With summer here, there is still time to get your patio, deck, or other outdoor living area planned and built. Learn about trends in outdoor living for 2017 to freshen up your space.

Top Outdoor Living Trends of 2017

1. Improved Lighting

Lighting is a necessity in outdoor living rooms for safety as well as ambiance. Without adequate lighting, you’ll constantly struggle to find your way around. Insufficient lighting limits your use of the space to daylight and evening hours.

LED lighting is energy efficient and flexible, which makes it ideal for a range of exterior lighting solutions.

2. Deluxe kitchens 

As homeowners are spending more time in their outdoor living rooms, it’s no wonder they’ve been investing in more than the basic BBQ. Nowadays, pizza ovens, refrigerators, freezers, and beer taps are becoming common.

To accommodate deluxe kitchens, consider installing a mini bar, bar railing, or multiple cooking surfaces that make it easier to entertain.

3. Outdoor Entertainment Stations

As electronics manufacturers are upgrading their all-weather offerings, outdoor living entertainment stations are becoming more popular. Secure, wall-mounted entertainment centers offer weatherproof media storage and keep cords out of sight. Companies like SunBrite make outdoor televisions and weatherproof projection screens suitable for 24/7 use on decks and patios.

For an outdoor projector, brightness is more important than a high resolution. A 720p or 1080p projectors with a lumen rating greater than 2,000 is a good start. To finish out your home entertainment studio, invest in dedicated outdoor speakers or full-range speakers that connect to your home audio system.

4. Integrated Water Features

Water features, such as water fountains or koi ponds, are on the rise in outdoor living spaces. The sound of trickling water is naturally soothing, plus it drowns out ambient noise in the neighborhood. If you long to put in a fountain or even a hot tub, integrating this feature into your deck is a great way to get the most “wow factor” from your outdoor living room.

If you want a deck where you can grill, soak in the spa, and relax, add layers that accommodate the broad range of uses. Multilevel decks create separate zones where your family can do different things, extending your outdoor living room’s utility.   Here we can construct a waterfall wall to act as a privacy screen or simple space divider.

Low-maintenance composite materials, such as decking systems from Azek, work well for outdoor areas that house water features, spas, or pools. Naturally stain-resistant and scratch-resistant, Azek’s products are also great for outdoor kitchens, play spaces with kids, and much more.

5. Luxury Textiles and Materials

Move over, plastic and wicker. Today’s outdoor living rooms use luxury textiles and materials that bring the indoors outside. In the outdoor kitchen, natural materials like granite are not only practical, they are deluxe. For seating, basic wooden and plastic furniture is increasingly being replaced by oversized sofas and chairs with washable cushion covers. Not only does luxury furniture look better than the simple stuff, but it’s often more comfortable. As you’re spending more time outside enjoying campfires or barbecuing, you’ll notice the difference in comfort.

At Kehoe Kustom, we love to help homeowners define and implement their perfect outdoor living areas. To talk about outdoor living trends with us, reach out today.