Architect’s Guide: Home Design Trends in 2025

Ema is a trained architect, writer and photographer who works as a Junior Architect at REX in NYC. Inspired by her global experiences, she shares captivating insights into the world’s most extraordinary cities and buildings and provides travel tips on her blog, The Travel Album.

Picture this: It’s a crisp January morning in 2025, and the sunlight filters into your home through large, open windows. The room feels alive — not in the chaotic, cluttered way of a busy home, but in the way that warmth emanates from every surface. Your hand brushes against a soft, textured wall as you reach for a cup of coffee. The silver accents of your kitchen fixtures catch the light, glinting against the earthy brick backsplash. This isn’t just a home; it’s a sanctuary — a reflection of who you are and how you live.

This vision is at the heart of the 2025 design trends that are quietly reshaping the spaces we inhabit. For years, homes have been ruled by a stark, almost clinical minimalism — walls so white they felt like blank canvases waiting for someone to finally make them come alive. But now, there’s a shift. The sterile is being replaced by the soulful.

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What’s In for Interiors

1. Warm Minimalism: The Evolving Simplicity of Home Design

Minimalism, once synonymous with stark, all-white spaces, is evolving into something more human and inviting. Enter Like maybe”warm minimalism,” a design philosophy that retains the clarity of minimalism but infuses it with warmth through organic textures, earthy tones and subtle contrasts. This evolution isn’t about abandoning minimalism altogether, it’s about making it human.

“Warm minimalism,” as it’s being called, is about creating spaces that feel alive and lived-in without the chaos. It’s the feeling of a linen throw over a streamlined sofa or a kitchen backsplash made from thin, handcrafted bricks that subtly hint at the material’s origins. Warm minimalism is all about contrasts: sleek design paired with organic textures, neutral colors deepened with earthy undertones, and spaces that balance order with soul.

The Feeling of Warmth
Imagine stepping into a living room where the walls are softly textured with grasscloth wallpaper, casting gentle shadows in the late afternoon light. The furniture is minimalist in form but upholstered in warm, tactile fabrics like linen or boucle. A thin brick backsplash in the kitchen adds a rustic yet refined quality, grounding the space. Warm minimalism feels alive. It’s about combining simplicity with comfort, creating spaces that are uncluttered yet deeply personal.

Architectural Applications

• Textured Walls: Grasscloth, embossed wallpaper or even exposed brick add depth and softness.
• Natural Finishes: Wood grain flooring, unfinished stone surfaces and lightly polished concrete contribute to a warm, tactile environment.
• Layered Lighting: Instead of relying on harsh overhead lights, warm minimalism incorporates a mix of floor lamps, sconces and indirect lighting to create an ambient glow.

Why It Resonates
As our homes become extensions of our personalities, warm minimalism offers a way to embrace calm without sacrificing character. It’s a response to the sterile environments of the past, blending simplicity with a sense of belonging.

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2. Quiet Luxury: Subtle Sophistication for Everyday Living

In another corner of the design world, a subtler movement is taking shape. It’s not flashy, and it doesn’t shout for attention. Quiet luxury is more about the story your home tells, layer by layer, than about ostentation. Imagine walking into a room and feeling its quality, rather than being told about it. A solid wooden dining table polished to show the natural grain. A brick fireplace that grounds the space with its timeless texture. These aren’t elements chosen for their trendiness; they’re selected for their ability to endure, to age gracefully, to feel both modern and eternal. Brick, in particular, is having a renaissance in quiet luxury design. It offers richness without overwhelming a room, acting as both an anchor and an accent. Materials like these — brick, stone, reclaimed wood — create spaces that feel calm and intentional, as if they’ve always been part of the home.

In a world dominated by fast trends and fleeting aesthetics, quiet luxury offers a refuge. This design trend isn’t about ostentation; it’s about quality, craftsmanship and timeless beauty. Quiet luxury doesn’t shout; it whispers elegance.

The Essence of Quiet Luxury
Picture a dining room where a sleek wooden table takes center stage, its surface glowing with the natural grain of the wood. Around it, mid-century modern chairs upholstered in muted, neutral tones provide understated sophistication. A single, large-format piece of art hangs on the wall, adding a focal point without overwhelming the space. The appeal lies in restraint. Each element in the room feels purposeful, selected for its beauty and durability rather than its trendiness.

Materials That Speak

• Brick: Whether exposed or painted, brick adds a rich, earthy texture that complements a variety of styles. In quiet luxury interiors, brick might appear as an accent wall or even as part of a fireplace.
• Natural Stone: Marble and limestone lend timeless sophistication, particularly in kitchens and bathrooms.
• Soft Neutrals: Muted tones like sand, taupe, and stone gray provide a neutral canvas that highlights the quality of materials and craftsmanship.

The Longevity of Quiet Luxury
Unlike fads that fade, quiet luxury is built to last. It aligns with a growing desire for interiors that are not just beautiful but meaningful — a reflection of personal values and a sanctuary from the chaos of the outside world.

