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According to research by AARP, about 75% of those 50 and older want to stay in their current home or community. (Credit: AARP)
Concrete floors, anyone?
Zillow recently unveiled its latest predictions for the features and design elements poised to transform homes and dominate social media feeds in 2024.
Zillow looked at nearly 300 home features and design styles mentioned in for-sale listing descriptions and then identified the keywords showing up more frequently than a year ago.
"When certain keywords appear in a rising share of listings, it's a signal that today's home buyers may be gravitating toward those features," said Amanda Pendleton, Zillow's home trends expert. "Real estate agents are uniquely attuned to subtle changes in what buyers want, and they often get a first look at the latest and greatest features going into newly built homes. Savvy listing agents will highlight those trending, in-demand features when marketing a home for sale."
Murals and brutalist architecture will be popular design trends in 2024, according to a recent study by Zillow. (Credit: KatarzynaBialasiewicz / iStock / Getty Images, Marly Beyer, Tarryen Van Slyke)
Here are six home trends Zillow found that are likely to make waves in the new year, and three trends that are heading out of style.
Top home trends in 2024
Brutalism
File: Brutalist design (Credit: KatarzynaBialasiewicz / iStock / Getty Images Plus)
This trend is characterized by raw, exposed materials, and is a mid-20th-century design style that is primed to continue its controversial comeback in 2024. Zillow said it has seen a 452% increase in the share of for-sale listings mentioning brutalist design.
Brutalist-inspired features include blackened steel casement windows, raw concrete floors and jagged patinated bronze light fixtures. This style appeals to minimalists or creative homeowners who want to furnish their home according to their personal style.
Sensory gardens or pathways
File: Sensory garden design (Credit: Education Images/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)
According to Zillow, sensory gardens have also been surging in popularity, with homeowners and home buyers prioritizing functional and beautiful outdoor spaces. Listings mentioning sensory gardens or pathways were up 314% compared to last year.
Sensory gardens incorporate a variety of plants, textures, colors, scents, sounds and edible elements, such as herbs or produce.
Cold plunge pools
File: Cold plunge pool is seen at Harbin Hot Springs near Middletown, Calif. Thursday, Jan. 17, 2019. (Credit: Jessica Christian/San Francisco Chronicle via Getty Images)
Move over, hot tubs.
Cold plunge pools may be the hottest wellness trend of 2024, touted by influencers as a way to improve circulation and reduce inflammation. The share of listings on Zillow that featured an at-home cold plunge pool was up 130% compared to last year.
Pickleball courts
File: Pickleball court in Bethesda, Maryland. (Credit: Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)
This paddle sport is becoming a sought-after amenity in backyards and neighborhoods, according to Zillow. The company found that Zillow’s brand StreetEasy saw a 100% increase in the share of New York City for-sale listings that highlighted a home’s proximity to pickleball courts. Nationwide, pickleball mentions were also up 64% on Zillow compared to last year.
"Pickleball courts have become a great selling feature because they appeal to athletes of all ages," said Joy Kim Metalios, a Zillow Premier agent partner in Connecticut. "I've seen homeowners converting their driveways into courts by using portable nets."
Murano glass chandeliers
File: A Murano glass chandelier in Palm Springs, California. (Credit: Gina Ferazzi/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)
According to Zillow, these handcrafted pieces of art from the island of Murano in Italy are reemerging as a designer favorite.
These intricate, quirky and often colorful fixtures are now being featured 58% more often in listings on Zillow.
Murals
Mural painted by Marly Beyer inside home in Los Angeles, California. (Credit: Tarreyn Van Slyke, Marly Beyer)
Statement-making murals are showing up 18% more often in for-sale homes on Zillow, the company reported.
Murals are also becoming more accessible, with wallpaper murals readily available and depicting all types of scenes, from large-scale landscapes to modern botanicals.
Home trends that are heading out in 2024
Shou sugi ban
File: Shou Sugi Ban wood siding on a home in Houston, Texas. (Credit: Karen Warren / Houston Chronicle ) (Photo by Karen Warren/Houston Chronicle via Getty Images)
Shou sugi ban is a traditional Japanese wood preservation technique that involves charring the wood's surface to create a blackened, weathered finish. This type of burnt-wood cladding became a mainstay of modern farmhouse design.
But like shiplap, barn doors and other farmhouse fads, shou sugi ban planks appear to be heading out too. Zillow data showed that there were 69% fewer for-sale listings featuring this design element on Zillow compared to last year.
The 'cloffice'
File: DIY 'cloffice' in Los Angeles, California (Credit: Bethany Mollenkof/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)
This office space created out of a closet was a trend that grew out of the COVID-19 pandemic, but may no longer be as popular.
Combined with the return-to-office movement, the cloffice was appearing in 54% fewer Zillow listings. Zoom rooms were also down by 41%, and office sheds were highlighted 31% less frequently in listing descriptions.
Tuscan kitchen
File: Tuscan kitchen (Credit: tiero / iStock / Getty Images Plus)
Now that homeowners can set off on global adventures again, they may no longer be seeking Mediterranean villa vibes at home.
The data showed that mentions of Tuscan kitchens were down 45% from a year ago, while all things Parisian were also down 26%.
This story was reported from Los Angeles.