Create Stylish, Functional, and Long-Lasting Spaces
If you are considering a home remodel this year, taking time to explore emerging design trends can be an invaluable first step in the planning process. As we look ahead to 2026, homeowners are becoming more intentional about creating spaces that not only feel current but will continue to look and function beautifully for years to come. Rather than chasing short-lived fads, many are focused on futureproofing their homes by identifying trends with real staying power.
Kitchens and bathrooms remain among the most frequently remodeled and impactful spaces in any home. These rooms play a key role in daily routines, entertaining, and overall home value, making thoughtful design decisions especially important. From evolving layouts and material choices to smarter storage solutions and refined aesthetics, the right approach can elevate both form and function.
In this blog, McDaniels Kitchen and Bath will explore key design shifts shaping 2026 home design trends, highlight some of the most influential ideas gaining momentum, and share guidance on balancing personal style with long-term appeal. With smart planning and expert insight, your remodel can feel fresh today while standing the test of time.
Why Design Trends Matter
While you should not base your new design solely on the latest trends, it helps to examine the direction of design trends when planning your remodel. Design trends are more than just pure aesthetics, like color schemes and cabinet door styles. They reflect cultural shifts and practical behaviors like remote work, wellness, family life, and sustainability. Design trends also influence your chosen materials, layouts, and functionality, and therefore impact project timelines and costs. Understanding trends and how you want to include them in your home remodel helps with forward planning for timelines and budget decisions.
Trends give an indication of shifts in materials, technology, and lifestyle priorities and help you decide how to best meet these needs in your design. They also let you benefit from the latest advancements in design techniques that help you get the most out of your home-living spaces. Taking a smart approach to incorporating trends also helps improve your home’s market appeal in case you decide to sell it in the future.
Macro Level Design Shifts in 2026
When examining trends to help with planning your remodel, it helps to first look at macro-level shifts in home design. This lets you examine how high-level trend shifts influence your home’s style and functionality, and how these trends help you get the most out of your remodeling investment. Some of the top-level design trends that are shaping this year’s remodeling projects include:
- Moving from flashy to functional luxury by pursuing elevated yet purposeful design over mere ornamentation.
- Choosing well-being as an anchor by creating spaces that support comfort, health, and daily rituals.
- Opting for sustainability and biophilic design principles with natural materials and indoor-outdoor continuity.
- Going for layered design thinking to create depth in your designs, such as with texture and lighting.
Top 2026 Design Trends for Kitchens and Bathrooms
Kitchens and bathrooms are some of the most remodeled spaces and lead the way in setting the tone for home design trends. Let’s explore the top 2026 trends for kitchen remodeling and bathroom renovations to inspire your design plans!
Nature-Inspired Styles and Materials
There is a definite move toward nature-inspired designs that fit the biophilic design trend. This sees a blending of indoor and outdoor styles and spaces, with elements of nature incorporated into interior design. The result is spaces that are grounded in nature, connected to the outdoors, and in some cases, offer fluid movement between indoor and outdoor spaces.
Go for wood grains, matte stone, and organic curves to bring natural materials into your kitchens and bathrooms. Large windows and glass doors let in natural light and allow you to feel connected to the outdoors while enjoying indoor spaces. Include nature-inspired patterns and colors, indoor plants, and accessories in natural materials to complete your room. The benefits of this design approach include creating grounded, calming, and adaptable spaces.
Warmer Color Palettes
Stark whites and cool grays are being replaced with warm neutrals, clay tones, mushroom, beiges and greiges, soft greens, and muted blues. You can integrate these colors into cabinets, accent walls, tile, grout, and hardware finishes. Warm palettes fit the movement toward welcoming spaces and natural influences and are sure to be in style for the duration of your remodeled space.
Function-First Luxury
For both kitchen and bathroom designs, choose luxury features that are both functional and stylish, rather than prioritizing aesthetics over usefulness. For example, smart storage, durable surfaces, and ergonomic layouts are all ideal options that enhance your room’s style but also improve the layout and functionality of your space. Storage features, such as built-in organizers, appliance garages, and multi-use islands, help you maintain a clutter-free kitchen design, which lets your room’s beauty take center stage. Similarly, in a bathroom design, customized vanity storage, shower niches, and cubbies with shelves make your bathroom more efficient, safer, and easier to maintain, all while showcasing your bathroom’s style.
