Description
Unity Marketing, in association with The American Marketing Group, just completed this 40-page report, Design Is Moving Outdoors and the Trends to Get You There. It reports the results of a survey with ~200 designers, architects and contracts, along with highlights of designers and companies that are making the most of the outdoor living design opportunity.
Among the key findings:
- Nearly 90% of the ~200 designers surveyed have been active in outdoor living projects in the last two years. Of those who didn’t work outdoors, their clients simply didn’t ask for it. This may be only a problem of perception. Designers are often thought of as “Interior Designers,” which by definition limits their scope and expertise to interior home spaces. Designers need to help their clients see the bigger possibilities. They can work both inside and outside the home.
- Over 80% of designers surveyed identified outdoor living projects as their top growth category, followed by whole-house design (73%). While a majority (60%) also see their interior-only business growing, demand is greatest for outdoor and whole-house projects.
Included in this report are profiles of designers who specialize in outdoor living. They provide guidance on how they approach outdoor living projects, like these:
- “It’s words and concepts like comfort, sanctuary, meditation spaces. People want a place to escape. That is what they are using their backyards for,” says Tom Mirabile, Springboard Futures
- “Everything you used to do indoors you now do outdoors too. People are living in their gardens,” says architect and designer Monica Armani.
- “Clients are investing more time and money on their surroundings for health and wellness. Outdoor areas need to be filled with quality products that give a good feeling,” says designer Bob Segers, Studio Segers.
And from one of our survey respondents:
- “Outdoors is no longer a separate space, but a continuation of what’s happening on the interior. With Covid-19, nature has become an essential resource to stay healthy and happy and that means outdoor will be increasingly important. The line between what looks indoor vs. outdoor is becoming ever more blurred. Outdoor fabrics are becoming softer while maintaining durability and performance, colors are limitless, and the materials and shapes mimic interiors more and more.”
This report will open the door for designers into the great opportunity outdoors.
