Summer Spaces Are Getting 'Personal and Purposeful' for the Season With These Top Home Trends
Summer is the time for letting home inspiration soar. It's when colors get brighter, prints get more playful, and spaces ooze the season's light, airy feeling. With that, people tend to look beyond simple seasonal swaps and get creative with refreshing design choices in their yards and interiors.
If you're looking to change up your home for summer or are just curious about the trends gearing up to be big this season, a new report from Houzz reveals what homeowners are leaning into most ahead of time. Based on year-over-year search data, it found spaces embracing the personal and the purposeful are on the rise.
Now, as summer inches closer, these are the home trends about to front and center.
5 Home Design Trends for Summer 2026
Earthy Colors
When people picture summer, they tend to imagine vibrant colors everywhere. However, this summer is taking a different direction, with homeowners turning to warm, earthy colors instead. Rather than bold pops of color, grounded yet elevated shades are becoming go-tos-with searches for "rust colors" up 178 percent and olive green, sage and taupe all increasing, too.
Nostalgic Entertainment Spaces
This year, there's been a movement toward hands-on, screen-free activities and connection at home. Heading into summer, people are continuing to prioritize tangible ways of having fun in their spaces, with searches for "mahjong room" up a stunning near 2,000 percent, along with card rooms, puzzle rooms, board game rooms and more trending.
Related: Spaces Are Getting Smarter and More Stylish for Summer According to Yelp's 2026 Home Trends
Wellness Rooms
Homeowners are taking summer relaxation to another level by investing in spaces dedicated to wellness and self-care. Physical fitness and mental well-being are a focus as searches for "wellness room" have gone up 164 percent, and home gyms, yoga rooms and spas are all trending.
Small Outdoor Retreats
Homeowners are proving you don't need a spacious backyard to make the most of your space this summer because, according to Houzz, people are actively searching for ways to make their smallest outdoor living spaces shine. Everything from small backyards, patio gardens and courtyards has seen an uptick, showing that even the most compact areas are getting intentional upgrades for summer.
European-Inspired Outdoor Spaces
You don't need a vacation lined up to feel like you're in Europe this summer. According to Houzz, many are seeking inspiration from dreamy French and Italian courtyards as people look for ways to bring "a little European escape right at home."
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This story was originally published May 26, 2026 at 3:15 PM.