2014’s Most Wanted Outdoor Trends

Nicole Wisniewski

A whopping 94.2% of landscape architects rated gardens and landscaped spaces as popular among their customers this year, according to the 2014 Residential Landscape Architecture Trends Survey conducted by the American Society of Landscape Architects.

Outdoor living spaces came in second (mainly kitchens and entertainment spaces) at 92%, following by outdoor recreation in third place at 75.8%.

What specific features are in top demand this year? Ninety-eight percent of survey respondents said lighting was in high demand, followed by seating/dining areas (97.7%), fire pits, fireplaces (95.4%), grills (94.3%) and installed seating (89.6%), which includes benches, seat walls, ledges, steps and boulders.

“Homeowners know that designed landscapes add value to their lives as well as their property values,” explains ASLA Executive Vice President and CEO Nancy Somerville. “They’re interested in livable, open spaces that are both stylish and earth friendly.” GP