Luxury Experts Say THESE Will Be the Most Popular High-End Home Features in 2025

Grand spaces and expensive finishes aren’t enough for the ultra rich anymore, according to the latest trend reports from American Society of Interior Designers (ASID) and Sotheby’s International Realty. High-end homeowners want thoughtful, personalized environments that cater to their every need, make daily tasks effortless, and still look like they belong on Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous. Why the sudden focus on what’s below the surface? A growing share of these homeowners are Gen-Xers and millennials who define luxury differently.

“Younger generations are driving the pivot toward accessible, sustainable luxury that prioritizes authenticity and experiences over material excess,” the ASID 2025 Trends Outlook Report states. The Sotheby’s 2025 Luxury Outlook Report notes that this is partly a long-term response to Covid. Gen-X, millennial, and Gen-Z buyers “value lifestyle, community, and meaningful connections—particularly after years of digital-first interactions,” it says.

The takeaways: Intuitive technology, spacious gathering areas, indoor-outdoor living rooms, and multifunctional kitchens are as covetable as frivolous (but fun) features like home theaters and game rooms. Sustainability is also a luxury, and additions like solar panels, rainwater harvesting systems, and energy-efficient appliances are in demand. Whether you’re looking to elevate your home or just want to see how the other half lives, keep reading for 14 luxury home features to aspire to.

Double Kitchen Islands

Trends like hybrid work definitely are influencing home layouts. We’re seeing more and more rooms do double-duty. In the kitchen, that means a shift toward two-island designs, as seen here in this L.A. kitchen designed by Jeremiah Brent. They create separate areas for food prep, dining, and remote work​.

Sculleries and Dirty Kitchens

More home buyers are requesting hidden doors, integrated pantries, and tucked-away workspaces to reduce visual clutter. Sculleries like this one from a Memphis kitchen designed by Lindsey Black are popular, functional, and stylish​.

Keeping Rooms

A cozy sitting area near the kitchen, a keeping room like this one designed by Emilie Munroe is in demand thanks to social media. Kelly Ladwig, a global real estate adviser at Zeitlin Sotheby’s International Realty in Nashville, says they’re one of a handful of features that Instagram has popularized. Where they might not have known to ask for one before, “now my clients might want a walk-in scullery, a breakfast nook, or a keeping room,” she says.

Beverage Centers

Dedicated beverage centers elevate entertaining at home. Options include mixology lounges, coffee bars, and personalized wine cellars, like this one from Peach and Pine designers Chandler and Jeremy Quarles’ Tennessee home. Climate-controlled storage is a must-haves for luxury homeowners who love to host.

Golf Simulators

Design elements that evoke joy and positivity are central to luxury interiors. If your idea of happiness is hitting the golf course, you don’t necessarily have to leave home to do it. Designers are increasingly fielding requests for simulators like this one in a high-rise apartment designed by Kevin Kaminski and Alexis Pew.

Game Rooms

Millennials with growing families need more square footage for their kids to hang out with friends. Movie rooms, swimming pools, and increasingly game rooms, like this one in a North Carolina home designed by Charlotte Lucas, can make the house a place for pals young and old to congregate.

Spa-Like Bathrooms

High-end bathrooms now rival five-star resorts with heated floors, steam showers, soaking tubs, aromatherapy systems, and ultra-high-end materials for the ultimate relaxation experience. The ultimate luxury just might be his-and-hers bathrooms, like this one in a Beverly Hills home designed by Jaqui Seerman. The shower seen here—on the “hers” side— is outfitted in pink quartz, which is said to have natural healing and calming properties.

Infrared Saunas

With a heightened focus on holistic well-being, luxury homes now feature specific wellness features. Infrared saunas, meditation rooms, human-centric lighting, and biophilic design elements create a sanctuary. This sauna-equipped oasis is the “his” side of the primary bathroom in the Jaqui Seerman–designed home above.

Glass Walls and Retractable Doors

Expansive glass walls and retractable doors, as seen in this Sonoma home by Lauren Nelson, blur the lines between indoors and out as the expansion of living spaces into nature remains a priority.

Outdoor Kitchens

Designers are increasingly incorporating outdoor kitchens, dining rooms, and living areas to promote social engagement and a connection to nature. Weather-resistant entertainment areas, like this outdoor kitchen designed by Lindye Galloway, allow for year-round alfresco experiences.

Pickleball Courts

In the ultra-luxury category, buyers not only want but expect fitness amenities. That can mean anything from a home gym to a lap pool to a traditional game court for basketball, tennis, or pickleball.

Edible Gardens

This generation of home buyers wants to be more self-sufficient, and that includes planting a garden—or, even better, inheriting one that’s established and ripe for the picking. The greenhouse in this Nashville home by architect Erin Cypress of architecture firm Pfeffer Torode and designer Liz Bonesio makes farm-to-table dining easy.

Automated Smart Home Systems

The fusion of luxury and technology is more prominent than ever. One major concern for Gen-X buyers is nabbing the smartest home they can find. “The more automated it is, the more it can do for you, the better,” says Dennis McCormack, broker and managing partner of Prominent Properties Sotheby’s International Realty, in the report. Integrated smart home systems allow homeowners to control lighting, climate, security, and entertainment with voice commands or mobile apps, ensuring seamless convenience.

Solar Panels

Hybrid homes—meaning those that have sustainable design features like solar panels, rainfall-harvesting systems, and green roofs—are increasingly common. This New Jersey townhouse by designer Elaine Santos and Mowery Marsh Architects has solar panels and other features that make it a Passive House. According to Sotheby’s International Realty agents, eco-friendly design features help lower utility costs over time and add value.