Zillow is the go-to real estate platform for those interested in buying a new home, or simply those interested in finding their dream home and pretending they live there. So it comes as no surprise that an analysis of Zillow listings can paint an interesting picture of what’s trending in the housing market at any given time.
In fact, the real estate platform has an entire branch dedicated to doing just that, dubbed Zillow Research. Most recently, their team analyzed hundreds of keywords across millions of listings in order to determine which features and design elements are gaining traction across the platform. As their latest report explains, “real estate agents are well-tuned to what buyers want, and they highlight those things in their for-sale listings,” so these keywords provide an accurate snapshot of emerging trends in the market.
Per their recent findings, buyers are looking for coziness and warmth in their new home now more than ever. “There was a time where using the word ‘cozy’ in a home listing wasn’t necessarily a good thing; in fact, it was often used to rebrand small houses and make them more appealing,” reads the report. “But now, the term ‘cozy’ is popping up in home listings 35% more often than it was in 2023.”
This term encompasses a renewed interest in smaller, contained rooms over open floor plans, in addition to historic character and more color. “White walls are falling out of favor as well,” the report continues. “Using colors found in nature, like greens, browns, and deep reds, support that cozy feeling.”
These findings further substantiate the overarching shift towards more traditional interior design that we’ve been documenting in the last few years. Popular design aesthetics like Organic Modern and Eclectic Modern all point to this renewed interest in color, pattern, and warmth over cool modernism and all-white-everything.
“Minimalism has definitely been on the decline in the last few years, as homeowners and designers lean more towards coziness and character post-pandemic,” says Heather Goerzen, Director of Design & Content at Havenly. “Maximalism, traditional design, and historic details — often interspersed with pops of modernism — are becoming the new status quo.”
Heather recommends playing with color, pattern, and texture in your space to create a cozier, more inviting atmosphere. Subtle additions like wall moulding, earth-toned color palettes, and ornate touches like fringe, velvet, and pleating can add character and visual interest to any space. Need some inspo? Check out Heather’s home tour!
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