Vacation Home Design Trends That Define the ARIS Standard

Oct 15
3 min read

Updated: Nov 11

A vacation home is more than a getaway—it’s a sanctuary, an escape, a place where design meets relaxation. Whether perched on a lakeshore, tucked into the woods, overlooking the ocean, or resting in the mountains, a vacation home should capture ease, beauty, and a sense of joy every time you arrive. Here are ideas, design trends, and key things to consider when building or renovating a vacation home.

At ARIS Design Group, our goal is to design homes that feel right—not just in form, but in essence. Vacation homes are a special opportunity: a place to disconnect, to breathe, to reconnect with self and place. Below are the trends we believe capture that opportunity beautifully.

1. Biophilia & Authentic Materials

We believe in designing with soul. Natural materials—wood, reclaimed stone, clay plaster, rattan—bring tactile warmth and visual depth. Live greenery, planters, and interior gardens help blur the line between inside and outside. A vacation home should feel alive, not just curated.

2. Fluid Indoor–Outdoor Connections

Sliding or folding glass walls, retractable windows, and extended patios create a dialogue between interior and exterior. We orient living areas toward views, breezes, and daylight, so transitions feel seamless. In effect, your living room can open to the sky and the land itself.

3. Spaces That Evolve

A vacation home must adapt. Rooms should be able to shift from guest space to studio, playroom to remote office. Built-ins, convertible furnishings, hidden storage, and modular layouts let the house flex with your needs—whether you’re there with family, hosting guests, or working remotely.

4. Wellness Is Core

Your vacation home should feel like a retreat. Spa-style baths, soaking tubs, outdoor showers framed by nature, yoga or meditation alcoves: we layer quiet, restorative spaces throughout the plan. Even the circulation paths—the way you move through the home—can be calming, intentional.

5. Sustainability + Smart Design

We integrate sustainable systems subtly and smartly. Solar orientation, high-performance windows, efficient HVAC, and water-saving plumbing reduce environmental impact. Smart home systems—thermostats, locks, lighting—enhance convenience (and lower operational costs) without feeling mechanical.

6. Context & Character

A vacation home should feel rooted. We draw from local materials, regional forms, and cultural motifs so the home feels like it belongs. A cedar-clad façade in a forested site, locally fired tile in a desert setting, or stone walls that echo the terrain—these help the home feel of its place, not just on it.

Before You Build or Renovate: What to Think Through

Site & AccessThe drive, the approach, seasonal access—these define how welcoming the home feels. Even a beautiful design fails if people dread getting there.
Climate ResponsivenessDesign for wind, sun, rain, snow, humidity. Roof eaves, shading devices, thermal mass, ventilation—all should respond to your locale.
Durability & CareThe longer the home sits empty, the more resilient it must be. Hard-wearing finishes, corrosion-resistant hardware, pest-resistant detailing—all reduce long-term headaches.
Utilities & ConnectivityIf your property is remote, plan carefully for water, power, septic, internet. Guests expect reliable Wi-Fi; you’ll want systems that can be monitored remotely.
Security & StewardshipSmart locks, surveillance, local management or caretakers, remote monitoring—these let you rest easy even when you're far away.
Life-Cycle BudgetingConstruction is just the beginning. Plan for ongoing maintenance, cleaning, seasonal prep, insurance, taxes, and occasional refreshes.

Design Principles to Elevate the Experience

Orient the plan to light and views—every room should have a reason to connect externally.
Use large windows, clerestories, skylights to cultivate surprise in daily experience.
Extend living beyond walls—outdoor kitchens, fire pits, lounge terraces, shaded porches.
Layer texture: wood, stone, woven fabrics. Encourage touch and softness in contrast to structure.
Maintain clarity in layout—simplicity in footprint—but add richness via light, detail, craft.
Carve moments: intimate nooks, reading corners, hanging seats, small terraces off main rooms.
Choose tactile finishes that age with grace—oiled wood, natural stone, hand-applied plaster.

Why This Matters (To You, To Guests, To Legacy)

A vacation home isn’t just an asset—it’s a retreat, a memory maker, a place that shows its wearer. When thoughtfully designed, it invites renewal, kindles relationships, and becomes more than walls and roof. With intention in materials, form, technology, and flexibility, your vacation home can be a sanctuary—and a legacy.