Since the weather is warming up, more homeowners are choosing to spend time in their yards. They’re also upgrading these outdoor areas, particularly their backyards, to make them even more inviting. Over half of the homeowners that participated in a recent poll said they were planning to spend at least 6 hours in their outdoor spaces every week. In addition to just relaxing, other activities that they’re planning to enjoy include gardening and entertaining.
While most Americans believe having a yard is important, even more think that it should also be well-maintained. On average, people in the United States spend about 4 hours a week just caring for their lawns. Given busy schedules and other obligations, however, this may not be enough time to take care of all their home’s landscaping needs.
Harris Poll recently conducted a survey on behalf of the National Association of Landscape Professionals. The results showed that 67% of Americans agreed that they would have a nicer yard if it was handled professionally by a landscape designer.
Along with having a nice landscape design, homeowners are adding other features to their yards. The “2016 Residential Landscape Architecture Trends Survey” found that these were the most popular outdoor design elements:
- Fire pits and fireplaces: 74.9%
- Lighting: 66.6%
- Wireless Internet connectivity: 65.8%
- Pergolas: 50.9%
- Decks: 47.4%
- Arbors: 44.3%
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In addition to the above, homeowners are also adding outdoor structures. The landscaping survey found that these were the most popular structures:
When purchasing a house, many new homebuyers want to have patios, according to the Hearth, Patio and Barbecue Association. These are 1 of the top-3 features that are requested when looking for homes.
If you’re planning to put your house on the market, approximately 90% of real estate agents will encourage sellers to landscape beforehand. Since this can increase a home’s resale value by 14%, landscaping is also an excellent investment. Just imagine the return on your investment if you also worked with a patio designer!
Not planning to sell? Then chances are that you want to beautify your outdoor spaces for your personal enjoyment. When you consult with a patio designer, they will be able to make recommendations on how to transform your yard and other outdoor living areas.
Whether you have your mind set on a soothing water feature, an outdoor kitchen, or an arbor of cascading flowers over a luxurious patio or deck, your landscape and patio designer will be able to bring what you imagine into being. Then you will find yourself spending even more time outdoors just relaxing or entertaining family and friends.
