8 residential wellness design trends to watch in 2024

The Global Wellness Institute, a Miami-based nonprofit with an international focus that covers all aspects of wellness, recently revealed the trends for 2024 identified by the institute’s special interest work group, called Initiatives. These eight are most likely to impact our home spaces this year and beyond: They’re all in line with what I’m seeing from other professional organizations in the architecture, design, and wellness sectors, so I thought they were worth sharing as we head into the second half of the year.

The first three trends came from GWI’s Wellness Architecture and Design Initiative (WADI)*. The fourth came from the Hydrothermal Initiative (HI). Numbers five through seven came from the Respiratory Wellness Initiative (RWI). Number eight came from the Sleep Initiative (SI). We’ve excerpted each initiative’s thoughts from each page in quotes and linked to each one, so you can take a closer look at the thinking behind each initiative.

1. Designing Destinations that Integrate Live, Work, Play (WADI)

“More and more buildings and spaces are being repurposed to achieve a development’s core vision of wellness. This involves the concept of designing and repurposing spaces for living, working and playing all into one destination – a place that promotes health, clean water, clean air, engagement with the arts, physical activity and human connection. This is a growing trend in architecture and design.”

In addition to the growth of wellness design due to the pandemic, the severe housing shortage and remote work impacting the office market are driving developers to turn to smart adaptive reuse. Additionally, homebuyers are prioritizing walkability, and mixed-use developments that allow them to live near shopping and work are favored from a sustainability perspective.

2. Aging in Place Design (WADI)

“Design for seniors is primarily focused on promoting physical movement, positive mental health and social connections while ensuring style, accessibility and practicality. Wellness architecture and design plans for seniors include a wide range of considerations, from ensuring effective circulation with ample walkable pathways, to ease of accessibility with well-designed public spaces and restrooms, and wide hallways and doorways that are comfortable for the physically challenged. From open floor plans and single-storey units, allowing in plenty of natural light, zero-entry showers and easy-to-see induction cooktops, to positive nature-inspired colour palettes, use of low-maintenance materials and integration of smart home technology, to name a few.”

A rapidly aging population and a shortage of housing that can safely house disabled seniors make senior-friendly design and renovation essential. New homes, condominiums, townhouses and accessory dwellings that incorporate these features encourage longtime homeowners to relocate and open up older, larger homes to younger families. Offering “portable” mortgages for seniors looking to relocate to senior-friendly housing could free up thousands of homes by removing one barrier to relocation.

3. Design with clean, organic ingredients to reduce environmental toxins that harm human health (WADI)

“Imagine a label listing the ‘ingredients’ of our built environment, from landscape design to architecture to interior materials and furniture. In older buildings, these lists might be comparable to the ingredients in so-called ‘junk food’ and unhealthy foods, made from chemicals, toxins, additives and preservatives. Opting for natural materials, low-toxicity glues and adhesives, clean air filters, and reducing the overall amount of chemicals, both visible and invisible, are essential to creating a physical environment that best supports our health and well-being.” The group cites the growing popularity of certification programs such as WELL, which are becoming increasingly standard. These give buyers assurance that the home they are buying will not harm their health or that of their family.

4. Transforming vacant office buildings into wellness spaces (HI)

“With more people working from home during the pandemic, vacant urban office buildings are finding new uses as mixed-use urban destinations with retail space, residential units and communal wellness centers. Whether redevelopments target luxury and expensive or affordable and accessible demographics, we predict that self-service wellness amenities, including European-style social bathing circuits, will be a major selling point in a competitive real estate market.” This evokes the first trend above of creating integrated live, work and play spaces. It also confirms the explosion of wellness real estate, especially compared to other property types, as we reported here last May.

Five. Further government efforts on indoor air quality (RWI)

“This trend is well documented and demonstrates the continued focus on indoor air quality from key government agencies and organizations. It highlights the ongoing commitment to improving indoor air quality standards and regulations that are critical to respiratory health. It also reflects the lasting impact of the pandemic on public health priorities.” While the trend has been emerging since 2020, when it was determined that the deadly virus that caused the COVID-19 pandemic was aerosolized and airborne, many of the healthy indoor air initiatives began in 2021 and beyond. The only guarantee that it will continue under a future administration is if it is not politically viewed as a cost rather than an opportunity, and is willing to be embraced by developers seeking health-conscious homebuyers.

6. Technological Innovation in Healthy Buildings and Air Quality Monitoring (RWI)

“This trend highlights the continuing advancements in indoor air quality and wellness technology. Such innovations are critical to improving respiratory health by providing better air filtration, real-time monitoring, and data-driven insights into IAQ management.” We’re already seeing technology that monitors air quality and adjusts accordingly. As air purification continues to be a priority for homebuyers, we’ll likely see more sophisticated products emerge at a range of price points.

7. Integration of AI in IAQ monitoring and management (RWI)

“The incorporation of AI into indoor air quality monitoring is a forward-looking trend that highlights the importance of data analytics and preventative management in maintaining respiratory health. AI-powered monitors provide real-time insights and predictive capabilities into IAQ, enabling preventative interventions to mitigate air quality issues.” This is one potential beneficial use of AI, especially for residents with respiratory issues or those who live near pollution sources. It will be interesting to see how many builders embrace the use of AI as part of healthy home features and upgrades.

8. An increase in “sleep divorces”?SI)

“More and more couples are considering the benefits of ‘sleep divorcing,’ or using two separate bedrooms, to maximize sleep quality, according to Wendy Troxell, a senior behavioral and social scientist and sleep expert at RAND Corp. and author of Share the Covers: Every Couple’s Guide to Better Sleep. As the discussion about sleep habits continues to evolve, there is an urgent need for more scientific research into the effects of co-sleeping versus sleeping separately.” The rise of homes with two master bedrooms has made this trend more appealing because both sleepers enjoy a quieter night and the bathrooms are close together, the latter of which is especially helpful for older couples.

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*Author’s note: I participated in this initiative briefly in 2021.