Google trend data shows that as interior décor changes, homeowners and designers also want to give their outdoor spaces a fresh look. Whether it’s a small patio space or a large backyard living area, real estate experts predict these outdoor decorating trends are worth considering in order give house values an extra boost.
The award-winning designer Kathy Kuo of Kathy Kuo Home describes how designers and homeowners are increasingly focusing on designing outdoor living areas as much as indoors, with the goal of creating a cohesive, comfortable, beautiful, and timeless area to relax.
But how can businesses take advantage of these emerging trends?
Here we’ll consider some outdoor design trends – from smart home elements to simple style features meant to enhance the design, luxury, and quality of one’s outdoor living space – likely to be big in 2024..
1. Emphasis on high-quality and durable pieces
As outdoor décor evolves, the emphasis on reconnecting with nature and maximizing the “outdoor experience” continues to take center stage. As such, homeowners and designers are shifting towards durable, high-quality pieces that provide a timeless allure.
Kuo explains how the majority of designers seek enduring, comfortable, and joyful outdoor furnishings, and the focus is shifting toward researching and identifying what defines premium, long-lasting outdoor pieces.
Homeowners and designers increasingly desire longevity from their furnishing, opting for pieces made from teak wood, concrete, powder-coated aluminum, and top-tier wicker and rattan. These last two demonstrate how environmental consideration is also becoming a prominent factor influencing outdoor furnishing selection in 2024.
As a business owner, you can take advantage of this trend by stocking unique, quality outdoor furniture that will attract buyers.
2. Smart outdoor living places
Indoor interior decor features are also finding their place in outdoor living spaces. For example, smart home features like ambient lighting, audio, outdoor smart plugs, and smart fireplaces are trending additions in 2024.
These smart features perfectly bridge the indoors and outdoors, thus creating a harmonious feel and consistent functionality: with an ideal lighting and sound system, one can enjoy outdoor activities regardless of the time of day.
Many homeowners are seeking to add smart home features like entertainment walls in their outdoor spaces because they spending increasing amounts of time there. Stocking these products will help home furnishing specialists increase sales as consumers continue to look for ways to modernize their outdoor spaces.
Other innovative outdoor features include motion sensors, cameras, and smart locks for additional safety and peace of mind.
3. More greenery for sustainability
As designers and homeowners start to equate outdoor living areas as an extension of the indoors, live plants will too start to occupy more outdoor porches and terraces.
Joey Conicella, the CEO at Soco Interiors, says that incorporating greenery into outdoor spaces goes beyond simply embracing nature: a lush and well-cultivated green space can breathe additional life into any home and office.
In 2024, biophilic trends will also be a big trend in exterior living spaces, with an increasing number of homeowners investing in live potted plants and trellises of various heights, shades, and sizes.
These tools help to create a vertical garden on fences or walls, with a mixture of herbs, flowing plants, and foliage adding a splash of color.
Hotels and offices are also embracing sustainability through living walls to add privacy and greenery to their spaces. Besides aesthetics, this trend helps to protect the environment and improves air quality. Businesses can stock pre-made living walls to take advantage of this trend.
4. Bold colors and patterns
In recent years, there has been a shift from neutral, plain colors in interiors to bold and colorful patterns, and some designers believe we can expect to see similar trends in outdoor living in 2024.
Cosentino’s 2024 trend report shows that colors and surfaces will significantly link indoor and outdoor areas ashomeowners seek surfaces and colors that provide an appealing and cohesive look to their interior decor.
Heather Goerzen, a design director at Heavenly, predicts that designers will use outdoor setups to play with bold colors and patterns for a more outgoing look, and suggests using easy-to-change textiles like throw blankets and pillows and colors and patterns, such as stripes, bold hues, and florals, for a more breathtaking look.
5. Alfresco outdoor kitchen areas
If you think the only outdoor cooking area is a barbecue, think again. 2024 will see a rise in fully furnished outdoor kitchens, providing business opportunities to small companies that want to sell related outdoor kitchenware.
Following the lifting of travel restrictions after COVID-19, many people spent 2023 traveling. Now that things are back to normal, we can expect most of these travelers will now spend more time at home in 2024.
Experts like Lucy Small, founder of State & Season design company in Georgia, expect then that consumers will put more effort into creating more luxurious outdoor kitchens with expansive counter spaces, built-in fireplaces, wine refrigerators, and custom pizza ovens, etc.
These areas also provide a charming dining area where families can enjoy evening meals together beside nature. To protect the furniture from the elements, homeowners will also likely invest in sturdy but stylish outdoor dining sets and gazebos.
Other decorative kitchen features in 2024 include table centerpieces, comfortable seating areas, and outdoor-friendly tableware.
6. Cozy fireplaces
Outdoor fire features are also picking up, extending the usability of outdoor spaces during cooler months. Besides creating warmth, fireplaces or fire pits serve as an outdoor living area’s focal point, where families can gather for a cozy evening.
Their design should complement the backyard’s overall aesthetic. For instance, a fire pit built with rustic stone is ideal for an organic feel, while a modern fire bowl suits sleek and contemporary outdoor living spaces.
Keep in mind the plethora of products that will follow this trend, including heat-resistant chairs, throw blankets, and carpets, etc.
7. Dazzling lighting solutions
Another trend packed with business opportunities is decorative lighting, one of the easiest ways to decorate and transform a backyard into a at-home retreat.
While smart lighting, lanterns, pathway lights, and string lights will continue to rule outdoor living spaces in 2024, some other outdoor lighting trends to look out for include LED lights on trees and flower beds and solar-powered pathway lights to create an eco-friendly and energy-efficient ambiance. Smart lighting controls will also grow in popularity, allowing users to easily adjust the intensity, color, and timing of their lights.
Summary
Outdoor living spaces are an extension of the house, and homeowners and designers are embracing the trend of considering its design and furnishings as just as important as those inside. This is particularly helping to create sales opportunities for design businesses specializing in outdoor decorative products.
No matter whether you’re looking for high-quality and long-lasting furniture, items made from sustainable materials, or simply paraphernalia for more comfortable outdoor living, you’ll find everything you need on Alibaba.com.
