5 Home Design Trends to Watch in Fall 2026

By Melissa Dittmann Tracey 

Warm palettes, layered finishes, personalized details, natural materials and designs made for long-term living are gaining traction. Learn more about these five trends that stood out in the 2026 U.S. Houzz Fall Design Trends Report.

#1 Warming up color palettes: Stark white-and-gray interiors are fading away in favor of warmer tones, including beiges, terracottas and earthy browns. These hues are increasingly becoming the foundation of home design rather than simply accent colors, says Mitchell Parker, Houzz home design expert. Warm wood tones, earthy colors, layered textures and natural materials are helping to create interiors that feel more familiar and cozier. 

Photo credit: Reid Smith Architects

Photo caption: This Big Sky, Montana, living room by Reid Smith Architects features warm stone walls, wood details and earthy furnishings.

#2 Creating collected, layered looks: Minimalist interiors are giving way to more layered, personalized spaces. The look adds character, history and more individuality rather than striving for off-the-shelf perfection, Parker notes. Travel finds, antiques, inherited heirlooms and eclectic pieces can help create rooms that feel as though they evolved over time rather than were purchased all at once as a matching set.

Photo credit: Artistic Kitchens / Photographed by: Jacob Hawkins Photography

Photo caption: This Detroit kitchen by Kristi Hodson of Artistic Kitchens features layers of stone, aged materials and industrial lights to create a collected, layered look.

#3 Choosing personality over perfection: Homes are taking on more one-of-kind character rather than looking as though they were pulled straight from a design catalog. Instead of matchy-matchy styles, homeowners are combining different elements to create a more personal stamp, including handcrafted tiles, artisan plaster, natural stone, aged metals and vintage pieces. Parker says the look “prioritizes authenticity over too-precious surfaces.” Homeowners also are taking bolder design chances by incorporating unusual tile patterns, expressive wallpaper, distinctive furnishings and eye-catching colors.

Photo credit: Lavish

Photo caption: In this formal dining room, interior design firm Lavish integrated the homeowners’ inherited mahogany furniture, framed travel art and family keepsakes to create a distinctly personal space.

#4 Embracing natural materials with character: It’s not just a growing preference for wood cabinetry or stone countertops, but homeowners are favoring materials with more visual variation, texture and even imperfections. Natural stone, for example, is popping up in unexpected places, including sinks, furniture and lighting, Parker says. Handmade and high-variation tile, honed and leathered stone, plaster and warm wood also are growing in popularity. 

Photo credit: AMF Construction

Photo caption: This Dallas bathroom by AMF Construction features textured blue zellige-style wall tile, checkered black-and-white flooring and a botanical motif tile in the shower.

#5 Designing for long-term livability: Homeowners are choosing a design that can work for them well into the future. Nearly two-thirds of homeowners—or 61%—say they plan to stay in their homes for 11 years or more following a renovation, according to the 2026 Houzz & Home Study. Forty-four percent describe their current home as their “forever home.” That’s translating into more requests for features that support long-term and multigenerational living, including accessory dwelling units or secondary suites for extended family, guests or even future rental income. Wellness amenities also are growing in popularity, including saunas, cold plunges and meditation spaces.

Photo credit: Kate Savitch Design

Photo caption: This Seattle kitchen by Kate Savitch Design features wide, well-lit pathways and abundant easy-access drawer storage.

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