On June 16, Tubatu Big Data Research Institute released the “2026 China Home Decoration Consumption Trend Report” (hereinafter referred to as: report).
Relying on platform operation data in 2026, this report provides an in-depth analysis of the industry’s deep change logic from the four major dimensions of consumer demand, market structure, material selection trends, and service models, and predicts future development directions, providing a valuable reference for the market.
Residential value has become the core appeal
The report points out that the current proportion of whole house decoration is firmly in the mainstream with 82.40%, and the demand for partial renovation has shrunk slightly.
At the same time, quality self-occupancy has become the dominant logic of consumption.
According to the survey, the proportion of upgrade budgets between RMB 80,000 and RMB 120,000 has risen sharply to 48.4%, becoming the main force in the market. Basic demand below RMB 80,000 continues to disappear, and demand for comfort above RMB 120,000 is steadily expanding.
This fully shows that consumers are more willing to pay for material quality, construction technology, and living comfort.
There is a structural differentiation in the selection of decoration units.
Among them, the popularity of small apartments below 60 square meters has rebounded, reflecting the continued release of the demand for renovation of small-sized old houses among young people who are in demand. The demand for large apartments above 160 square meters has cooled, indicating that the incremental space for luxury home decoration has narrowed, and the market focus has returned to mainstream residential apartments.
In terms of decoration style, the public has got rid of the trend of following Internet celebrity styles. Modern simplicity continues to lead the way with practicality, and new Chinese style and retro style are rapidly rising.
Home decoration design has shifted from “trend imitation” to “personality expression + cultural empowerment”, and customized and connotative design has become a new preference.
New first-tier cities have become the main battlefield for the industry
The report points out that city-level demand data intuitively shows the sinking trend of the home improvement market.
Against the backdrop of a simultaneous decline in the proportion of decoration demand in first-, second- and third-tier cities, the proportion of demand in new first-tier cities soared to 45.70%, becoming the industry’s largest growth pole.
The continued inflow of population in this type of city, active transactions in second-hand housing and improved housing, and the concentrated demand for owner-occupied renovations are key areas for home improvement companies to seize growth in the future.
On the other hand, there are obvious differences in home decoration needs, consumption concepts and preferences in different regions, which requires the industry to abandon the unified operating model and create differentiated products and services based on local living characteristics and consumption concepts.
Environmental protection, intelligence, and texture are standard features
The report shows that with the upgrade of consumption concepts, home decoration materials are no longer limited to basic functions. The three dimensions of texture, environmental protection, and intelligence are reshaping material selection standards, and the industry’s material track is moving toward refined and functional competition.
Among them, the popularity of textured materials is essentially an upgrade of consumers’ pursuit of beauty and experience in their home spaces.
Products such as anti-slip soft bricks, micro-cement, and ultra-thin slate are suitable for mainstream home decoration styles and promote the upgrade of home decoration from “basic decoration” to “space aesthetics”.
Environmental protection has changed from an optional demand to a rigid need. Green building materials have become widely popularized, and antibacterial and antiviral wall materials are rapidly becoming available.
At the same time, the penetration of intelligent and age-appropriate materials is accelerating, reflecting the evolution of home decoration design towards all ages and humanization.
Smart dimming doors and windows, constant temperature showers and other products are integrated into daily home decoration, which is a concrete manifestation of smart home implementation in the home scene.
The continued growth of safe sanitary ware for the elderly echoes the changes in demographic structure.
Overall, material upgrades are closely linked to the three core residential areas of “health, comfort, and intelligence”, forcing building materials brands to deepen their technological expertise and segment their tracks.
Digital reconstruction of links
The popularization of AI tools not only improves design efficiency and reduces communication costs, but also promotes transparency and front-end decision-making in home decoration. Digital capabilities have become the basic competitiveness of home decoration companies.
According to statistics, users give priority to using AI to complete house planning and 3D design, with the usage rates of these two functions reaching 37.98% and 31.72% respectively.
The report pointed out that the current penetration rate of fund custody on the platform has risen to 93.5%, marking the transformation of fund custody from a value-added service to an industry standard.
Taking fund custody as the starting point, the platform promotes standardization and transparency of the entire construction and delivery process, and continues to repair the industry’s trust shortcomings.
In the future, service specifications and contract performance guarantees will be alongside products and design as the core considerations for consumers when choosing home improvement services.
