Luxury used to mean granite counters and chandeliers. Not anymore. In 2025, it’s about intention — spaces that enhance how you live, not just how you look. Across Central Ohio’s high-end market — from Evans Farm to Upper Arlington to Dublin — the newest custom homes are blending technology, wellness, and craftsmanship in ways we’ve never seen before.

Here’s what’s defining modern luxury right now.

1. Smart Homes That Think for You

Today’s luxury homes aren’t just connected — they’re intelligent. Automated lighting, motorized blinds, whole-home audio, and climate control systems that learn your routines. Builders like Carbon Homes and Kenric Homes are integrating these features seamlessly into new builds. Buyers want effortless living — and tech that feels invisible until you need it.

2. Spa Bathrooms as Everyday Retreats

Forget the old “master bath.” The new luxury bathroom is a sanctuary — oversized showers with rain heads and steam options, freestanding tubs, heated floors, and integrated aromatherapy. In neighborhoods like Tartan Fields and New Albany Country Club, you’ll find spaces that rival boutique hotel suites. Wellness is the new status symbol.

3. Kitchens with European Soul

The Columbus luxury kitchen has evolved — quieter design, natural tones, and function-first craftsmanship. Think hidden appliances, fluted cabinetry, and mixed materials like oak, marble, and brushed brass. Builders at Evans Farm are leading this shift, blending Midwestern warmth with European restraint. The goal? Spaces that feel as timeless as they are photogenic.

4. Outdoor Living That Works Year-Round

Luxury doesn’t stop at the back door anymore. Covered loggias, retractable screens, built-in heaters, and full outdoor kitchens are turning patios into living rooms. Whether you’re overlooking Muirfield greens or Evans Farm parkland, year-round outdoor living has become a must-have — not a maybe.

5. Natural Materials, Neutral Palettes, and Sustainable Design

The high-end buyer of 2025 wants design that feels good and does good. Expect limewash walls, reclaimed wood, and eco-conscious finishes. Minimalist doesn’t mean cold anymore — it means calm. In every luxury community I work in, the best homes tell a story through texture, not flash.

The takeaway? Today’s luxury isn’t about excess — it’s about experience.

If you want to build, buy, or renovate a home that feels ahead of its time — I’d love to help you get there. [Contact Patrick Murphy, REALTOR® — Columbus, Powell & Dublin Expert]