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3. Living with Nature

The connection to nature will be stronger than ever in 2025. Perhaps it’s a reaction to the increasing digitalization of our lives or maybe it’s simply a return to something fundamental: the feeling of being grounded. Biophilic design is about more than just plants. It’s about designing homes that breathe, that feel alive in the way they interact with their surroundings. Picture sunlight pouring through oversized windows, warming floors made of natural bamboo.

Imagine a vertical garden climbing a wall in your living room, its greenery softening the edges of modern furniture. This connection to nature isn’t just aesthetic; it’s practical. Materials like wood, stone and brick are being chosen not only for their beauty but for their sustainability. Homeowners are looking for choices that are kind to the environment, favoring durability and renewability over the disposable trends of years past.

The need to reconnect with nature has never been more urgent, and biophilic design offers a pathway to bring the outdoors inside. More than a trend, it’s a philosophy that centers on wellness, sustainability and a seamless relationship between architecture and the natural world.

The Science of Biophilia
Studies show that exposure to nature — even in small doses — can reduce stress, enhance creativity and improve overall well-being. Biophilic design applies this principle by integrating natural elements into the home, creating environments that promote health and tranquility.

How It Comes to Life

• Indoor-Outdoor Blends: Large windows, sliding glass doors and atriums dissolve the boundary between inside and out, filling spaces with natural light and views of greenery.
• Natural Materials: Bamboo flooring, wooden beams and stone accents provide tactile connections to nature. Brick, with its organic texture and earthy tones, is a standout choice for walls and flooring.
• Living Walls: Vertical gardens bring a literal breath of fresh air into interiors while acting as dynamic design features.

Sustainability Meets Aesthetics
The embrace of natural materials aligns with a broader focus on sustainability. Homeowners are seeking materials that not only look good but also have a minimal environmental footprint. Bamboo, reclaimed wood and sustainably sourced bricks offer beauty and durability while supporting eco-friendly practices.

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4. A Touch of Silver: Silver Accents

And then there’s silver. For years, brass and gold have dominated our homes, offering a sense of glamour. But silver is different. It’s quieter, subtler—less about the spotlight and more about the glow. Silver accents are finding their way into kitchens, bathrooms, and living spaces. Imagine a matte silver faucet in a kitchen where earthy brick tones dominate, or silver-framed mirrors reflecting the warmth of a softly lit bedroom. It’s an element that bridges the old and the new, a versatile accent that feels fresh without overshadowing the rest of the room.

After years of brass and gold dominating the design landscape, silver is making a quiet comeback in 2025. Unlike its warmer counterparts, silver offers a sleek, modern elegance that works across a wide range of styles, from traditional to ultra-modern.

The Versatility of Silver
Silver accents can be as bold or as subtle as desired. In a modern kitchen, matte silver cabinet hardware pairs seamlessly with marble countertops and wood cabinetry. In a living room, silver-framed mirrors reflect light and create a sense of openness.

Designing with Silver

• Pair silver accents with warm wood tones for a balanced, contemporary look.
• Use silver in lighting fixtures, faucets and even decorative objects like vases or candleholders.
• Combine with natural materials like stone and brick to soften the coolness of silver and create a harmonious palette.

Why It Works
Silver’s neutrality allows it to act as both a supporting player and a statement piece, adapting to the overall design of the space. Its timeless appeal ensures it will remain a fixture in homes long after the trend fades.

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What’s In for Exteriors

1. Earthy Tones

The shift toward earthy tones in home exteriors marks a significant departure from the dominance of white and cream hues. While neutrals like these remain timeless for their clean and versatile appeal, homeowners are gravitating toward palettes inspired by nature. Deeper grays, muted greens, warm browns and soft terracottas are taking center stage, bringing a sense of depth and grounding to exterior designs.

The Psychology Behind Earthy Tones
Earthy colors evoke a sense of well-being and tranquility, connecting a home to its natural surroundings. These tones mirror the colors of forests, deserts, and mountains, creating a visual dialogue between the structure and its environment. For homeowners, this translates to spaces that feel harmonious and inviting — designs that welcome both inhabitants and visitors alike.

Architectural Applications

• Stone and Brick Façades: Materials like slate-gray stone or brownish-red brick bring an inherent warmth and texture to façades, emphasizing the natural beauty of the raw materials.
• Painted Exteriors: Muted greens or terracotta tones on wooden or stucco walls add subtle sophistication and blend seamlessly with landscaping.
• Roofing and Accents: Deep gray or earthy-toned roofs create a cohesive aesthetic, while muted red window trims or natural wood door frames act as eye-catching accents.

Challenges and Considerations
Designing with earthy tones requires a nuanced understanding of their interaction with light and surroundings. In regions with intense sunlight, muted shades can look washed out, whereas darker tones can absorb too much heat. Architects must also consider the environmental context, ensuring that the color palette complements the local landscape.

