Designing the Outdoors
Designing the Outdoors By Ambika Seshadri

Ever since September 11, more people are staying home and not venturing out as much. At the same time, no one wants to be cooped up inside. As a result, backyards are becoming more like extensions of homes, and the trend of making an outdoor room has expanded to decorating the outdoors. Instead of just creating a space outdoors, gardeners are hanging art, adding decorative lighting and spending money on interesting textiles. There are a number of things you can do to take advantage of this market and help your customers design the outdoor living space they want.
Keeping Design in Mind
There are several important things to remember about decorating and design in general. Decorating takes a great deal of visualization skills, and not everybody has these. You can make it easier for your customers to know what they want by helping them visualize their outdoor living spaces. Creating demonstrations of various arrangements and designs is just one way to do this. Displaying helpful pictures and offering general advice on design may also be an effective selling strategy.
An outdoor space should complement the architectural design of the house itself. Furthermore, the design of the living space should be appropriate to the amount of space available and the fact that the space is outdoors and subject to varying weather conditions.
Decorating Trends
Color. Color is big. More people are looking for furniture and décor that strays from classic color schemes. Hot colors are popular; even those consumers who typically stick with pastels are going for bolder shades.
Durability. As far as furniture is concerned, it’s all about durability. Tastes in patio furniture are changing. People no longer want plastic chairs or patio chaises with woven fabrics, which tend to wear quickly. People are investing money in teak or all-weather wicker — furniture that can withstand the elements and look new for longer periods of time.
Entertaining. As entertaining becomes an important consideration in designing outdoor living space, polycarbonate pitchers and tableware have become incredibly popular. People want things that are multi-functional, attractive and able to tolerate outdoor use without breaking or showing wear.
Concrete. Concrete is increasingly being used for decorative purposes. Concrete is durable, inexpensive and surprisingly well adapted to design. It doesn’t have to be drab and gray. Concrete can be stained in a number of colors, and designs can be scored on its surface. Using various molds, it is possible to make furniture from concrete, which works well for the outdoors. Weather-resistant cushioning can be used to increase comfort.
Bamboo. Bamboo is currently very popular for landscaping and outdoor design. Bamboo is versatile; it can be used to make screening fences or simply to add decoration. Giant timber bamboos add architectural structure to the yard. Additionally, a large variety of bamboo furniture is available. Bamboo can also be used around fountains and waterfalls to complete the look with an Asian touch.
Mosaics and sculptural pieces. Mosaics and interesting sculptural pieces are also quite popular for outdoor décor, especially with single-female homeowners. Broken pottery and china hold a great deal of appeal for women to fashion into mosaic designs.
Heat and illumination. Another important thing to consider is that we are heading into the winter season. Weather is getting colder; the sun sets earlier. As a result, outdoor fireplaces and fire pits are becoming popular. The heat and light these fireplaces generate enable people to stay outside longer.
People are looking for anything that increases the comfort of being outside and improves the atmosphere for outdoor entertaining. Rugs and lamps are also being designed specifically to withstand the elements, increasing the number of typical indoor amenities that can be used outside.
Demographics
One important aspect to consider about outdoor designing is consumer demographics. The three main demographics — Baby Boomers, single-owner households and Generation Y couples — are all interested in different things. The group that’s driving sales in things like outdoor plumbing, kitchens and entertainment systems is the Baby Boomers. This is the trend of creating a complete outdoor living space that includes all the amenities of the indoors, such as weather-proof kitchens and stoves, wiring for music, etc.
We’re all feeling the effects of rising gas prices, and people are cutting back on other expenses to make ends meet. Furthermore, statistics show that the number of single-owner households is now greater than the number of multiple-owner households. For the most part, these are single, working women who are interested in getting the most bang for their buck. They don’t have a lot of time or money to spend, so they want quick fixes — cheap and easy ways to improve their outdoor living spaces. This is the driving force behind the current trend of bright, bold colors.
The third group — Generation Y couples — is still in its early stages. They are going to be interested in more traditional, romantic styles that reflect a sense of gentility. Taking all this into consideration, an important decision to make is which of these demographics to target, whether it be a more upscale, Boomer-oriented marketing strategy, one focused on single-female homeowners or one catering to the upcoming Generation Y couples. Find out who your average customer is, and the decision will be a little easier.



Ambika Seshadri

Ambika Seshadri is former editorial assistant of Lawn & Garden Retailer. For any questions about the article, contact Catherine Evans by phone at (847) 391-1050 or E-mail at [email protected].