart Wall Ovens illustrates how personalization now extends beyond appearance to include intelligent functionality.
Trend 10: Home Bathrooms Embrace Spa-Quality Wellness
Bathrooms continue to evolve into wellness spaces. Kohler SpaViva’s in-shower facial and cleansing system highlights the growing demand for self-care built into everyday routines. Expect to see self-care at home continue to gain prominence.
Trend 11: Big Capability Expected in Small-Space Appliances
Efficiency and sustainability remain top of mind in product design. One example from IBS: the space-and-water-saving GE Profile Compact Dishwasher, with options designed for under-sink or countertop installation. Other features customers look for include antimicrobial protection and double-drawer washing efficiency.
Trend 12: Performance-Driven Systems Shape Future-Ready HomeS
Building innovation is increasingly centered on integrated performance, as structural systems and mechanical solutions work together to support efficiency and resilience. Products such as the Construx Framing System reflect a move toward precision-engineered construction that improves durability and streamlines labor, while Carrier’s Performance Series Next-Gen Air Handler point to rising demand for electrification-ready, energy-smart HVAC systems. Together, they illustrate a broader trend toward homes built from the inside out for strength, efficiency and long-term adaptability.
Kathryn Emery is a home improvement and lifestyle expert with more than 20 years’ experience sharing practical home solutions and product insights. She has appeared on “Good Morning America,” “Inside Edition” and “The Doctors,” and is the creator of BeTheBestHome.com.
