Technology is fast incorporating itself as an integral component of residential and commercial design, greatly accelerating adoption of “integrated design” philosophies on projects.
Four Tech Trends Driving Discussions of Integrated Design
Four major trends are impacting custom home and commercial design and feature technology at their core, says Jason McGraw, Group Vice President and Show Director of CEDIA Expo/CIX.
“Smart technology has entered the next phase of adoption,” McGraw adds. “Whether it’s new build or retrofits, home and business owners now expect enhanced connectivity and control. This expectation underpins each of these significant trends we’re seeing in 2026.”
According to McGraw, the idea is that technology is enabling form and function through this shared union focused on improving spatial perception, functionality, occupant health and convenience, leading to a rise in adoption of integrated design strategies on projects.
Wellness Design
While wellness popularity has simmered since exploding during the pandemic, McGraw still sees wellness technology capturing attention, though in different forms from when it first arrived onto the scene, extending beyond aesthetics, furniture and lighting.
Massage technology from brands like Therabody and air-quality zoning and monitoring technologies from the likes of Airzone and VOC Instrumentation are increasingly considered by wellness enthusiasts and are commonly featured in modern homes, he points out.
Multifunctional Spaces
From the first home offices to when Ethernet ports began being installed in walls and floors to Wi-Fi mesh networks, productivity at home has been an important consideration for quite a while, but McGraw sees the trend as having gone into overdrive since 2020.
This need for greater functionality out of once static spaces has led to a greater need for robust networks, enterprise-grade cybersecurity, bigger, better monitors and other high-tech tools that previously only existed in commercial projects.
Even home theaters haven’t been able to escape the push for flex spaces, as demand for multimedia spaces has skyrocketed, according to CE Pro data..
Intelligent Lighting
Indoor and outdoor lighting has experienced a period of incredible creativity and growth, driven largely by advances in LED technology.
Whether it’s functional or accent lighting fixtures or the latest generation of smart switches, lighting is a new canvas for expression for home designers and homeowners alike, according to McGraw, with the explosive growth leading to American lighting control companies like Lutron gaining substantial international audiences, solidifying the trend as a global one as much as a local one.
Tech-Enhanced Utility Spaces
Technology has been ubiquitous in the family room, kitchen, and home office for decades, but tech is now also finding its way into rooms like the bathroom, the garage and the basement as well.
The tech is less glamorous at times, though McGraw asserts it’s no less functional or essential from the likes of leak detectors to EV chargers. Elements like shower speakers, heated floors and smart door openers do, however, still bring that fantastic flair to the home.
Tradeshows and Trend Discovery
As Show Director for CEDIA Expo, McGraw states he often sees many of these technologies get introduced to the market while preparing and running the show each year.
“The most exciting trends in home design often manifest first at CEDIA Expo and CIX because that is where technology brands and systems integrators converge to share ideas, consider possibilities and plan the entertainment systems, security systems, WFH systems, outdoor entertaining systems and much, much more,” explains McGraw.
CEDIA Expo (now co-located with Commercial Integrator Expo, or CIX) takes place in the fall every year and attracts upwards of 15,000 technology professionals. This year’s CEDIA Expo will take place in Denver from Wednesday, September 2, to Friday, September 4, 2026.
The focus, for decades now, has been on residential technology, though the launch of CIX reflects the intertwining nature of residential and commercial integrators. This contrasts other events like ISE, which tends to be more heavily weighted towards commercial integration as opposed to residential.
