Trends in Outdoor Living Spaces: Put Fun in Functionality

Enhancing outdoor living spaces has become a hot trend in home improvement over the last few years, rendering the backyard more pleasurable for homeowners while also adding value to homes. The latest designs in outdoor living spaces not only feature the look of a home’s interior but the functionality, too.

This increasingly popular movement toward “outdoor rooms” is evolving into fully functional outdoor kitchens and state-of-the-art entertainment systems that make it mystifying to determine where a home’s interior ends and its exterior begins. 

The options for creating an outdoor paradise are infinite. Here are some of this year’s trends to consider for your outdoor living space:

• Get intimate. Outdoor living spaces are transforming when it comes to layout and configuration. Many people are replacing traditionally-extended patios stretched across the backyard with multiple, more intimate spaces, such as balconies located off of master bedrooms, home offices, or other living areas. The privacy of these small outdoor spaces is appealing, and amenities run the gamut from fire and water features to comfortable furnishings.
• Say goodbye to grass. A growing number of homeowners right now prefer to install gardens that require little attention. Today’s gardens tend to showcase drought-tolerant plants, hardscaping, and water features. Fountains and ponds are an attractive option, as well as arbors and pergolas to help provide plenty of shade from the hot Arizona sun.
• Light it up. While the concept of outdoor lighting is not new, the technology continues to improve and is now more efficient. Outside lighting allows you to remain outdoors for longer periods of time and also serves as a safety feature. In 2017, LED lighting has become particularly trendy, providing more genuine color. LED, which is available in landscape lighting, deck, masonry, and patio applications, also has longer lasting bulbs.
• Hang out in high-tech heaven. Technology has been making its way to outdoor living spaces in recent years. Homeowners are syncing their Wi-Fi networks into outdoor audio-video systems to enjoy music, movies, and TV without having to go indoors to adjust channels, stations, or volume. There are a variety of outdoor lighting systems available on the market, as well as fire and water features that you can control with a smartphone or tablet app.
• Incorporate a pop of color. The most striking, beautiful colors tend to come from nature, so it is fitting to incorporate some of these hues into your outdoor living space. While some homeowners gravitate towards a neutral palette, many people love the pop and appeal that brightly colored throw pillows can bring to an outdoor couch or chair. A beautifully patterned outdoor rug and a few colorful garden stools can also add interest. The key is to sprinkle any accent colors across your outdoor living space to make it feel cohesive.
• Add appliances. Traditional barbecues are the basis of summer entertaining. However, the current trend is for entire outdoor kitchens, including grills, smokers, and pizza ovens, to refrigerators, sinks, ice machines, and even beer taps and wine coolers. It is important to consider purchasing appliances for outdoor spaces that will make it through both rain and the sun. Appliances made out of stainless steel work well for most weather conditions, are durable and require little maintenance.

We Help You Bring the Inside ‘Out’

Your outdoor living space should be an extension of the inside of your home. Expand a bedroom or home office by opening French doors out to lounge areas. Or, consider making your kitchen feel even more spacious with doors that lead out to an outdoor dining area.

Outdoor living spaces allow you to enjoy Arizona’s unique environment to the fullest. As you explore your ideas and options, remember that creating a stylish outdoor living space can increase the appeal and value of your home and offer a relaxing oasis for you and your guests to enjoy for many years to come.

Are you ready to take the next step?

Schedule your free, no-obligation professional exterior remodeling consultation with one of our team members today.