Personality and purpose are the design priorities.
While affordability continues to be top of mind when it comes to home decorating and renovations, homeowners and renters are still getting creative and prioritizing comfort, charm, and individuality in their design choices.
Yelp just released its 2026 Summer and Outdoor Home Trends Report, which is based on nationwide searches and Request a Quote submissions on the platform. It breaks down the aesthetics, projects, and renovations that are growing in popularity among homeowners and renters.
From hobby spaces to grandmacore, here are the top trends currently shaping home design.
Midimalism
Playful meets practical with this home trend. A middle ground between maximalism and minimalism, this style balances character with quietness to make a space feel expressive, functional, and comfortable.
According to the report, project requests are surging for wallpapering (up 450 percent), custom upholstery (up 70 percent), and sofa upholstery (up 47 percent), as homeowners look to incorporate pattern, print, and joyful accents into their spaces without going overboard.
Whimsical stripes and florals add interest to walls and furniture, while those with a wilder side are incorporating animal prints—from leopard to tiger and zebra. Even patios and balconies are getting in on the action with eclectic planters and patterned cushions.
If you’re mixing patterns, stick to a cohesive color palette, recommends interior design expert Hema Persad, founder and principal designer of Sagrada Studio. “For example, tie a colorful wallpaper and a striped sofa together by having at least some colors in common. Without a color connection, things can feel haphazard rather than intentional. Get samples of materials and view them in the room to make sure you truly love it,” she says.
For those who want to test out the trend, Persad suggests starting small. “If a choice like patterned tile feels too permanent, start with wallpapering a nook in your home and placing a patterned chair, or layer an interesting piece of artwork over the wallpaper,” she says. “Bathroom wallpaper is another fun way to dip into this style, and with a decorator’s varnish, you can seal it for water resistance and avoid mold and peeling.”
Grandmillennial Refresh
Grandmacore is growing up as millennials are intentionally styling pieces they’ve inherited (or found at flea markets) and hiring pros for affordable restoration, the Yelp data reveals.
The report found that searches for framed mirror installation are up 733 percent for those looking to carefully hang gilded mirrors, while expert historic restoration rose a whopping 2,697 percent. The platform’s users are on the hunt for sterling silver trays and candlesticks, antique hardware for cabinets and dressers, and upholstery repair to renew armchairs and chaises.
To incorporate this trend into your home, Persad suggests mixing antiques with modern accents to create spaces that feel both interesting and personal, like “an antique chair with a contemporary rug, or vintage trays styled on a sleek coffee table or console.”
You can also take an affordable cabinet or credenza from a flea market or big-box store and upgrade the hardware to make it feel authentic. “Flea markets are a treasure trove for unique, solid hardware. Skip anything with a faux finish like matte black or satin brass, and look for metal hardware that will naturally patina and get better over time, like unlacquered brass, copper, or nickel. The hardware should feel heavy, not hollow,” she advises.
Secondhand artwork is another easy way to add interest to your home—without a permanent commitment or breaking the bank, Persad notes. “Antique stores and flea markets usually have a ton of art pieces already framed that can give your home a collected, layered look.”
Fashion-Inspired Accents
Fashion-forward textured elements like fringe, tassels, and brooches are bringing quirky elegance to interiors for both owners and renters, according to the report. Try tassel curtain tiebacks, vintage pendant-embellished lamps, fringe-trimmed patio umbrellas, or crochet décor.
On Yelp, searches are rising for drape and curtain installation (up 139 percent) and button stores (up 34 percent), as people look to add flair.
You can easily add fringed trim to curtains, lampshades, and more for a quick, creative makeover, Persad says. “You just need a hot glue gun and your imagination to upcycle something you already own and turn everyday pieces into something special.”
Colormaxxing
In 2026, ceilings, doors, trim, and even exteriors are getting drenched in color, with project requests on Yelp for entire interior painting up 72 percent. People are also paying special attention to the “fifth wall,” with searches surging for ceiling painters (16,884 percent) and ceiling staining (up 3,449 percent).
