Top 10 Trends in Outdoor Living

Curious about what’s going to be hot this summer (besides the weather)? We polled the experts (Joel Seibert, Mountain View Building Materials; Jason Russell, AKA, Dr. Decks; and Geneviève Gagnon, La Grande Quincaillerie) and have boiled down their input into this handy top 10 list

1. Privacy

Seibert recalls the saying; “The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago, the next best time is now.” So, absent a hot tub time machine, privacy screens are hot, whether incorporated into new deck or landscape feature construction, or retrofitted into existing structures.

2. Colour Schemes

Dr. Decks says adding alternate colour surface borders (or patterns) on top of deck frames is picking up steam, while another big one is segmenting sections of larger decks to maximize board lengths while having fewer surface butt joints for a cleaner look. Gagnon says 2023 colour/material trends include natural rattan, natural wood, natural stone, citrus, and yellow-green.

3. Furniture

Given the trend to extend indoor comforts outdoors, people want to have cozy, comfortable furniture, says Gagnon. “It’s an area where they can either relax, sit by the fire, watch TV, or even work from.” Trends in furniture are towards natural rattan or wood, she adds.

4. Lighting

Homeowners and landscape designers have been adding lighting everywhere, allowing people to enjoy their outdoor living spaces more hours of the day and more days of the year, Seibert says. Lighting additions are very important, Gagnon adds, given that most of the time spent in this area is at night.

5. Deck Board Bending

No trend list would be complete without Dr. Decks’ signature methodology to customize deck shape. “I exclusively use AZEK decking and Heatcon heat forming kits to make my curves a reality,” he says.

6. Artificial Plants

As the Radiohead song prophesied, artificial plants have become a growing segment, Gagnon says. “People use them to decorate their balconies or their outdoor living area.” In fact, they look so natural nowadays that they can also be used inside. Thom Yorke is smiling somewhere.

7. Modularization

Seibert says that landscape designs are adopting an interior design approach. “We are seeing more designs come across our desk that have specific areas in the landscape design.” Different ‘rooms’ are emerging outdoors: kitchens, entertaining areas, areas for accommodating more guests, and spots with a more private feel. Gagnon echoes the sentiment that intimacy is important and says people create this by using real or artificial plants, decorative trellises, and wooden fences.

8. Finishing Touches

Dr. Decks says that the ideal way to finish your deck is with Regal ideas’ Crystal Rail, a frameless glass system that lights up as a beautiful blue pane of glass at dusk. He notes this product will have a jaw dropping effect while preserving your view during daylight.

9. Weather Proofing

Gagnon says gazebos, solariums, and pergolas are always consistent sellers, but customers are now going for better built and more fashionable products. Out: fabric gazebos and polycarbonate roofs. In: sturdy steel roofs that withstand weather and the elements.

10. Faux Wood

When it comes to outdoor cladding and siding products, the trend is towards engineered wood, metal, and fibre cement products that are finished to mimic natural wood, Seibert says. More and more, these products are being developed to look “natural” and not so manufactured, plus—and this is the year when the public started to pay attention—wildfire protection is an important consideration.

BY ROB BLACKSTIEN