Top 5 Outdoor Design Trends of 2018

[soliloquy id=“10145”]

The season of outdoor fun and entertaining is back! Whether it’s an intimate balcony or a spacious backyard, Fireside wants to help you create the perfect outdoor living space. So get ready to get inspired with our top 5 picks of outdoor design trends for 2018.

1. Comfortable Furniture. This summer, people are bringing the comforts of the indoors outside with deep-seated cushions, over-sized pillows and bold area rugs. While comfort is the objective here it’s equally as important that your furniture be weatherproof and durable. The latest styles involve a lot of mixing and matching. Try blending stripes with geometric prints, mixing bright colors with simple patterns or pairing pastels with vintage pieces.
2. Fire Feature. Get the conversation going around a cozy & inviting fire pit table. The round look of an outdoor fire pit has evolved. This year, people are leaning more towards “fire pit tables” because of their versatility and angular shapes. For larger spaces, you can get a rectangular, high-top fire pit that doubles as a dining table. Or perhaps a short square-shaped fire pit that doubles as a coffee table for smaller spaces. Popular designs involve contrasting textures. Pairing raw materials with industrial elements.
3. Outdoor Kitchen. Bring the heart of the home outdoors. Whether you have a stand-up grill on a balcony, or a built-in outdoor kitchen in your yard, the charm of alfresco dining appeals to all. This year people are looking to entertain more, so specialty items like pizza ovens, outdoor bars and margarita centers will be popping up. People are also looking to create a seamless movement between inside and outside by focusing on flooring. Tiles that look like wood have become a popular tend for flooring both inside and out. The tiles hold up well and are easy to clean. Give your balcony the polish of a room by painting it to match the walls and railings. Outdoor floor rugs also tie together large or small spaces nicely.
4. Backyard Garden. While backyard gardens are by no means new, the way people are designing them certainly is. This year, people are incorporating their outdoor gardening space into their entertainment area. This then serves as a multi-functional space. Container gardens are popular for growing your own food on a balcony. Choose colors that complement your overall landscape design and start with some easy-to-grow options that do well in containers. Local plants and flowers also create a peaceful setting and require less care and maintenance.
5. Lighting. Add depth and whimsy to your landscape with outdoor lighting. Strip lighting works great when illuminating steps, pathways and special features. Solar lights are easy to steak into the ground and don’t require any complex wiring. String lights create a festive feel and can be hung over your fence, railing or pergola. For a more romantic atmosphere try tucking your string lights in and around trees or bushes to create a “twinkling” effect when the wind blows.

So this year, extend your living space without the cost and hassle of an addition or remodel. Transform your outdoor living space into an extra room to entertain with any one of our top 5 picks for 2018’s best design trends.