| The Outdoor Room® Trends | cabinetry is outpacing traditional masonry outdoor kitchens with built-in doors and drawers. The Brown Jordan Outdoor Kitchens 2019 Outdoor Living Report finds people want outdoor cabinetry to look, feel, and function like indoor cabinetry, be durable enough to withstand the elements, and require minimal maintenance. DiClerico is seeing a trend toward sleek finishes and soft-close doors in outdoor cabinetry. Another revelation, according to Slater, is that outdoor cabinetry is moving beyond traditional outdoor kitchen usage and gaining traction in installations such as satellite bartending stations, outdoor coffee bars, garages, boat docks, horse barns, pool houses, and tennis courts. According to ASLA, fire pits and fireplaces are among the most-requested outdoor landscape elements, included
in 66% of projects, besting seating and dining areas (64%) and outdoor kitchens (59%), but, interestingly, slightly behind dog-related recreation areas (68%). The 2019 “Pinterest 100” list of top trends, gleaned from search-volume patterns on the social media platform, indicates searches for indoor and outdoor fireplaces, particularly for those with sleek, modern designs, were up 763% on the site last year. Overhead Structures Overhead structures are trending because they help increase the usability of outdoor spaces, according to homeimprovement authority Danny Lipford, host of the nationally syndicated “Today’s Homeowner” television and radio shows and podcasts. Lipford says solid-ceilinged pavilions and porches offer the most protection from the elements, but there are
creative shade and shelter options for every budget, including pergolas, stationary and retractable awnings, shade sails, and even umbrellas. The most recent Residential Landscape Architecture Trends Survey conducted by the American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA) reveals pergolas are requested in more than 48% of outdoor living projects. Today’s pergola systems increasingly incorporate fabric or louvered panels that can be closed manually or by remote-control for added shade and shelter. ASLA reports arbors (37%), porches (33%), and pavilions (33%) are other popular requests. According to Forbes, architectural structures such as pergolas, seating walls, fireplaces, and vertical planting walls are being used to delineate distinct rooms for conversation, television viewing,
In this contemporary Outdoor Room, Ryan Hughes Design provided a nightclub atmosphere, with spaces for relaxation, entertainment, and fitness. There’s an outdoor kitchen, a spa, fire pit, pool with sun-tanning ledge, bubblers, swim jets, and a cover for safety.
26 | AUGUST 2019 | www.hearthandhome.com
PHOTO COURTESY: ©2019 RYAN HUGHES WWW.RYANHUGHESDESIGN.COM. PHOTOGRAPHER: JIM SMITH PHOTOGRAPHY. WWW.JIMSMITHPHOTOGRAPHY.COM.