Exterior home trends in 2025 feature a seamless connection between indoor and outdoor spaces, biophilic design and sustainability.
As we head further into 2025, home design is evolving to reflect a deeper connection with the environment.
Leading this shift is a growing focus on blending the exterior of homes with their natural surroundings, blurring the lines between the built environment and the outdoors. Biophilic design, which incorporates elements like plants, water, light and natural materials into buildings, is at the forefront of this movement. This approach is creating homes that feel like a seamless extension of the land, with designs that are both sustainable and visually harmonious with the landscape.
This change goes beyond just looks; it’s about creating spaces that prioritize health, wellness and functionality. By embracing nature’s inherent harmony, these designs offer homeowners a sense of peace and a stronger bond with their environment.
Maximizing a connection to nature and sustainability
In 2025, home design will feature a seamless connection between indoor and outdoor spaces. Large windows and sliding doors will take center stage, boosting natural light, improving ventilation and offering expansive views. This blending of interior and exterior spaces creates more open living areas, along with inviting the beauty of the outdoors directly into the home.
Brennan Drake, principal architect at Phinney Design Group, a Saratoga Springs-based firm specializing in sustainable and environmentally responsible construction, emphasizes the importance of design that enhances, rather than interferes with, its surroundings.
“At Phinney Design Group, we believe that thoughtful design should complement its surroundings rather than disrupt them,” says Drake. “By prioritizing natural and local materials, we ensure that our projects harmonize with the landscape, blending in with their environment rather than standing in stark contrast.”
This philosophy extends seamlessly into the growing emphasis on sustainability in modern home design. Sustainability has evolved beyond a buzzword to become a core principle in modern home design. Sustainable home design focuses on minimizing environmental impact by using eco-friendly materials, energy-efficient systems and appliances, and renewable energy sources. From geothermal systems for efficient heating and cooling to solar arrays and battery backups for energy resilience, today’s homes are built to be both energy-efficient and environmentally responsible, says Drake.
“Thoughtful design details, such as roof overhangs that block direct sunlight in summer while allowing passive solar heat gain in winter, seamlessly blend function and form,” says Drake. “These elements, among many others, create buildings that are both environmentally responsible and aesthetically compelling.”
