With the onset of warm weather, homeowners’ attention is increasingly turning to the Great Outdoors. So is the attention of savvy homebuilders, residential remodelers and kitchen/bath design firms looking to increase their profits in 2023 and beyond.
And there’s ample reasons for the increased attention.
According to consumer-research firms, trade associations and other credible sources, both wellness and its related desire for homeowners to connect to nature are among the key factors fueling current and emerging trends in residential design. The growing emphasis on outdoor living spaces is among those trends.
While it may seem largely seasonal, the burgeoning focus on outdoor living has been a notable design trend for several years already. Both the National Kitchen & Bath Association and the American Institute of Architects, for example, cited outdoor living as a growing trend in annual surveys prior to the COVID-19 global pandemic.
But the impact of COVID-19 – and its resultant emphasis on physical and emotional wellbeing – has dramatically exacerbated that trend, casting a spotlight on many of the ways that well-designed outdoor living spaces can serve as a natural extension of today’s home, a personal sanctuary for homeowners, an investment that can add considerable value to a dwelling, and a significant profit opportunity for the residential design trade (see related Outdoor Kitchen Portfolio, Page 38).
Outdoor amenities such as entertainment centers, dining/cooking areas and fully equipped kitchens are all reportedly witnessing increased demand, coinciding with the current inflationary climate in which many homebuying prospects are choosing to remodel their current home rather than relocate.
Designers, remodelers, architects and homebuilders are responding to this spike in demand by structurally opening kitchens, baths and other interior spaces to the outdoors – or by specifying windows, glass doors and other products that provide for both natural light and a palpable connection to patios, porches, balconies, decks, gardens and terraces.
But there’s far more that’s currently being done – and other exciting possibilities that design pros should mull.
Countertops and touchless faucets that mirror their indoor counterparts are increasingly migrating to the outdoors, albeit with anti-corrosive coatings that resist the impact of sunshine, moisture and other environmental factors. Refrigeration is expanding beyond the typical undercounter unit, with beverage storage, icemakers and refrigerator drawers increasing in popularity. Cooking appliances – from standard grills and rotisseries to specialty items such as griddles, pizza ovens and gaucho grills – are increasingly being specified, along with outdoor dishwashers. Portable bars and taps are another popular addition to outdoor entertainment centers, with everything from small keg holders to rolling bars with refrigeration allowing for mobile entertaining.
And still, there’s more.
Stainless-steel cabinetry, available now in a variety of colors, is no longer limited to its former commercial-
looking, brushed-chrome aesthetic. Color and texture are similarly being used in both the body and drawer fronts of outdoor kitchen islands. Simulated concrete, stacked stone, wood finishes and powder-coated color details are also personalizing outdoor kitchens in a beautiful and inviting way.
At the same time, smart-home technology is increasingly finding its way into outdoor settings, as are firepits, indoor-style furniture, home-theater components, heating units and environmental controls that include accent lighting and weather-resistant, high-performance audio.
Creating beautiful and functional outdoor kitchens requires a wide range of specialty products, as well as specialized knowledge about outdoor-kitchen design principles. It also requires the type of expertise that kitchen and bath designers, if properly armed with knowledge, are uniquely qualified to deliver.
More than ever, designing outdoor spaces seems like a natural adjunct to what kitchen and bath design firms are so adept at doing inside the home. Design pros should set their sights on including outdoor spaces in the portfolio of projects they offer. It’s an opportunity for increased sales that should doubtless be plumbed. ▪