Designing the Future: 2026 Trends in Building, Architecture & Interiors

Such a privilege to sit alongside Travis Hendrix and Rusty Conway for QAV’s panel on 2026 design and building trends. The future of architecture, interiors, and construction is becoming more human-centered, more integrated, and more intentional and the conversation was just the beginning.

Last week, I had the privilege of joining an incredible panel discussion titled “Designing the Future: 2026 Trends in Building, Architecture & Interiors.”  Hosted by QAV – Quality Audio Visual, the session brought together some of Denver’s leading voices to explore how design, technology, and collaboration will shape the next era of residential building.

I had the pleasure of sharing the stage with two fantastic partners: Rusty Conway of Cadre General Contractors and Travis Hendrix of KGA Studio Architects. Our moderator, Tyson Rabani from QAV, curated a thoughtful and forward-looking set of questions that sparked meaningful conversation around innovation, craftsmanship, sustainability, and the evolving role of design in everyday life.

While I’ll share videos and photos of the event once they're edited and ready, I wanted to begin by highlighting the questions Tyson prepared and offering my personal reflections and expanded answers here. Consider this a deeper dive into the ideas that excite me most about where our industry is headed.

Setting the Stage — The Shifts Ahead

1-What do you see as the biggest shifts coming to your industry in 2026?

We’re moving away from mass-produced, disposable design. Clients are increasingly drawn to locally crafted, traceable materials and custom elements that carry a sense of story and permanence.

At the same time, there’s a growing expectation that buildings should be smart from the start, not as an afterthought. Technology, performance, and user experience are becoming part of the design brief from day one.

Design itself is shifting, too. It’s no longer just about how a space looks, but how it makes people feel and behave. Inclusive design, multisensory environments, and human well-being are becoming essential, not optional.

Key movements gaining momentum:

• Neuroarchitecture & Human-Centric Design- Designing with the brain, body, and nervous system in mind.

• Climate-Adaptive & Regenerative Design - Materials and methods that repair, replenish, and future-proof.

• Modular, Prefabricated Homes & 3D-Printed Cities - Faster, more sustainable building systems that redefine construction.

These shifts reflect a larger cultural move toward intentionality, resilience, and environments that truly support human life.

2-How are clients’ expectations evolving — whether in design style, sustainability, or technology integration?

Clients are moving away from trends and toward authenticity, which is one of the most exciting shifts for me as a designer. It opens the door to deeper customization, richer storytelling, and spaces that are timeless rather than trendy.

Today’s clients are also far more design-literate and emotionally attuned than they were even five years ago. They want a space that aligns with how they live, think, and feel. Design is evolving from a focus on luxury to a focus on awareness: meaning, sustainability, sensory experience, and long-term well-being.

It’s less about how a space looks and much more about how it feels, how it supports daily life, nurtures creativity, reduces stress, and fosters a sense of belonging. This shift is pushing the industry toward deeper, more thoughtful design, and I couldn’t be more inspired by it.

Collaboration in the New Era

1-How are builders, architects, and designers collaborating differently today compared to just a few years ago?

Collaboration has become far more integrated and conversational. We’re no longer working in silos. A few years ago, designers were often brought in toward the end of a project to “finish” the space. Now, more teams recognize that involving the designer early during pre-planning and conceptual phases, actually saves time, money, and frustration later on. When interior design runs parallel with architectural planning and construction, everything aligns more naturally.

Digital tools have also transformed the process. Shared 3D models, real-time design platforms, and collaborative review software create an environment where ideas can evolve together instead of being handed off in fragments.

For me, the most successful projects are the ones where the builder, architect, and designer are in sync from day one. When everyone contributes their expertise early, the result is more thoughtful, cohesive, and beautifully executed.

2-What does a truly integrated project team look like in 2026?

It feels less like a chain of handoffs and more like a creative ecosystem.

Cross-pollination between disciplines often sparks the most original solution.

3-What challenges still exist when blending design vision, build execution, and smart technology?

One of the biggest challenges is alignment, keeping design intent, construction realities, and technology integration moving in the same direction. It’s a delicate balance: translating beauty into buildable detail while ensuring the technology enhances the experience rather than complicates it. That requires teams to revisit decisions together, not in isolation.