Statement doors are in the spotlight as well, as searches for door painting and staining skyrocket (up 187,073 percent). Color is also sweeping the exterior home, with houses, decks, and porches painted in saturated shades, and project requests climbing for exterior painting (up 500 percent) and deck or porch painting (up 177 percent).
“When choosing colors for painted doors, anchor the color of the door to the room’s furnishings. For example, pull a color from a patterned sofa, rug, or accent chair,” Persad advises. “It’s also important to pay attention to your home’s architecture. Heritage-inspired blues, greens, and dark shades of red tend to work great in traditional homes, while yellows and oranges could suit Mid-Century style and Bauhaus design. Knowing your home’s era and architectural style helps you make choices that complement and enhance its character rather than working against it,” she says.
In addition to paint, Persad also says that homeowners can “colormaxx” with wallpaper: “A mural-style wallpaper can create a stunning impact, especially across a wall of closet doors. If you’re using a classic repeating pattern, it looks best on shaker-style doors, with wallpaper applied only to the inset panels.”
Painted Trim
If you’re looking to incorporate a statement-making paint choice without the commitment of full color drenching, consider an unexpected pop of trim. Project requests for trim or molding painting are on the rise (up 65 percent), Yelp reports, as people look to spruce up baseboards, door frames, crown molding, and window sills. Home decorators are creating color contrast with hues like soft blue, bold red, or fresh butter yellow.
“To avoid appearing builder grade, choose trim that’s darker than the walls,” Persad advises, adding that it’s best to pull your trim shade from another item in the room, like wallpaper or artwork, to keep the palette cohesive throughout the space.
Window Treatments
Window treatments are one of the most accessible home design trends this year. Layered curtains, custom drapes, and even traditional valances are turning windows from an afterthought to a focal point.
On Yelp, project requests for valance and cornice installation have increased (up 100 percent), and searches for drape and curtain installation rose 139 percent; window treatments, 34 percent; roman shades, 70 percent; and custom blinds, 42 percent, as people look to add softness, privacy, and warmth to their spaces without major renovations.
Persad suggests opting for a pinch-pleat style and curtain rings or drapery pins, and to avoid grommet-style or hanging curtains directly on a rod. “Curtains should barely brush the floor for a tailored appearance,” she says, adding that the “lining is one detail that is often overlooked. Use a consistent lining color for windows throughout the home, so they present a uniform look from the outside.”
Hosting and Hobby Spaces
Yelp found that homes are being reimagined to include dedicated spaces like game rooms, music-focused listening rooms, and even backyard entertainment areas, with outdoor theater installations up a staggering 4,288 percent. Project requests are rising for wall replacement (up 75 percent) and interior concrete wall installation (up 60 percent), as people move away from open open-concept layouts and set up rooms specifically for hosting and hobbies.
If a traditional dining room doesn’t fit your lifestyle, consider giving the room a dual purpose, Persad says, turning it into a dining-library room, a dining-bar area, or even a dining-game room. “Tables are extremely versatile, making it easy to transform the room to suit gatherings, hobbies, or entertaining friends and family,” she adds.
Elevated Woodwork
While searches for hardwood floors are up 1,211 percent, the warmth of wood isn’t just showing up through flooring. Interest in wood panel ceilings, wood siding, cabinetry, and custom furniture and shelves is also on the rise. Yelp found that more people are enlisting skilled pros for interior room staining, with project requests up 424 percent, as they look to restore and enhance the natural beauty of wood features.
“When choosing wood flooring, even if it’s a faux veneer, choose a shade that actually exists in nature, Persad advises. Avoid grays and white. “Natural wood tone flooring looks best and feels more enduring,” she adds.
Smarter Storage
As people maximize every inch of space, built-ins are the answer—from closets to personal libraries and reading nooks to seamless entertainment centers. According to Yelp, searches for built-in cabinets are surging (up 13,389 percent), with people turning to pros for cabinet painting (up 40 percent) and pre-made cabinet installation (up 29 percent).
Persad suggests personalizing prefab cabinetry by lining the back of the shelves with wallpaper. “It’s an easy way to bring color, pattern, and custom style to storage solutions, making even pre-made cabinets feel unique and high-end,” she says.
Michele Laufik, Martha Stewart