Regardless of its size, a home's outdoor space should be a showpiece in a listing.
“This year it’s really about making your outdoor space function like an interior space for all things fun, lounging, and entertaining,” Gretchen Kennelly, a San Diego interior designer, told realtor.com®.
Designers offered up some of their trend insights to realtor.com® for homeowners or sellers trying to maximize a home’s outdoor potential, including:
Alternative flooring options
Outdoor rugs have been common in recent years, but more flooring options are emerging, such as porcelain. Porcelain is known as being durable and simple to install, which is adding to its popularity. “Porcelain pavers can create this beautiful transition without creating a huge divide between the two living spaces,” says Joe Raboine, national design and training specialist with Belgard. Ikea’s beechwood deck tiles are another way to enhance a patio or balcony’s flooring without spending a fortune, says designer Christina Harmon.
Vertical gardens
A garden can fit in any space outside; just go up instead of out. Vertical gardens maximize the available space by growing herbs and veggies upwards. Arbors, arches, pergolas, and gazebos can help enhance a vertical garden. “They’ll create the ambience of an outdoor garden ‘room’ and give a sense of height and depth to an otherwise small space,” Raboine says. Read more:
The Hot Home Trend of Vertical Gardens
Attention-getting lighting
“This year is the time to brighten up the exterior of your home in unexpected ways,” Michael Amato, creative director at the Urban Electric Co., told realtor.com®. “If you have an all-white painted brick or stucco home, adding lighting in a fun color like blue with gold hardware creates interest. If your house is already painted a fun color, lighting presents a great opportunity to work in a contrasting color for a striking statement.” Hanging stringed Edison-styled bulbs along an outdoor space can create a
festive flair to a backyard too.
Blues and greens
Deep blues and greens are on trend this season in outdoor spaces. Fabric cushions and umbrellas are showcasing the color. “This year, it’s all about outdoor spaces that feel luxurious rather than cheesy,” Harmon says. “Think lots of neutrals coupled with gorgeous jewel-toned greens and furniture and accessories that create a truly indoor-outdoor vibe.”
View more outdoor trends
at realtor.com®.
Source: “Outside Is the New Inside, and 7 More of the Year’s Biggest Outdoor Design Trends,” realtor.com® (May 9, 2018)
