Consumer Corner
The McMansion era is over: Zillow says American buyers want homes that feel personal, practical, and resilient
Zillow’s 20-year analysis shows American homebuyers are moving away from oversized McMansions and toward smaller, flexible homes with wellness, sustainability, and climate-ready feature
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Zillow’s 20-year look at for-sale listings suggests a major shift in how Americans define the ideal home. In 2006, listings leaned into size, symmetry, and status, with McMansion-style homes featuring grand foyers, formal dining rooms, oversized primary suites, and luxury finishes meant to impress. In 2026, Zillow says buyers are focused less on square footage and more on flexibility, comfort, and how a home supports everyday life.
According to Zillow, affordability pressures are helping drive that change. New homes are getting smaller, and listings increasingly highlight spaces with a clear purpose rather than oversized layouts. Mentions of reading nooks are up 48%, while features tied to self-expression and wellness are also gaining traction. Zillow says “color drenching” is up 149% in listings, spa-inspired bathrooms are up 22%, and recreation-focused amenities like golf simulators and pickleball courts have each risen 25%.
Sustainability and climate readiness are also moving closer to the center of buyer priorities. Zillow reports that mentions of zero-energy-ready homes are up 70%, whole-home batteries are up 40%, and EV charging stations are up 25%. Climate-resilient details such as flood protection and fire resistance are increasingly being marketed as value drivers, a sharp contrast to 2006, when energy efficiency was rarely emphasized.
Amanda Pendleton, Zillow’s home trends expert, said the data shows American homes have shifted “from status symbols to sanctuaries.” Looking ahead, Zillow expects the next phase of home design to center on adaptability, with homes built to respond to changing family needs, lifestyles, and climate conditions.
Source: Zillow, Inc. via PR Newswire
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Family
The House That Hosts: When Your Home Becomes Your Holiday Entertaining Partner
The House That Hosts: There’s a special pleasure in opening your home for the holidays to share the menu you’ve imagined, welcome guests to the glow of a room ready for company and enjoy the anticipation of familiar faces at the door. This year, make sure the house itself can lend a hand.
The House That Hosts: When Your Home Becomes Your Holiday Entertaining Partner
(Feature Impact) There’s a special pleasure in opening your home for the holidays to share the menu you’ve imagined, welcome guests to the glow of a room ready for company and enjoy the anticipation of familiar faces at the door. Every detail is an opportunity to make the loved ones you’ve invited feel especially welcome.
This year, make sure the house itself can lend a hand.
From the kitchen to the living room to the guest bathroom, residential technology offers new ways to turn a host’s imagination into a memorable experience. The best innovations don’t take over the occasion. They help the person bringing everyone together make it extraordinary.
Nor does a home need an elaborate network of connected gadgets. A few well-chosen technologies can make a difference. Explore these ideas from the bathroom design and technology experts at TOTO to level up the different hosting areas of your home as you prepare to gather with family and friends this holiday season.
The Kitchen: Bringing Something Extraordinary to the Table
The holidays invite a little culinary ambition, and today’s kitchens are borrowing a few tricks from professional chefs.
Imagine presenting a beef tenderloin cooked to a perfect rosy pink from edge to edge, thanks to the precision of sous vide cooking. Or bringing a platter of roasted root vegetables to the table, their edges beautifully caramelized and their centers tender, prepared in a steam-convection oven. On an induction cooktop, precise, responsive heat helps turn fresh mushrooms into a golden, savory accompaniment.
These technologies put sophisticated techniques within reach of adventurous home cooks, opening the door to new preparations and dishes worthy of special occasions. Experiment with new flavors and rich cuisines that fill your home with enticing aromas and your guests with awe at the first bite.
Nothing says “happy holidays” quite like watching guests discover what you’ve created for them.
The Living Area: Setting the Stage for Connection
Holiday gatherings have a rhythm all their own. The first arrivals are greeted with excitement, conversations pick up where they left off months (or years) prior, and before long, the room is filled with laughter and the pleasure of being together.
Today’s smart lighting systems allow hosts to create and schedule scenes that shift from the sparkle of a festive welcome to the softer, golden glow of an intimate evening. Multiroom wireless audio systems can bring lively music into the kitchen while keeping it a gentle accompaniment to conversation in the living area. Digital art displays can turn a television screen into a gallery of artwork chosen to complement the celebration, bringing holidays past to life as loved ones mingle in the present.
Successful holiday entertainment engages people not merely as observers, but participants. A short film could start an inspiring conversation, the right music might get people dancing and atmospheric visual-audio experiences, like a crackling fireplace or soft snowstorm, can create a relaxing seasonal backdrop for shared activities.
With the atmosphere changing quietly in the background, no one needs to interrupt a favorite story to adjust the lights or lower the music. The host can simply enjoy the company they’ve brought together.
The Bathroom: The Art of Personal Comfort
The most gracious hosts think beyond the rooms where guests gather. Fresh towels, fragrant soaps and a few unexpected comforts can make the guest bathroom feel every bit as welcoming as the rest of the home.