Personalized Design Details
Custom touches make your space feel like home rather than a cookie-cutter style, and we see this becoming a higher priority for homeowners this year. Go for bespoke cabinetry, carefully selected materials, and meaningful accents that bring out your personal style. You could also choose a color scheme that fits your style and gives your space personality. However, avoid going for anything too trendy that you may outgrow in a few years, or stick to easily changed accessories for these bold colors. Balance personalization with selections that will work for potential resale value, depending on how long you plan to remain in your home.
Flexible and Functional First Floor Layouts
There is a shift this year from fully open plan first floors to zoned layouts that give you customized spaces for all your needs. This could include zones for food preparation, baking, eating, homeworking or studying, and cozy corners for reading and relaxing. The benefit of a zoned approach is a better flow of traffic, improved acoustics, and distinct functionality for everything you need.
Layered Textures and Finishes
Mixed finishes and layered textures are becoming more popular in home design this year, as they add depth and personality to your design. Mixing metallic finishes in an intentional way adds a layered, custom feel to your design. Layering textures gives your space a balanced feel, for example, combining smooth surfaces with textured tile or natural wood.
Intelligent Lighting Designs
Lighting impacts your room’s functionality and the mood of your space. Go for an intelligent, layered lighting design that includes a combination of ambient, task, and accent lighting. Include smart lighting controls that adapt to your changing needs throughout the day, in different seasons, and for various occasions. Consider your lighting plan vis-à-vis key design features, since lighting impacts how your colors and materials appear, and can be used to highlight elements of your design with accent lighting.
Wellness-Driven Spaces
There is an increased focus on wellbeing and incorporating wellness into everyday life, and we see this reflected in home design trends. There are many ways to achieve this throughout your home, particularly in key spaces like kitchens and bathrooms. Design elements within your home that support wellness goals include a spa-inspired bathroom, a kitchen design grounded in nature, the use of non-toxic and sustainable materials, improved air quality, and cozy spaces designed for relaxation.
Designing Spaces for Longevity
A remodel is an investment in your home and lifestyle, so you should carefully consider your design options and make smart, sustainable choices that won’t look dated in a few years. Trends offer inspiration and direction for your design, but you must decide which trends you should skip and which ones are worth committing to now.
Trends Worth Embracing
Some of this year’s design trends that you can’t go wrong with include:
- Warmer neutrals over trendy colors,
- Natural materials and sustainable finishes,
- Functional luxury and customized storage solutions, and
- Zoned kitchen layouts that support everyday life.
Trends to Approach with Caution
Trends you may be better off avoiding to ensure your home’s remodeled space has staying power include:
- Ultra thematic styles that may date quickly, for example, overly bold wallpaper or overly specific color combos that you may outgrow in a few years,
- Highly minimalist designs that lack warmth and personality, and
- Trendy technology that may lack long-term support.
How to Choose What’s Right
When finalizing your design, you must choose what works for you and what does not. Ask yourself if you will still love this design choice in 10 years. Prioritize your everyday comfort, utility, and adaptability to meet your needs over the lifespan of the remodel. You could also look at designs that help your home’s resale value, though this latter point may vary depending on whether you plan to sell your home.
Start Creating Your Ideal Home Designs!
Examine the latest design trends to get inspiration for your home design by looking at the top developments in materials, design techniques, and technological advancements. Balance these trends with thoughtful planning and consideration of which trends you will still love for years to come, to make sure you get the most out of your remodeling investment.
It helps to work with an experienced local design team that understands regional trends, home styles, and real estate markets. Contact McDaniels Kitchen and Bath’s experienced design team to review your goals and find the perfect design, materials, and fixtures to fit your needs. We will help you create kitchen and bathroom designs, and more, to enhance your home and daily life!