Latest Trends in Outdoor Living

There’s no question about it … outdoor living spaces are all the rage. With back yards and gardens transforming into customized “rooms” reminiscent of indoor living, homeowners are increasing their living space and enjoying the benefits of fresh air and the changing seasons. Not only are more homeowners entertaining outdoors, but urban escapism is on the rise as city-dwellers opt to get away from it all without actually leaving home.

With a fresh getaway just steps outside the back door, what are a few of the latest trends to design comfortable and functional outdoor spaces?

Plants and Landscaping

Back yards are not just a grass lawn and a couple of trees bracketed by a picket fence anymore. Homeowners are looking toward aesthetically pleasing arrangements of bushes and hedges, alternative options for ground cover, and exotic blooms and plantings commingling with native vegetation. Today’s homeowner is leaning toward custom planters and unusual containers to express a style that mirrors the inside of the home.

Lighting

Modern outdoor lighting is energy-efficient and beautiful, emphasizing both direct and indirect lighting. LED lighting is rising in popularity, as are outdoor lamps and lanterns. Direct lighting can illuminate dark corners of a yard, but casts harsh shadows. Indirect lighting is perfect for areas where people socialize after dark, casting a gentle illumination and preventing overly harsh brightness in areas that call for subtlety. Stylish fixtures are replacing the old guard even on the outside light over the back door, providing a sense of the owner’s style.

Furnishings

It’s not your grandma’s outdoor furniture anymore! Gone are the days of molded plastic chaise lounge furniture, old-fashioned picnic sets, and dated aluminum lawn chairs. Today’s outdoor furniture emphasizes beauty and comfort as well as durability against the elements. 

Dining and living furniture for the outdoors incorporate oversized seating, plush cushions, and even throw pillows designed for comfort. Outdoor throw rugs unite with furniture to complete the feel of being in a “room.”

Outdoor Kitchens

For those who love to cook, eat, and entertain al fresco, it’s not just grills and fire pits anymore. Outdoor kitchens are the hottest trend around and they emphasize functionality, practicality, and beauty. They also bring the heat of cooking, outdoors, during the hot summer months.

From modern fireplaces to high-end appliances like stoves, wood-burning ovens, stainless steel sinks, and even wine refrigerators, outdoor cooking has never been a more gourmet affair. This back-to-nature approach echoes the recent trend in local-to-table dining that has home cooks rushing to farmer’s markets, buying locally-raised meats, and planting home gardens.

Pools and Patios

Saltwater pools are the current trend, with more sophisticated and beautiful designs on the rise, including diving rocks that recall the surrounding landscape and replace the more dangerous and outmoded diving board. Decorative elements that incorporate water, such as waterfalls and ornamental and splash pools are also enjoying a surge in popularity. Meanwhile, terraces and patios are designed with beauty in mind as well as functionality.

Nothing has a higher ceiling than a back yard, so the sense of space created by adding outdoor living areas to a home is immeasurable. Whether you opt for an organic feel that incorporates your natural surroundings or a more polished look reminiscent of a sleek indoor room, outdoor living is enjoying a surge in popularity. And since sustainability is key; building materials are reflecting that trend as well. The great outdoors has never been a greater draw for homeowners – and homebuyers – than it is now.