With a new year on the horizon, trends already are emerging that may define our homes throughout 2025.
Recently, real estate platform Zillow identified the hottest emerging fads and said they will blend cutting-edge technology with “nostalgic, old-world charm” to create comfortable, sustainable and climate-resilient homes.
Zillow based its list on an analysis of millions of for-sale listings posted in 2024.
The company looked for keywords associated with home features or design styles that showed up in listings in 2024 more frequently than they did in 2023, indicating that these features are now in higher demand.
Based on Zillow’s findings, here are the hottest home trends for 2025.
Electric features
Zillow notes that many people today want to live in homes that are sustainable and environmentally friendly, which makes electric features more popular.
Mentions of whole-home batteries in listings were up 62% in 2024 compared to 2023. These types of batteries hold excess energy from solar panels and serve as a generator in power outages and on cloudy days.
Other features that are appearing more frequently in listings are:
- EV chargers: 34%
- Solar panels: 18%
- Induction cooktops: 5%
‘Cozy’ vibes
The word “cozy” was mentioned in listings 35% more often in 2024 than it was in 2023. Zillow says some folks want smaller and cozier spaces because they are more affordable.
This runs counter to the trend prevalent during the COVID-19 pandemic, when people wanted more space. Today, “great rooms” are “out” and smaller dens and dining rooms are “in.”
Libraries and other nostalgia
Homeowners appear to be going “full granny,” Zillow says. Throwback features that are gaining in popularity include:
- Floral patterns
- Tapestries
- Antique furnishings
- Chintz
Bibliophilic decor and home libraries appeared 22% more often in listings in 2024 compared with the prior year. Mentions of “nostalgia” were up 14%, and “vintage” appeared 9% more often.
Climate resiliency
Recent and well-publicized hurricanes and other climate-related events have convinced sellers that they can gain an edge by promoting their home as resilient to such dangers.
And these sellers are probably correct, as recent Zillow research found that 86% of homebuyers want at least one climate-resilient feature in their home.
As a result, listings touted the following features more often in 2024 than the year before:
- Flood barriers: 22%
- Seismic retrofitting: 20%
- Water catchment systems: 19%
- Drought-resistant turf yards: 14%
Wet rooms
Wet rooms in homes mimic those found in luxury hotels. They combine a shower and bathtub in a waterproof space without a shower curb or enclosure.
References to wet rooms were up 19% in 2024.
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