Designing Facades for the Way We Actually Live | James Hardie’s Modern Home Forecast 2025

Designing for the future isn’t just about aesthetics, it’s about creating homes for how we actually live. The home is where we eat, sleep, recharge, celebrate, and occasionally retreat from the chaos of the world. So, it’s no surprise that James Hardie’s Modern Home Forecast 2025 isn’t just about what looks good, it’s about how design can step up to the reality of modern life. It’s smart, stylish, and ready for anything.

Housing costs, changing household dynamics, and climate unpredictability are reshaping the idea of ‘modern living’. Recognising this, James Hardie’s Modern Home Forecast 2025 looks beyond surface-level trends to explore how design can adapt to real life. The 2025 forecast draws on new research conducted with Fiftyfive5, bringing together insights from AI, trade expertise, and broader social and environmental data.

At its heart are eight design styles that reflect the diverse ways Australians want to live: Box Modern, Modern Farmhouse, Modern Heritage, Barn, Japandi, Modern Coastal, Mid-Century Modern, and newcomer Modern Classical. Modern Classical has a blend of neoclassical formality and Mediterranean warmth, offering a sense of timelessness in uncertain times.

With insights from Interior Design expert, Neale Whitaker, the Forecast is a way of understanding how our homes reflect the world around us. Let’s explore more.

Building Efficiencies

Design is about more than an aesthetic façade, it’s about smarter choices that save time, money, and stress. Think clever planning, resourceful building, and materials that do more with less. James Hardie cladding is incredible here: durable, low-maintenance, and engineered to last, meaning more weekends enjoying your space rather than doing maintenance.

Wellbeing

Homes should feel like a haven where we retreat from the fast-paced essence of daily schedules. Natural light, open flow, curves and calming textures are front of mind in 2025, creating environments that support both body and mind. Well-being isn’t just about aesthetics, it’s also about peace of mind. James Hardie’s fibre cement products stand strong against fire, termites, and the test of time, so you can relax knowing that your sanctuary is as safe as it is serene.

Flexibility

Modern life in the home is flexible. Today’s spare room might be tomorrow’s home office, yoga retreat, or children’s room. James Hardie cladding adapts seamlessly across styles, from coastal cool to urban minimalism, giving designers and homeowners the freedom to create spaces that grow with them, not against them, in the times of ever-changing needs.

Resilience

There’s no doubt that climate unpredictability is shaping the way we design and build our homes. From scorching summers to sudden storms, homes need to be tough. James Hardie cladding is designed to perform across Australia’s diverse climate zones, giving resilience real style. Let’s face it: no one wants to compromise just to keep their walls standing strong, and you really don’t have to.

“The insights in the James Hardie Modern Homes Forecast indicate Australians are moving towards homes that play a role in restoring wellbeing, offer spaces for creativity and self-expression, and are built for resilience and longevity in the climate crisis. In 2025, we see a revolutionary step towards the future of home design, as we make a shift towards flexible homes that serve more purposes and suit a range of budgets.”

Neale Whitaker, Design Expert

Together, these four themes sketch a future where homes are more than just aesthetic, they’re intelligent, adaptable, and built for real life. James Hardie understands the daily pressures designers, builders, and homeowners face: budget constraints, sustainability goals, unpredictable weather, changing household needs, and meets them with solutions that are both practical and beautiful.

There’s no doubt that the best homes aren’t just places we live in, they’re places that live with us. With James Hardie’s Modern Home Forecast 2025, the blueprint for smarter, stronger, more stylish homes is already here. Order samples to start creating the homes of tomorrow. 

If you’re ready to design for the way we actually live, find James Hardie products in our product library, and use our mood board tool and Project Studio to bring designs to life.