Double Kitchen Islands
Trends like hybrid work definitely are influencing home layouts. We’re seeing more and more rooms do double-duty. In the kitchen, that means a shift toward two-island designs, as seen here in this L.A. kitchen designed by Jeremiah Brent. They create separate areas for food prep, dining, and remote work.
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Sculleries and Dirty Kitchens
More home buyers are requesting hidden doors, integrated pantries, and tucked-away workspaces to reduce visual clutter. Sculleries like this one from a Memphis kitchen designed by Lindsey Black are popular, functional, and stylish.
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Keeping Rooms
A cozy sitting area near the kitchen, a keeping room like this one designed by Emilie Munroe is in demand thanks to social media. Kelly Ladwig, a global real estate adviser at Zeitlin Sotheby’s International Realty in Nashville, says they’re one of a handful of features that Instagram has popularized. Where they might not have known to ask for one before, “now my clients might want a walk-in scullery, a breakfast nook, or a keeping room,” she says.
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Beverage Centers
Dedicated beverage centers elevate entertaining at home. Options include mixology lounges, coffee bars, and personalized wine cellars, like this one from Peach and Pine designers Chandler and Jeremy Quarles’ Tennessee home. Climate-controlled storage is a must-haves for luxury homeowners who love to host.
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Golf Simulators
Game Rooms
Millennials with growing families need more square footage for their kids to hang out with friends. Movie rooms, swimming pools, and increasingly game rooms, like this one in a North Carolina home designed by Charlotte Lucas, can make the house a place for pals young and old to congregate.
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Spa-Like Bathrooms
High-end bathrooms now rival five-star resorts with heated floors, steam showers, soaking tubs, aromatherapy systems, and ultra-high-end materials for the ultimate relaxation experience. The ultimate luxury just might be his-and-hers bathrooms, like this one in a Beverly Hills home designed by Jaqui Seerman. The shower seen here—on the “hers” side— is outfitted in pink quartz, which is said to have natural healing and calming properties.
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Infrared Saunas
With a heightened focus on holistic well-being, luxury homes now feature specific wellness features. Infrared saunas, meditation rooms, human-centric lighting, and biophilic design elements create a sanctuary. This sauna-equipped oasis is the “his” side of the primary bathroom in the Jaqui Seerman–designed home above.
Related Story: The Best Outdoor Saunas for Your Backyard
Glass Walls and Retractable Doors
Expansive glass walls and retractable doors, as seen in this Sonoma home by Lauren Nelson, blur the lines between indoors and out as the expansion of living spaces into nature remains a priority.
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Outdoor Kitchens
Designers are increasingly incorporating outdoor kitchens, dining rooms, and living areas to promote social engagement and a connection to nature. Weather-resistant entertainment areas, like this outdoor kitchen designed by Lindye Galloway, allow for year-round alfresco experiences.
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Pickleball Courts
Edible Gardens
This generation of home buyers wants to be more self-sufficient, and that includes planting a garden—or, even better, inheriting one that’s established and ripe for the picking. The greenhouse in this Nashville home by architect Erin Cypress of architecture firm Pfeffer Torode and designer Liz Bonesio makes farm-to-table dining easy.
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Automated Smart Home Systems
The fusion of luxury and technology is more prominent than ever. One major concern for Gen-X buyers is nabbing the smartest home they can find. “The more automated it is, the more it can do for you, the better,” says Dennis McCormack, broker and managing partner of Prominent Properties Sotheby’s International Realty, in the report. Integrated smart home systems allow homeowners to control lighting, climate, security, and entertainment with voice commands or mobile apps, ensuring seamless convenience.
Solar Panels
Hybrid homes—meaning those that have sustainable design features like solar panels, rainfall-harvesting systems, and green roofs—are increasingly common. This New Jersey townhouse by designer Elaine Santos and Mowery Marsh Architects has solar panels and other features that make it a Passive House. According to Sotheby’s International Realty agents, eco-friendly design features help lower utility costs over time and add value.
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