One great thing about building a new custom home is that you don’t have to settle for standard features and finishes. Creating a home that’s uniquely yours is what makes a custom home special. As new 2026 custom home trends begin shaping how families live, from eco-friendly house ideas to smart home automation, many Rochester and Finger Lakes homeowners are focusing on designs that blend comfort, technology, and timeless beauty.
Gerber Homes is pleased to share our curated list that delivers the kind of comfort and convenience you really want. With that in mind, let’s look at 25 “must-have” features for your 2026 custom home.
Quickly navigate through different sections of the must-have features for your custom home:
- First Floor Features
- Primary Bedroom and Bath
- Custom Home Kitchen Features for 2026
- Other Features You'll Want to Consider in 2026
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Your Custom Home in the Rochester Area Starts Here
First Floor Features
Two-Story Foyer
If you’re building a multi-story house, consider selecting a floor plan with a two-story foyer. Install an elegant chandelier, display a large piece of art, or make your staircase the focal point of your foyer.
Mudroom
A well-planned mudroom can be a lifesaver and prevent clutter from taking over your home. Keeping muddy shoes, coats, backpacks, sports equipment, and school projects organized and contained is much easier when you have a mudroom right off the entrance from your garage.
Add extra storage by building in a few cubbies or adding individual lockers for every family member’s belongings. If you have a dog, the mudroom is a great place to hang leashes and wipe off muddy paws before your pet heads into the house. Built-in kennels and pet washing stations are also excellent mudroom features for pets.
First-Floor Primary Suite
A first-floor owners' suite can save you some money if you plan to remain in your home after you retire. It makes sense to move your bedroom to the first floor if you’re concerned that mobility issues may one day make climbing the stairs difficult or impossible. Since your bedroom is already on the first floor, you won’t have to spend thousands of dollars to remodel your home if you ever develop mobility problems.
Accent Wall in Your Family Room
Accent walls, particularly those that offer interesting textures or patterns, are an excellent addition to your family room. Just coat one wall with a dramatic paint color, add textured or patterned wallpaper. You could even cover it with intricately designed wood panels or a sheet of hammered metal. Consider a dramatic floor-to-ceiling fireplace or custom built-ins for the ultimate family room accent.
Game Room
If you or your kids love gaming, you know that things can get a little loud at times. A dedicated game room can solve that problem. Ask the whole family to help you decorate the space in a fun or funky style that sets the room apart. Depending on space limitations, you could even combine the game room with the ultimate home theater, create a climbing wall, or make room for a sports simulator.
Main Floor Dedicated Laundry Room
A laundry room may not be the first thing that comes to mind when you’re deciding which features to include in your home. Still, a laundry room on the main level can make your life a lot easier. If laundry isn't your favorite activity, a room that's designed specifically for the task can make cleaning your clothes less of a chore. With a dedicated laundry room, you’ll have plenty of space to treat stains before you wash a load, hang clothing that must be air-dried, or iron a wrinkled shirt.
Adding a few personal touches to the décor can turn the room into a cozy place to tackle the week’s laundry. If you have enough room, add a comfortable chair, a laundry sorting table or counter, a colorful painting, and a shelf or cabinet large enough to hold all your laundry supplies.
Home Office
Many of us discovered over the last few years that the couch or kitchen table isn’t a comfortable place to work full-time. Whether you’re working from home permanently or need a place to catch up on work occasionally, a home office is an important addition to your custom home. Turn a first-floor study or a spare bedroom into your workspace, or carve out a little space in the basement for your home office.
Primary Bedroom and Bath
Seating Area
If your home is your castle, a master suite is your inner sanctum. Thoughtful master bedroom ideas, like a reading alcove with custom lighting and layered textures, can be a great option. A seating area located in an alcove or separate room offers the ideal place to unwind at the end of a busy day or spend a little one-on-one time with your spouse or partner.
Walk-In Closet
Are your current closets overflowing with clothing? When you choose a custom floor plan with an oversized closet in the master bedroom suite, you’ll have plenty of room to store and organize your clothing and shoes. Depending on the size of the closet, you may want to add a central island to store accessories and other items, install custom shelving, or include a dressing table with a large mirror.
Primary Bath Features
A private bathroom just may be one of the most appealing aspects of an owners' suite bathroom. You won’t have to share the room with your kids and guests, and can design the bathroom with your needs in mind, not those of the entire family. Include an ample double vanity with custom storage and luxe tilework for a spa-like foundation, then consider other strategic upgrades that can really personalize your experience.