Technology adds a new dimension to that hospitality. Consider a TOTO WASHLET bidet seat, which offers the welcome warmth of a heated seat, the refreshing pleasure of warm-water cleansing and the soothing comfort of warm-air drying. It’s an unexpected luxury that makes an everyday experience feel special.
Hosts can choose an option that complements their home’s character. The S2 offers inviting simplicity with convenient side-panel controls. The sleek S5 pairs contemporary elegance with a wireless remote. Meanwhile, the S7A adds a touch of theater with a lid that opens automatically, a softly glowing nightlight and personalized cleansing settings.
Even the housekeeping benefits from a little ingenuity through automatic PREMIST and EWATER+: One mists the toilet bowl before use to help keep it cleaner, while the other cleans the cleansing wand and, on select models, the bowl itself with electrolyzed water.
It’s another way a thoughtful host can anticipate guests’ needs and make them feel wonderfully welcome.
Long after the last guest has departed, what lingers isn’t the sophistication of the house. It’s the meal that inspired compliments, the conversations no one wanted to end and the little surprises that made everyone feel at home.
Those are the moments that make holiday entertaining special. Behind each one is a host whose warmth, creativity and attention to detail made it possible, with a little help from the house. Explore more sophisticated bathroom upgrade ideas for the holidays and beyond at TOTOUSA.com.
Photo courtesy of Shutterstock (holiday table)
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TOTO
home improvement
Easy Furniture Upcycling Projects You Can Do in a Weekend
Easy Furniture Upcycling Projects: Giving secondhand furniture a new life is a creative, satisfying and budget-friendly way to add personality to your home. Next time you’re in the mood to spend time working with your hands, try these simple DIY furniture upcycling ideas.
Easy Furniture Upcycling Projects You Can Do in a Weekend
(Feature Impact) Giving secondhand furniture a new life is a creative, satisfying and budget-friendly way to add personality to your home. Upcycling doesn’t have to be complicated or expensive – all it takes is a little imagination, some basic supplies and a free weekend.
Next time you’re in the mood to spend time working with your hands, try these simple DIY furniture upcycling ideas.
Give a Worn Dresser a Fresh Look
Dressers have a way of accumulating scuffs and scratches over time, but it doesn’t take much to refresh their look. Clean the surfaces, sand away any rough spots then apply a fresh coat of furniture paint. To turn it into a stylish statement piece, choose a classy, on-trend color like sage green, deep navy or a warm neutral and replace the drawer pulls with modern hardware to match.
Transform an Old Coffee Table
The coffee table is a natural centerpiece of your living room, so give it an update that fits your preferred aesthetic. Sand it smooth, choose a new wood stain for a more natural look or paint it to match or create contrast with your walls and seating. Adding a protective clear coat can help the surface withstand everyday use and look new for longer.
Turn Wooden Chairs into Stylish Accent Pieces
If you have a collection of mismatched or worn-out wooden chairs around the house, try your hand at refurbishing instead of replacing them. Give them a good wash, repair any broken rungs, update the seats with fresh fabric or new cushions or unleash your inner artist by giving the chairs fun new designs with paint or peel-and-stick contact paper. If they aren’t a good fit for your main dining area, use the chairs as porch decorations or extra seating during parties.
Repurpose an Old Bookshelf
Bookshelves don’t just have to be for books. Give it a fresh design using paint or decorative wallpaper then transform it into a display cabinet, pantry organizer, entryway cubby for shoes and school supplies or whatever else your imagination sparks. Stave off clutter by adding visually appealing bins or baskets to help the shelves stay clean and organized.
Create a Unique Side Table
You can turn a variety of old furniture into side tables, from nightstands and end tables to stools and chairs with the backs removed. Consider adding decorative trim, stenciled designs, patterned tabletops or vibrant paint colors then give the finished table a new life as a plant display, bedside stand or porch accent piece.
Discover more home, lifestyle and crafting ideas at eLivingtoday.com.
Photo courtesy of Shutterstock
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Automotive
2027 Toyota Tundra Adds Trailhunter Package and Updated Technology
The 2027 Toyota Tundra adds a Trailhunter package, refreshed styling and a standard 14-inch touchscreen. Starting MSRP is $42,890.
Last Updated on November 7, 2026 by Daily News Staff
PLANO, Texas — Toyota is updating the 2027 Tundra with refreshed exterior styling, a new Trailhunter package and additional technology for its full-size pickup lineup.
2027 Toyota Tundra: Trailhunter Package and Tech Updates
Based on the SR5 grade, the Trailhunter package adds Old Man Emu suspension, Michelin all-terrain tires, front recovery hooks and extra underbody protection. A locking rear differential, Multi-Terrain Select and Crawl Control help drivers navigate challenging terrain, while bronze-colored wheels distinguish the package.
The TRD Pro receives newly designed, adjustable FOX Q3S shocks, standard red tow hooks and a new Honeycomb paint option.
Inside, a 14-inch multimedia touchscreen becomes standard. Toyota also adds a built-in drive recorder and makes Toyota Safety Sense 4.0 standard across the lineup. Gas and i-FORCE MAX hybrid powertrains remain available.
Toyota lists the 2027 Tundra with a starting MSRP of $42,890. Buyers should check destination charges, options and dealer pricing when comparing total costs.
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