While homeowners have added outdoor living spaces to their properties for years, the trend toward expanding those areas moved forward considerably with the onset of the global pandemic. People are looking for new and innovative ways to make their lives more pleasant now and, in addition, plan to entertain at home more when that becomes possible. So, what are some of the popular outdoor design trends for 2022?
Blending Indoor and Outdoor Spaces
In the past, decks, patios, and other outdoor areas were added as afterthoughts. They didn’t always blend well with the home’s interior spaces, with the lack of cohesiveness obvious to even casual observers. There was no clear, logical transition between those areas, which meant entertaining was less than convenient.
Today, beautiful outdoor designs are created to compliment indoor spaces, which means family members and guests move from one space to the other freely and understand what the purpose of each space is. At the same time, the designs prevent inconvenient spaces that don’t clearly serve a function.
Added Greenery
Rather than a simple backyard space with grass and a few perimeter plants, today’s designers encourage property owners to incorporate a blend of low-effort greenery, vegetables, and herbs in their outdoor living spaces. Not only does adding greenery break up boring yards, doing so also provides fresh foods to use in cooking.
The greenery selected can easily be matched to the homeowners’ interests. Some property owners will prefer a range of plantings that require little care and are intended to add interest to the property. Others will look for ways to include more vegetables and herbs to enhance their diets and make accessing fresh herbs and produce easy during the area’s growing season.
Blending Landscape and Hardscape Features
An increasing number of design experts encourage homeowners to include a mix of plantings and hardscape elements to enhance the look and versatility of outdoor spaces. Creating soft and hard zones makes outdoor spaces more interesting and attractive.
For example, designers suggest using pavers, flagstones, and travertine to break up spaces and allow free movement from one area to another. Of course, using retaining walls and other dramatic elements will provide additional interest. When working with a designer, don’t be afraid to ask questions about the pros and cons of using various landscape and hardscape elements in your yard.
Use Fences to Add Interest
While fencing is often used to provide privacy and keep pets or children close, fences also provide design interest. Shorter sections of fencing can provide a backdrop for seating and serve as dividers between different portions of the outdoor area.
Because fencing can easily be customized to meet a specific yard’s design needs, there is no need to settle for anything less than ideal for your yard. Different types of wood, for example, provide texture and color, especially when the right finishes are applied. A simple oil or stain can bring out the grain of wood and, at the same time, protect the material from deteriorating.
Discover Water Features
Ponds, waterfalls, and Koi fish all add interest, but it’s always important to tailor the types of water features used to the region’s climate. While water features can be used virtually anywhere, their design must be tailored to match the local weather conditions. When freezing is a possibility, measures must be taken to protect the feature.
Seasonal maintenance will always be important with water features, but outdoor plantings will also require some level of maintenance to ensure they thrive. Work with your designers to make sure the water feature selected will be easy to take care of as the seasons change.
Explore the Use of Vertical Gardening
Not everyone has large yards, and even those with more space available may not wish to use a lot of space for plantings. Vertical gardens make great use of smaller spaces but also make it possible to shelter living spaces and provide privacy. Living walls are decorative and increase the feeling of being in touch with nature.
Different vertical garden designs can easily be used to grow herbs or other edibles. The choice of plant types will depend entirely on your overall goals for the outdoor living spaces, so take the time to discuss the various options available and the benefits of a vertical garden.
Include Smart Features
While most people are familiar with smart home features, not everyone has discovered the benefits of a smart garden area. One of the obvious smart features to include is a watering system programmed to meet the needs of different plantings. Since each type of plant may require a different watering plan, it’s important to install a system that’s zoned to provide the frequency of watering cycles and amount of water needed per cycle to keep plantings healthy.
At the same time, it’s also become easier to provide lighting and heating for the comfort of anyone using the outdoor living spaces. The types of smart elements used will depend on the use patterns of residents and guests, so discuss each available option with a design expert.
Create the Overall Look and Feel You’re Looking For
When designing your outdoor living space, remember to work with a design expert that’s able to produce a cohesive plan that meets all your needs. Designing outdoor spaces should not be done piecemeal. Instead, look at all the elements needed to end up with the outdoor living area you really want.
Having a comprehensive design in place is important even if you’re not able to install all the features at once. In some cases, it makes sense to start with elements like walkways, retaining walls, and related hardscape features.
If you’re planning to add water features, lighting, or an outdoor kitchen, it’s a good idea to make sure the plumbing and electrical work is completed prior to installing patios or other permanent features.
Whether you’re exploring ways to improve an existing outdoor living space or starting from scratch, take the time now to contact a design expert to complete a plan that meets your long-term goals and takes advantage of the best outdoor design trends for 2022.