Over the last few years, you’ve likely spent more time at home than ever before. As a result, you’re more conscious of how you use your space and how design can impact your comfort and ease. To give you a bit more variety beyond your home’s walls, consider redesigning your outdoor spaces to create a haven for recreation and relaxation. Best of all, outdoor spaces add value to your home if you plan to sell.

If you need ideas on how to revamp your outdoor spaces, consider these top five outdoor design trends. Get inspired and create your own outdoor oasis.

1. Functionality

Homeowners are prioritizing day-to-day use of their outdoor spaces instead of entertaining, driving a need for functionality. Practical elements like lighting and audio technology can elevate the outdoor space. Other features like shade structures, privacy walls and screens, built-in barbecue grills and Wi-Fi allow you to use the space for working, relaxing, cooking and more.

2. Defined rooms

Whether it’s an outdoor kitchen, office or living room, homeowners are leaning toward more efficient, defined outdoor spaces. Homeowners want to use outdoor living on a day-to-day basis to unwind, connect with nature and take advantage of the health and well-being benefits the outdoors provide. Having an outdoor office can increase your productivity while decreasing stress as you enjoy the greenery and fresh air. Adding an outdoor kitchen may inspire you to make dishes using herbs and veggies you’ve grown in your garden, and an outdoor living room can help you bring the family together at the end of the school and workday.

3. Monochromatic colors with accents

While lighter, tone-on-tone color palettes remain popular, accent colors and accessories are on the rise. Using cool, monochromatic tones with choice accent colors can create a brighter or contrasting outdoor living space. Jetset, Belgard’s 2022 Color of the Year, is a true blue that is the perfect pop of color to enhance any color palette. “Jetset is a much-needed dose of liveliness and joy,” said Joe Raboine, director of residential hardscapes at Belgard. “It represents the excitement of a new year and the readiness to do more, be more and live more.”

4. Modular design and geometric patterns

Another popular trend is modular, geometric standard patterns composed of clean lines and simple formats. Simple patterns create a modern, uncluttered aesthetic that emphasizes furniture or other focal points in the space. Large format patterns and pavers also lend themselves to this style, allowing for more efficient installation.

5. Entangled design

As people blend their outdoor spaces to serve as extensions of their homes, many are focusing on entangled design, which combines the surrounding landscape with the hardscape design. Fractured edges with no defined break, natural stone transitions and irregular edges blended with boulders, grass and aggregate create a more natural, organic look that enhances design continuity. To increase the depth of greens, grays and other neutral tones associated with entangled, biophilic design, consider using Jetset as the accent color for your outdoor spaces.

Feeling inspired but don’t know where to start? For more inspiration and a templated approach to design outdoor spaces that fit your needs and style, visit Belgard.com/Rooms. (BPT)

Susan Brewer Service First Real Estate (636)936-8600