07 Apr Outdoor Living Upgrades Are On The Rise

According to a MarketWatch.com article, 94% of polled landscape architects think that outdoor living spaces will become extremely popular in 2010. This will include cooking areas and other means of entertainment including outdoor seating areas. While these upgrades will be in high demand, most architects think that homeowners looking to make upgrades will stick to the basics.

These outdoor living upgrades will be less lavish than we have seen in the past. According to the article, fancy kitchen appliances including refrigerators stereo systems, heaters, and sinks are expected to be among the less popular in outdoor upgrades. Architects are attributing this to a weak economy and a trend back to basics.

Another interesting trend right now in outdoor living is the surging popularity of organic gardening. This plays into the sustainability trend. Residents are growing their own produce as a means for better food and an understanding of where it’s coming from. Many believe that there is also an economic driver to this trend and I would agree.

Well-maintained and attractive outdoor living spaces can also be a major selling point in some markets. The article notes that many homeowners are making these improvements because moving to a new home right now is not easy. By making these improvements, homeowners are adding perceived value to their homes due in large part to the growing sustainable trend.

This is a good lesson for homebuilders. Outdoor living spaces continue to be popular and that includes gardens. Another emerging trend right now is shared gardens. These are community garden in the middle of apartments or condos where residents are given a small plot that can be used for a personal garden. This is proving to be very popular in the 55+ markets. These gardens don’t have to be in urban settings, they can be in master planned communities as well. This is an interesting trend that I would keep my eye on.