The top three outdoor living trends that Brundage and his colleagues at System Pavers expect to see in 2025 include:
Smart spaces. More and more homeowners want to bring the convenience of smart technology outside, using it on their porches, backyards and patios and revolutionizing the way they experience their outdoors.
By integrating smart technology into outdoor spaces, homeowners can effectively seamlessly expand their indoor living spaces while increasing the emotional, mental and physical benefits that come from spending more time outside. From remote-controlled fireplaces and lights to Alexa-enabled rooms and pergolas that open and close with the push of a phone, homeowners are leveraging technologies previously only used indoors to make their outdoor spaces more comfortable, accessible and enjoyable than ever before.
Composite decking. As resale value remains a top priority for homeowners, investing in long-lasting materials is a big priority.
Many people have moved away from wooden decks and instead turned to composite decking, a sustainably made combination of recycled wood and plastic that can last up to 50 years. Even though wood decks are a cheaper option initially, they require ongoing maintenance like staining, painting, and repairs, which can add up over the years.
Composite decking is largely resistant to warping and dirt and requires far less maintenance. This allows families to spend more time enjoying their patios while increasing the long-term value of their homes.
Tiered multi-purpose rooms. Outdoor spaces increasingly have multiple functions, including sitting areas, fire pits, pergolas, patios, swimming pools, kitchens and more, as opposed to single-use spaces.
Homeowners have begun completing these larger projects in phases, giving them financial flexibility and the ability to live in their space while determining priorities. This offers the most flexibility as homeowners can make changes to their overall plan to better suit changing lifestyles. When it comes to entertaining, there has also been an increase in customers investing in premium products for their multi-purpose outdoor spaces and this is expected to continue. System Pavers notes that outdoor cooking enthusiasts increasingly want improved outdoor kitchen features such as kamado grills, smokers and pizza ovens to serve their dishes in style.
“Although we cannot predict the future, based on our thousands of conversations with homeowners in 2024, we expect these trends will remain top of mind for homeowners for quite some time. “I couldn’t agree more with my colleague Aaron that this is an incredibly exciting time for the industry and also for the homeowner, who now has the opportunity to truly bring their outdoor living dreams to life,” says Robert Frost, Operations Manager at System Pavers.