Zillow’s 2026 Home Trends: Climate Comes Into Striking Focus

What will an attractive home look like in 2026? Just in time, the Zillow® Home Trends Report weighs in.  

Zillow’s press release starts off with what you might expect to see in an announcement about home design trends. In 2026, bold, dramatic hues will prevail. Whimsical spaces like reading nooks will be all the rage.

But future-ready features will “lead the way” — and by this, Zillow means climate-aware features. The phrase “disaster-ready” appears in the new, otherwise jaunty press release.

Zillow scours listings to find phrases and concepts. Sharp increases in references to specific features and themes, according to the company, reveal what’s top of mind for sellers and buyers. 

“Bold Design Is Back”

Notably, Zillow Group, Inc. owns the most visited real estate website and mobile app in the United States, according to the company’s press release. So, what are people reading and how are they marketing homes on these outlets today?

Zillow® listings are becoming populated with splashy hues, and the company sees “bold” taking over where “understated” once prevailed. Buyers are leaning into deep, vibrant, nature-inspired hues.

 Amanda Pendleton, home trends expert for Zillow, says the message is undeniable. “Listing descriptions are short, so every word counts” when listings need to catch buyers’ attention.

The term “color drenching” has spiked in Zillow® listings. This is the use of a particular paint tone for walls, ceilings, and trim. The tone is sometimes repeated on furnishings, and even the flooring. The company calls the look “immersive, dramatic and cohesive.”

This trend is borne out in current paint picks. More people are shifting out of the classic “neutrals” and into “vibrant statement shades that transform entire rooms into mood-driven escapes,” says Zillow.

And Color Choice Matters…

According to the results of a Zillow survey done earlier this year, home buyers’ offers can be more than $2,500 higher when the homes have “the right interior paint colors.” The Zillow press release doesn’t link to the data it reports — but it does link to its color survey.

White walls are out, says Zillow. In with bold hues found in nature: vibrant greens, deep blues. Zillow quotes Christie Cannon, an agent affiliated with Keller Williams in Frisco, Texas: “We’ve seen a clear shift toward nature-inspired tones.”

Zillow tags its seal of approval on olive green. An olive-toned kitchen is a buyer magnet, says the firm. “A kitchen with cabinets in this shade could increase a home’s sale price by about $1,600.” ​Navy blue bedrooms draw praise as well. Zillow says the choice could result in offers more than $1,800 higher than they’d otherwise be.

One thing is clear, year after year. A freshly painted interior impresses home buyers. Repainting the walls, the doors, the ceiling, and trim is one (relatively quick and inexpensive) way to make a home look renewed, clean, and cared-for. And this does help to energize a home’s resale success.

“Artisan, Vintage and Whimsical Styles”

The new emphasis on reading nooks is a giveaway. So is the rise of the “spa-inspired bathroom.” People are looking to their homes for a sense of peace and comfort.

The newer Zillow listings increasingly talk about  artisan features such as hand-crafted tile flooring.

Other phrases on the rise are: “vintage accents” (up by 17%) and “touch of whimsy” (up 15%). Custom touches are overtaking builders’ designs.  

The rising interest in artisan features hints at the idea of home as having personality, rather than a mass-produced look. It certainly meshes with the reading nook trend: a special spot under the stairway, little libraries surrounded by windows or set aside in a larger room…

Wellness-Focused Home Upgrades

Cravings for relaxation at home are also reflected in the many mentions of sporty areas inside and around the homes: indoor golf simulators, outdoor pickleball courts. Clearly, play and self-care is “in.”

Words describing wellness features are up by a third, says Zillow.

Man caves are not much of a thing these days. But rec rooms? They’re big.

Looking to play a little baseball, golf, or maybe some pickleball after work? You’re being seen. Batting cages show up in 18% more listings now than in last year’s trend report. The appearance of the phrase “golf simulator” has risen by 25%. Same for mentions of pickleball courts.

Whatever happened to tennis? Anyone seen a dart board lately?

And the other things we’re not hearing about for 2026 include mentions of juice stations (seems they were a thing last year); and marble sinks (sorry, White House; you’re passé).

Buyers are taking a more “functional” turn, says Zillow. They are looking for a balance of beauty and what best supports everyday life. And speaking of functional, perhaps the ultimate example is…

The Rise of the “Disaster-Ready Home”

Protection from flood damage and wildfires feature heavily in the listing language as we approach 2026, says the real estate sales firm. 

The company puts the point bluntly. Buyers are looking for homes “built with natural disasters in mind.”

Listings now increasingly name:

• Whole-home battery power (up 40%).

• Flood protection (up by 64%).

• Land elevation in relation to stormwater flow (up by 26%).

• Fire protection, such as protective spacing in landscaping (up 36%).

Sustainability is no longer just a trend. It’s now infusing the questions coming from savvy home buyers.

If you’re looking to buy in wildfire country, be sure to learn about home hardening — steps that will need to be taken to protect your (and your neighbors’) property.

Sustainability: “It’s a Selling Point”

According to the data, a new generation of buyers wants what Zillow calls “resilient” homes, “smarter and safer” homes. The vocabulary of “sustainable” and “green” living is showing up in the new listings 21% more.

Zillow listings are being populated with terms like:

• “Zero-energy-ready” (up by a whopping 70%).

• “EV charging” (up by 25%).

Zillow says the coming year will be marked by home buyers actively seeking out budget-friendly, environmentally aware features. The firm also sees a tendency to want to “future-proof” their homes. This, too is among what Zillow calls the design trends poised to define home seeking in 2026.

Our Takeaway

The real estate industry will not be capable of sparing us from the effects of an increasingly unstable climate. As we now know, even the climate havens have to get used to tornadoes and floods.

But at least we know the industry is aware of people’s concerns. Zillow, at least, is articulating some of these concerns.

At the same time, given the Zillow data and how it’s reported, we’re seeing a strain of escapism from the things that cause us anxiety. Certainly there’s a clear desire to live in homes that provide sources of comfort and places to play.