Coronavirus Drives Residential Outdoor Living Demand And Trends

Outdoor living spaces have been growing in popularity and amenities for years, but the restrictions imposed by the coronavirus are spurring even greater demand, new planning strategies and interesting new amenities, industry pros report. Here’s what they’re seeing and predicting through next year.

Pandemic Effects

“Stay at home and shelter in place orders have made homeowners keenly aware of both their indoor and outdoor space,” observes Kate Bailey, senior director of category management for the Ferguson Bath, Kitchen & Lighting Gallery chain. “They are investing more now that they are spending more time at home and traveling less due to the pandemic.”

There’s a silver lining to the restrictions, she notes:  “You’re able to see this as a time where you can reconnect with your family or nature. You can create a space where you embrace a more active lifestyle. Perhaps you can begin a circuit workout or take up a new hobby like gardening, grilling or bocce.”

Pent-up Demand

“Everyone has been cooped up since mid-March,” laments architect Michael A. Menn, owner of an eponymous Chicago-based design build firm. “If you live in the northern half of the U.S., you might not have been able to spend much time outdoors” earlier this year. “I have seen more people ask for outdoor living environments, screened porches, gazebos and decks,” he shares, adding, “Being able to spend outdoor time with your family has been an escape – and  close to freedom! People are enjoying their outdoor environments more and more.”

Fellow Chicago design build pro Vanessa Slivinski, design director of Chicago Roof Deck & Garden, agrees: “We have received a record amount of leads since the beginning of April.” What’s new and potentially pandemic-related, she comments, is many clients’ approach. “Not all homeowners are looking to bite off on an entire project at once, due to the uncertainty of the economy. We’ve seen a lot of clients interested in designing a master plan and then discussing how to break up the project into a few phases.” She calls this strategy “phasing,” and says it’s become a popular topic of conversation this year.  

Veteran landscape designer Susan Cohan in Chatham, New Jersey is also seeing surging demand, she says. “Our design business was sluggish in March and April due to cold, rain and COVID-19 shutdowns. In late April, the floodgates opened and we are very busy now. We are even working on projects to be built in 2021.”

Privacy And Greenery Desired

“We’re seeing a huge increase in requests for shade structures and privacy screening,” Slivinski says. “This hits on the fact that homeowners want to feel secluded in their spaces, even though their homes tend to be a few feet from their neighbors. Also, shade plays a huge factor in making a space comfortable.” One way to achieve seclusion is with plant-filled structures. “We’re advocating for more greenery,” the designer comments. “The addition of plant material to any size can create a more relaxing and inviting atmosphere.”

“There is a genuine increase in interest in gardens that serve the environment rather than dominate it,” shares Cohan. “There are still clipped hedges and manicured lawns, but there is a shift in their care. People want to grow organically without pesticides.”

She is suggesting to clients that they combine space and amenities for family gatherings with places for growing food and other plants, like “cutting gardens and ways to foster discovery and an interest in the natural world for children. We always suggest natural play spaces over built swing-sets,” she says. Cohan’s recommendations, welcomed by an increasing number of prospective clients, include locally-sourced materials, native plants, attracting pollinators and supporting sustainability. 

Luxury Amenities Desired

Popular outdoor living features also include luxuries like premium lighting, fireplaces and comfortable furniture. The goal, Ferguson’s Bailey comments, is to be able to enjoy being outside as much of the year as possible. “Luxury hotels around the world offer remarkable balconies for yoga, or fire features for making s’mores,” Bailey notes, pointing out that homeowners are looking to recreate those experiences at home. This desire will likely accelerate if the pandemic continues into the fall and winter, when school breaks and long weekends will be spent more at home than away.

Grills have always been at the heart of outdoor living, and that hasn’t changed. They’ve only grown more sophisticated. “Functional additions such as side burners and warming drawers provide more space to cook, keep prepared food warm and minimize extra trips in and out of the home,” Bailey shares, adding, “A weather-rated sink and pull-out bar faucet allow you to prep food on the spot.” All of these outdoor cooking and prep centers are enhanced by task lighting.

Future Demand

Will this surge in outdoor living demand continue? “Post-vaccine may mean that people will feel more comfortable leaving their homes and want to spend less time there. However, it feels like this pandemic has opened a lot of eyes on the importance of having a usable and comfortable outdoor space,” Slivinski observes.   

Cohan hedges her optimism. “It will completely depend on the housing market and the economy. Immediately post-quarantine, yes, because people have been staring at their properties for months dreaming of improvements. The real test will come when the economy opens up and we see what is damaged. Those with the means to hire designers and architects [will] still have the means.” Whether enough independent professionals and small firms survive to meet their demands remains to be seen.