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2. Mixed Textures: Layering Depth and Character

Texture is a powerful design tool that goes beyond visual aesthetics, offering tactile and structural qualities that enrich the experience of a building. For 2025, mixing materials on exteriors (and interiors) has become a defining trend, creating a layered, multidimensional look that’s as functional as it is beautiful.

Why Texture Matters
Textured exteriors add depth and interest, transforming flat, monotonous facades into dynamic compositions. By juxtaposing materials like brick, wood, metal, and glass, architects can highlight structural elements, create focal points and even improve energy efficiency.

Popular Material Pairings

• Brick and Glass: This combination offers a modern industrial look, with brick providing warmth and durability, while glass introduces transparency and lightness. A common application is a brick-clad home punctuated by large glass windows or curtain walls.
• Wood and Metal: The natural warmth of wood pairs beautifully with sleek, cool metals like steel or aluminum. This blend is often seen in rustic-modern designs, where wooden siding softens the industrial feel of metal accents.
• Concrete and Stone: These materials create a minimalist aesthetic with a touch of luxury, often used in contemporary designs that prioritize clean lines and natural textures.

Designing for Durability
Mixed-material exteriors aren’t just about aesthetics — they also improve structural performance. For example, combining brick with wood cladding allows architects to balance the thermal mass of brick with the insulating properties of wood. Similarly, incorporating glass into a façade can reduce energy costs by maximizing natural light.

Tips for Harmonious Integration

• Focus on a cohesive color palette to tie disparate materials together.
• Use textures strategically to highlight key architectural elements, like entryways or cantilevered sections.
• Consider the maintenance requirements of each material and how they age over time to ensure long-term appeal.

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3. Sustainable and Resilient Materials

At the heart of these trends is a deepening commitment to sustainability. Homeowners are no longer just asking, “What looks good?” They’re asking, “What lasts?” Brick, with its natural origins and timeless appeal, is a perfect example. Made from clay or shale, it’s durable, energy-efficient, and recyclable. Other materials, like bamboo and reclaimed wood, offer similar benefits, combining beauty with eco-consciousness. The result is homes that feel good to live in — and good to live with.

The Rise of Brick as a Sustainable Material
Brick, a time-tested building material, is experiencing a resurgence thanks to its sustainability credentials. Made from natural resources like clay or shale, brick is energy-efficient, long-lasting and recyclable. It requires minimal maintenance and offers excellent thermal performance, reducing heating and cooling costs.

• Recyclability and Longevity: Brick structures can last for centuries, and when demolished, bricks can often be reused or crushed for new applications.
• Energy Efficiency: Brick walls provide thermal mass, helping to regulate indoor temperatures and reduce energy consumption.

Other Sustainable Materials in Focus

• Reclaimed Wood: Salvaged from old buildings or barns, reclaimed wood reduces demand for new lumber while adding unique character to exteriors.
• Bamboo: A rapidly renewable resource, bamboo is being used for siding and decking in eco-conscious designs.
• Green Roofs: Vegetative roofs not only insulate buildings but also reduce urban heat islands and improve air quality.
• Metal Roofing: Durable and recyclable, metal roofs are a popular choice for homeowners seeking long-lasting, low-maintenance options.

Designing with Resilience
Sustainability in exterior design goes hand in hand with resilience. Homes must withstand climate change impacts such as extreme weather, temperature fluctuations and rising energy costs. Materials like brick, concrete and metal offer durability and protection against these challenges, ensuring homes remain functional and aesthetically pleasing for decades.

Challenges in Sustainability
While sustainable materials are increasingly accessible, architects must balance cost considerations with environmental benefits. Additionally, sourcing reclaimed or recycled materials may require more time and effort than traditional options, but the long-term benefits — both ecological and economic — are worth the investment.

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The Story Behind the Trends

These trends aren’t coming out of nowhere. They’re the result of a careful dance between data and intuition, between what people are asking for and what designers know they’ll need. Having had help from an expert in architectural materials at Glen-Gery, they have taken a particularly thoughtful approach to identifying these trends. Through surveys, direct engagement with architects and designers, and a deep dive into customer preferences, they’ve crafted a vision of 2025 that feels both grounded and aspirational. Their “2025 Brick Color of the Year,” a matte gray called Silver City, embodies the balance of elegance and versatility that defines this year’s design ethos. It’s a color that works with every palette, every texture, every space—exactly the kind of timeless choice that 2025 is all about.

As the new year unfolds, one thing is clear: 2025 isn’t just about how homes look. It’s about how they feel—how they make us feel. It’s about stepping into a room and feeling a sense of calm, knowing that every element has been chosen with care. It’s about walking up to a house and seeing not just a structure but a story. And it’s about creating spaces that honor the world around us while embracing the lives we live within them. This is the future of design—a future that feels like home.

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