Quiet luxury first went viral in late 2023, but its understated ethos remains popular with wealthy customers preparing for a simpler, more peaceful lifestyle in 2026.
And now many over-the-top finishes and grandiose spaces are taking a back seat to natural materials, slightly smaller spaces and a focus on outdoor spaces, luxury reports reveal.
While a full renovation is often not advisable for clients listing their homes for sale, there are many simple upgrades and design choices that agents can use to help their clients prepare a home to look its best before it is listed.
What design ideas should luxury customers focus on in the new year? View the trends below.
Control
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It can be a challenge in some cases, but real estate professionals should work in their advisory roles to help clients who have a penchant for all things big and bold, agents say.
Latham Jenkins
“Heading to 2026, the design trend I see accelerating the most is restraint,” Jackson Hole-based associate broker Latham Jenkins told Inman in an email. “Buyers respond to homes that feel quieter, warmer and more conscious, rather than to spaces that try too hard to make a statement.”
Likewise, home interiors that are overly styled for platforms like Instagram have largely fallen out of favor with buyers, who prefer something that feels more lived-in.
“Buyers today are design literate,” Jenkins added. “They can immediately notice something that doesn’t feel authentic, and those houses tend to stick around.”
For similar reasons, buyers are also drawn to colors that evoke a “farmers’ market palette,” such as butter yellow, tomato red and dill green, The Agency reports annually. Red paper noted, which also hark back to retro tones from a simpler time. The recent move toward homestead-inspired living has also infused home design with a rustic flair, channeled through things like handmade ceramics, heritage patterns and objects that look like they are one-of-a-kind, the brokerage report said.
Imitating nature
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Buyers continue to gravitate toward designs that embody a “quiet luxury” ethos by focusing on natural materials and other designs that mimic nature, agents and trend reports say.
DJ Soucy of The DJ Soucy Group at Compass noted that more minimalist designs and earth tones are trending for many of his luxury buyers.
Likewise, Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate’s 2026 Trend Report noted that large windows that invite natural light and outdoor views, as well as neutral tones and expert craftsmanship, are really resonating with homebuyers today.
Jenkins said the move also appears to be based on a push for authenticity.
“What performs better is authenticity,” Jenkins said. “Natural materials, honest finishes, regional character and homes that feel specific to their place rather than copied and pasted from a trend cycle.”
Nature themes are also increasingly reflected in animal prints for home fabrics on pillows, accent furniture, rugs and more, according to The Agency’s Red Paper. Combined with neutral tones and natural textures, these prints add personality to a home while remaining grounded.
Importance of outdoor spaces
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Luxury buyers are increasingly prioritizing quality of life and a lifestyle that includes access to the outdoors, agents report. They sometimes even do this at the expense of the square meters inside, as shown in the Engel & Völkers Private Office Market Report 2026.
Stuart Siegel
“Interestingly, luxury real estate buyers are increasingly willing to trade down property size to achieve more lifestyle-oriented goals,” said Stuart Siegel, Global Head of Engel & Völkers Private Office, in the company’s private office report. “This shift comes with a highly experiential mindset that prioritizes privacy, exclusive locations, as well as access to recreation and proximity to nature.”
‘Access to the outdoors’, ‘proximity’ and ‘climate’ were all lifestyle enhancement themes that global advisors at Engel & Völkers say are motivating affluent buyers today.
Agents also told Inman that intentional outdoor spaces and indoor-outdoor living have become essential for most luxury buyers.
“Natural light and an indoor-outdoor flow are no longer just nice to have,” says Jenkins. “Buyers expect outdoor spaces to feel like a true extension of the home, not an afterthought.”
Soucy, based in St. Petersburg, Florida, told Inman that for homes in the Sunshine State, access to the outdoors is tremendous.
“The indoor-outdoor living is integrated so it fits seamlessly,” he explained. “So the outdoor kitchen is right next to the kitchen. It is convenient and uses electricity [of the home].”
Staging and lighting
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Some luxury clients may feel that their home speaks for itself and that no staging is needed once they have already left the property. But this is a flawed way of thinking, Soucy argued, that deprives homebuyers of the opportunity to see a space’s potential.
If physical staging isn’t an option, there are many good virtual staging options today that can make a big difference for potential buyers, Soucy said, especially if there is a bonus room in the house that can serve multiple purposes.
DJ Soucy
“If it’s a property that’s been left to the family and they don’t want to spend the money or the family members can’t come to an agreement, then we do virtual staging, and virtual staging is incredibly helpful and helpful, even for homes that are already perfect,” Soucy said.
It can be challenging for some homebuyers to imagine all the possibilities available in a space, he added, and many don’t always take the time to read the full listing description.
“People shop with their eyes,” says Soucy. “So if I have an empty room, instead of just including it in the description, I have it virtual staged as a reading room, library or study or as a mixed-use room, part home office and part guest room. Utility rooms are my favorite rooms to do this and show people the possibilities.”
Lighting is also extremely important in homes of all sizes, Soucy points out.
“Enlightenment is everything,” he said. “I don’t care what the price of your house is. I tell all my sellers, ‘When you go to the market, you’re preparing your child for their first date. You want them to look their best.’ So you don’t want the light intensities to be different,” he told Inman, noting that sellers need to be sure that all lights in one room have the same lumen intensity.
Sellers should also ensure that no lights are turned off so that there is no doubt about the functionality of lighting fixtures.
“You only get one chance to make a big splash in the pool,” Soucy added.
Ultimately, though, agents should focus on curating thoughtful advice to each specific customer to create a more seamless transaction, Latham said.
“By 2026, the best agents will no longer be selling design trends,” he said. “They help customers make informed, thoughtful decisions that remove friction and allow buyers to emotionally move the moment they walk through the door.”
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