Timeline, budget, and creative vision don’t always move in harmony, either. Builders are racing toward deadlines, while designers are perfecting details. When technology is added to the mix, lighting controls, automation, and system integrations, the complexity increases.

The key is starting early. When design, construction, and technology partners are brought into the conversation from the outset, there’s more room for innovation and seamless execution. Early collaboration turns potential friction into a fluid, coordinated process.

Technology & Innovation

1-What new technologies are changing the way you work or the spaces you create?

Technology has become a powerful partner in my creative process, not replacing intuition, but enhancing it. The right tools help me explore ideas faster, visualize concepts with more clarity, and collaborate more fluidly with architects and builders.

The best technology is the kind you never notice. It fades quietly into the background, allowing the design, the materials, and the human experience to take center stage. When tech is integrated thoughtfully, it supports the space without ever overshadowing it.

2-How do you balance innovation with timeless design or craftsmanship?

For me, innovation and timelessness aren’t opposites; they’re partners. True innovation doesn’t compete with craftsmanship; it elevates it.

Whether I’m using emerging technologies, exploring sustainable materials, or integrating intelligent systems, my goal is always the same: to let technology support the craft, not overshadow it. Innovation should enhance the experience of a space, not date it.

Timeless design comes from clarity, intention, and a deep respect for materials and proportion. It’s about creating environments that feel relevant today but won’t need to be reinvented five years from now.

3-Are clients becoming more tech-savvy — or more design-driven — in their requests?

Honestly, both, but in a far more balanced and intentional way than before.

Clients today are incredibly informed. They come with ideas, they understand technology, and they’re not afraid to ask thoughtful questions. What’s most exciting is that many are also becoming more self-aware: they’re not just looking for trends or gadgets, but for spaces that genuinely support their lifestyle and well-being.

Technology is evolving, too. The goal is no longer flashy smart-home features — it’s invisible intelligence. People want homes that respond quietly: lighting that follows the body’s natural rhythm, climate systems that adjust intuitively, and tech that makes life calmer rather than more complicated.

The most elegant technology blends into the architecture: wireless charging built into surfaces, speakers concealed in millwork, lighting controls hidden behind clean interfaces. It’s seamless, intuitive, and designed to disappear.

Today’s clients want spaces where great design and thoughtful technology work together, not compete for attention.

Sustainability & Wellness

1-How are sustainability and wellness influencing your 2026 projects?

Design for wellness is no longer a niche idea or a buzzword. It has become an essential part of how we shape spaces. Today’s environments are guided by evidence-based strategies: optimized lighting that follows natural rhythms, tactile and honest materials, acoustic balance, and sensory-friendly zones that support focus, calm, and emotional well-being.

Sustainability has evolved as well. It’s no longer about checklists or certifications; it’s about creating a living cycle. That means choosing materials with traceable origins, designing for reuse, and honoring craftsmanship that lasts for generations. True sustainability is designing for life: pieces and spaces that age beautifully, adapt gracefully, and never feel disposable.

One of the greatest examples of timeless, sustainable design is the iconic Artek Stool 60, created by Finnish architect Alvar Aalto in 1933. Nearly a century later, its form and finish remain unchanged. You’ll find it in museums around the world and also in countless Finnish homes, still in daily use. That is sustainability through longevity.

The idea of sustainability also extends beyond materials to the buildings themselves. Reuse and adaptive transformation are just as important as recycling. Right now, zoning regulations often make it harder to change a building’s function than to renovate it, and that’s something I hope we’ll see evolve. It should be easier to give a space a new life than to erase it.

2-Are clients asking for healthier homes — and how are you responding?

Yes, but money still drives projects and when that’s the case, it’s useless to propose sustainable values. But I do think that it's our responsibility to do our best to bring that into the conversation.

3-What materials, lighting, or energy systems excite you most right now?

I don't have one specific system in mind; what excites me is the moment we’re in. We’re entering a beautiful era where design, science, and conscience finally align.

Forecasting the Future

1-If you could predict one trend that will define 2026 in your field, what would it be?

I think it is emotional intelligence in design, spaces that don’t just look good, but feel good. We’re blending science, sustainability, and soul to create environments that support how people truly live and feel. 

2-What’s one piece of advice you’d give to clients or collaborators preparing for the next wave of change?

“Be curious, not fearful. Technology will keep evolving, but design at its heart will always be about people, guided by empathy, craftsmanship, and care.