Custom cabinets, ample storage, a waterproof TV, a sound system, a heated towel rack, motion-activated faucets, a wine chiller, a coffee bar, and other luxurious features will enhance your enjoyment of your bathroom.
Luxurious Shower Room
Cramped shower stalls or bath/shower combinations are no longer the norm in primary bathroom suites. Today’s homeowners want spacious and luxurious showers that look and feel elegant. Natural stone or ceramic, glass, or porcelain tiles add beauty to your shower and are easy to clean. Include multiple showerheads for added warmth or choose an invigorating steam shower with a sound system.
Thanks to smart technology, you can even control your shower with your phone. Before you get out of bed, turn on the shower and set it to the desired temperature with just a few swipes. Other features that can upgrade your shower room include built-in seating and cubby storage, stylish grab bars, dimmable overhead lights, rainforest showerheads, and curbless entrances.
Freestanding Tub
Some homeowners have to choose between a shower or a tub in their bathroom, but there’s no reason you have to make that decision. With a custom home, you can have both! Nothing makes a long, leisurely soak more pleasant than an elegant, freestanding tub, particularly if it features spa jets or chromotherapy lights. Freestanding tubs are available in a variety of shapes and finishes that add visual interest to your primary bathroom.
Custom Home Kitchen Features
Durable, Attractive Countertops
Although granite countertops were the top choice for years, solid surfaces, soapstone, quartz, marble, and other countertop materials have become more popular in the past few years. Want to make your kitchen truly stand out? Cover your kitchen island with a live edge slab of wood rather than a more traditional countertop material. The natural edges of the wood will give your island a one-of-a-kind appeal.
Statement Cabinets
They’re one of the most expensive items in your kitchen, so why should your cabinets blend into the background? Cabinet details set the tone for the whole room. Solid wood cabinets with natural finishes add warmth and texture, while bold colors invigorate the room and serve as an inspiration for your kitchen décor. This year, warm neutrals and blues, greens, and other rich colors found in nature are particularly popular.
Optimized Kitchen Layouts
When planning your kitchen, think beyond finishes to kitchen layout upgrades that fit your lifestyle, like an oversized island with seating on two sides or an L-shaped workspace for easy prep.
Kitchen islands are extremely popular and practical. And if one island is good, two are even better. Double kitchen islands, the latest kitchen trend, increase storage, seating, and prep space. Is your sink loaded with dirty dishes when you host gatherings? Eliminate the problem by adding another sink or dishwasher to your second island. Dedicate your second island to a completely different purpose, such as homework or family command station.
Walk-In Pantry
Including a walk-in pantry in your kitchen adds a whole new dimension of convenience and comfort and keeps clutter at bay. You can use your pantry for larger packages of food items without sacrificing space in your kitchen cabinets. A pantry also provides plenty of room to keep frequently used items at eye level or store oversized appliances (mixers, bread machines, air fryers, blenders) that you don’t use as often.
The Latest Kitchen Technology
Smart kitchen technology makes planning and preparing meals easier than ever. Smart ovens pre-heat remotely, remember your favorite recipes, and automatically adjust temperature and cooking times. Tired of your kids constantly opening the refrigerator when looking for snacks? Buy a smart refrigerator with doors that become transparent with a touch of the hand. Smart microwaves and motion-activated lights or faucets offer other ways to incorporate technology into your new kitchen.
Other Features You’ll Want to Consider in 2026 and Beyond
Outdoor Kitchen and Deck
Building an outdoor kitchen expands your outdoor entertaining capabilities and makes cooking outside more comfortable and convenient. You’ll no longer be limited to a simple grill on your deck or patio. Create an outdoor kitchen and dining area that includes a built-in grill, refrigerator, counter space, and even a sink for cleaning up. An outdoor kitchen design is an excellent addition to your outdoor living space.
Open Floor Plans and Flexible Living Spaces
A well-planned open concept layout connects your kitchen, dining, and family room, creating a space that feels larger and brighter. Consider half-walls or changes in ceiling height to define each zone without breaking the flow. Natural light and wide sightlines are two hallmarks of modern open floor plans for Rochester homes, helping families stay connected while entertaining or spending quiet evenings together.
