From Design to Staging: Recapping 2025 Home Trends and What’s Ahead

Trends constantly cycle in and out of style, making it hard to predict which are going to end up sticking and live to see another year. While they reflect the popular opinion of the public, they can be subjective to the individual that wants to participate. Have you ever heard the terms, millennial grey, minimalist chic, or cottagecore? These are design trends that have become popular to varying opinions of public discourse.

First minimalism was in and then maximalism took over, replacing and then recycling what we liked to see. However, how you adopt these design techniques depends on a variety of factors, especially if you are listing your home for sale and attempting to get buyers interested. In addition, many sellers may not have their home designed in the most updated style when it's time to sell, and so slight adjustments and updates can go a long way. Taking baby steps into certain design choices allows you to test a trend without fully committing, helping you maintain marketability while still refreshing your space.

Your home's design can sizably affect you when it comes time to sell your house. Staging often involves making sure that your home appears attractive for those that are coming through and touring. For example this can look like cleaning up any unnecessary clutter or trying out different positioning for furniture that can open up the space. In addition, your real estate agent may make suggestions for small items to change to get it ready to sell. It can be important to listen to this advice as they have insight into this process and are there to ultimately aid in selling your property.

Resale of your home most of the time needs to appeal to the masses to bring in buyers. People touring your property have to be able to imagine themselves living there, and an outdated or overly eccentric style can end up turning others away from making an offer. It is important to tone down a bold personal style as well as to be informed on the current design trends in order to make the property as appealing as possible. You shouldn’t have to change everything about your home and spend hundreds on updates, but little things can be done to accommodate others and increase the marketability of your home. 

2025 has seen its fair share of social media fads giving us an inside scoop into the homes of influencers and everyday people, with elements such as antique gallery walls and brick backsplashes. While minimalism is on its way out, the idea of “warm minimalism” has made waves, and although simplicity remains, it focuses on making the space inviting and bringing in another favorite of 2025, which is darker woods.

Wood accents along the home, whether that be counter spaces or flooring can be further emphasized through accent pieces with unconventional metals or fabrics. When staging a home, highlighting these warm, natural elements can help create a welcoming and lived-in atmosphere.

The year also pushed forward a certain level of color coordination with something called “color drenching” which unifies color in certain areas in the home to make them become a statement of their own. Spaces that flow visually from room to room and feel intentionally connected allow buyers to better imagine the home’s full potential.

Design predictions for 2026 build upon much of the same from 2025, including the importance of woods and color coordination throughout the home. Increasingly, there has been a rise in the importance of sustainability when it comes to the climate and repurposing furniture so that it doesn’t end up in a landfill.

Sustainability can be seen through antique pieces incorporated throughout the home, which is also building upon the budding trend of making common areas cozier. Staging your home as a step along the selling process is all about trying to make someone else see the beauty you find in your space. Effective staging is about helping others see the beauty you already recognize in your home highlighting its strengths while making updates that align with today’s design climate. 

Urban District Realty, LLC, a full service real estate and brokerage firm is here to help with all of your home buying needs. For reliable services to guide you through a sometimes stressful process feel free to reach out to us at (202-569-2902) for a free consultation!