Not too long ago, the “craze” was going green and being energy efficient. New public surveys released for 2013 show that the current home remodeling trend is none other than outdoor living. It’s a strange term considering how our ancestors spent most of their days thinking of ways to live on the INSIDE of the house and now that we have all the luxury of indoor plumbing and almost anything else imaginable: gyms, pools, saunas, theatres inside our home… we are wanting to live on the outside.
According to the 2013 Residential Landscape Architecture Trends survey conducted by the American Society of Landscape Architects, American homeowners are increasingly drawn to adding outdoor rooms for entertaining and recreation on their properties. Across all categories, 97% of responders rated fire pits and fireplaces in demand, followed by grills, seating and dining, lighting, and outdoor kitchens. Terraces, patios, and decks are high on the list as well at a 96% demand by the same surveyed responders.
Most would think these added features are luxuries and may not be practical in an uncertain economy; research shows the exact opposite. Homeowners want to be able to enjoy their homes and yards now more than ever as an alternative to travel and secondary expenses on vacationing. The consumer behavior is also leading toward an attractive outdoor space that is easy to take care of and is sustainable. This year, we have seen a drastic increase for deck additions, screened porch additions or remodels, and the adding of front porches and porticos.
Products that are low to no maintenance are very popular among consumers in the Atlanta market area such as composite decking boards. The new composite decking products referred to as “capped composite” looks like real wood but the inner core similar to the first generation of composite decking is now wrapped with protective shell to create a lasting product that is easily maintained by just washing once per year or when a spill occurs. These products are warrantied for twenty five years which is twice the duration of your typical pressure treated wood deck. Don’t be fooled into thinking that your typical pressure treated wood products aren’t in high demand as well. There is a rich cedar look to these products that certain homeowners are after. Adding a deck or porch to your home creates additional living space, resulting in a beautiful setting for outdoor entertaining. This time of year, we see many people looking to host parties for graduation, Memorial Day, birthday parties, and much more. Creating space to host guests on the inside of your house is difficult to accomplish which is why so many are turning to the great outdoors for hosting the perfect summer party.
If you are considering adding some excitement to your house, by entertaining the outdoor living idea… there are tons of great ideas available on websites like Pinterest and Houzz. Don’t get sucked in! The decorating is half the appeal… watch out for those awesome Chevron pillows.