Sliding partitions, convertible guest suites, or upstairs lofts that double as study areas keep a home functional through every stage.
Custom Built-In Shelves
You don’t have to settle for ugly, out-of-the-box shelves that don’t complement your home’s design when you build a custom home. Your builder can build shelving for your kitchen, family room, or study that fits the style of the room, whether it’s traditional, rustic, contemporary, or a combination of styles.
The shelving is attractive, doesn’t encroach on your living space, and becomes part of the room itself. Adding built-in shelves and cabinets will help you maximize storage without detracting from the visual appeal of your home.
Wine Cellar
If you enjoy collecting, sampling, and sharing fine wines with your friends, why not take your hobby to the next level with a wine cellar of your own? You can include a small (closet-sized) wine cellar in your custom home design or ask your builder to create a larger cellar that includes a wine-tasting room with its own décor and atmosphere.
If you’d like dedicated wine storage but don’t need a wine cellar, consider adding a wine chiller to your kitchen. Chillers fit under the counter and keep your wine collection at the perfect temperature.
Energy-Efficient and Sustainable Design
From triple-pane windows to insulated foundations and solar-ready roofs, sustainability now shapes nearly every custom home conversation in upstate New York. Builders are using low-VOC materials, advanced framing, and smart thermostats to keep homes comfortable year-round while reducing energy use.
Heated Floors
One of the most indulgent luxuries you can install in your home is one you’ll never see. Installing heated flooring in your kitchen or master bathroom is an indulgence that is an absolute delight in a cold-weather climate like Rochester. If you hate stepping out of the shower onto a cold floor or dislike standing on a freezing cold kitchen floor to make dinner, you’ll want to make room in your budget for heated floors.
Sanctuary Spaces
Every home needs a place that feels like an exhale. Builders are now designing what some call “sanctuary spaces.” These are quiet retreats tucked within the rhythm of daily life. They aren’t formal studies or spare bedrooms, but small, intentional corners that calm the senses. A reading nook wrapped in warm wood. A window seat facing a stand of maples. A private alcove beside the primary suite with soft lighting and a chair made for lingering.
In upstate New York, where the pace of life swings from busy summers to snow-covered stillness, these spaces carry real power. They give you a moment to breathe, to think, and to slow down inside a home that’s always in motion.
Pet-Friendly Features
More and more homeowners are incorporating features that make their homes comfortable for their pets. Designate an entire room for your pet’s use, complete with comfortable beds and climbing perches. Or ask your builder to create built-in spaces for food dishes and litter boxes, or construct a special staircase with pet-sized steps.
Frequently Asked Questions About Trends and Features for 2026
What features add the most value to a custom home?
Spaces that improve daily living and long-term efficiency bring the highest return. Energy-efficient windows, smart thermostats, durable kitchen surfaces, and adaptable floor plans that can grow with your family are increasingly popular. Custom details like built-in shelving, organized mudrooms, and upgraded primary suites are value-drivers in the Rochester and Finger Lakes markets.
What are the biggest home design trends for 2026?
Designers are leaning toward warm neutrals, natural textures, and eco-friendly house ideas that emphasize comfort and sustainability. Open floor plans are evolving into flexible zones, and kitchens are becoming “connected, curated” spaces with technology that blends into handcrafted design.
What are the kitchen trends for 2026?
Homeowners are prioritizing function and feel over flash. Expect to see double islands, concealed appliances, bold cabinet colors, and smarter storage. Materials like quartz and soapstone remain favorites, while natural wood tones and tactile finishes are making a comeback.
What color is trending for 2026 interiors?
Forecasts point toward organic tones, mineral greens, clay, soft taupe, and fog blue, shades that complement the region’s landscape and work beautifully with wood and stone.
What should I upgrade when building a new home?
Invest in the areas that are difficult to change later: insulation, windows, HVAC systems, and the kitchen layout. Quality cabinetry, flooring, and plumbing fixtures hold up best over time and make a visible difference every day.
Why build with a custom home builder in Rochester, NY?
Local experience matters. A custom home builder in Rochester NY understands the region’s weather patterns, soil conditions, and building codes and knows how to design homes that handle cold winters, lake-effect snow, and humid summers without compromising comfort or style.
Your Custom Home in the Rochester Area Starts Here
Gerber Homes is excited to help you choose features and amenities that will make your custom home more comfortable and attractive. Reach out to us today to start the conversation that results in your dream home realized.
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