2020 was the year that we all become a little too familiar with the same four walls, a year in which we slept more, stressed more, and spent less time with friends. For many, the only escape was to spend a few hours in the garden enjoying the boundless peace and quiet. After becoming reacquainted with our outdoor spaces, 2021 became the year for patio renovations. There have been a number of interesting trends for outdoor furniture and as the seasons change and the year progresses, these changes continue. If you’re looking for inspiration to renovate your patio or garden in 2021, take a look at these outdoor design trends.
Creating More Sustainable Spaces
Sustainability is key in 2021. We’re all becoming a little more aware of the impact that we have on the world around us and self-composting, recycling, and eco-friendly products are more popular than ever. More homeowners are investing in self-composting heaps. It’s a great way to get rid of waste without overloading the local landfills and it can also help your garden to flourish. More attention is being paid to local wildlife, as well, with green-fingered homeowners looking for solutions that support pollinators, feed the birds, and create a buzzing, joyful yard that’s always full of life and color. Other sustainable options include investing in outdoor furniture made from recycled plastics, just like the ones sold here at Seven Summers. Not only will you promote a sustainable product and manufacturing process, but you’ll get something that is built to last, something that won’t fade, rot, or rust.
Utilizing Biophilic Designs
The word “biophilia” comes from the Greek words meaning “life” and “love/fondness”, and it refers to a design style that emphasizes nature and beauty. It’s about creating a blend between the indoors and the outdoors; a seamless transition between these two polar opposite worlds. The goal is to join the spaces together, making it seem like your garden is merely an extension of your home, another room to play, dine, and entertain. One of the ways you can create this aesthetic is to rearrange the furniture indoors and outdoors to make it seem like it’s all one big room. For instance, you can purchase a set of furniture that includes multiple chairs and benches, placing half of these outdoors and the other half in the connecting indoor space. Once you throw open the doors and windows, the biophilic aesthetic is complete, and you’ll feel like you’re just walking through your home as you enter your garden. The look can be completed by adding some indoor plants and other complementary décor while ensuring there is plenty of natural light.
Going Big in Small Spaces
You don’t need a big yard or patio to invest in outdoor furniture. 2021 is the year of getting something from nothing, turning the smallest spaces into outdoor havens. Whether you have a small patch of grass in the middle of the city or a balcony overlooking other houses, there’s always something you can do. Look for compact furniture that can be folded away when not in use and complement it with lots of little pots. The more flowers, trees, and greenery you have, the more natural that outdoor space will feel, even if it overlooks a graffiti-covered apartment block.
Growing Fruits and Vegetables Throughout the Year
Self-sustainability is a hot topic in 2021. Food shortages created a panic in 2020. People stockpiled more than they needed, and the result was empty shelves and panic. Generally, the United States has more than enough food to keep the grocery stores packed and it’ll take more than consumer panic and a global pandemic to bring that to a halt. However, it’s fair to say that we’d all feel a little better about ourselves if we had our very own grocery store just a few feet away. An increasing number of Americans are growing fruits and vegetables, focusing on high-yield, high-energy foodstuffs and looking for year-round harvests. You can eat fresh and seasonal fruits and vegetables, and all it takes is a little hard work and a few bags of seeds. If you don’t have a lot of space, don’t worry, as you can still join in. Hydroponic systems are very popular right now and they’re also small enough to sit on your counter, growing everything from mint and basil to tomatoes and chilies. As for outdoor spaces, you can cram a lot of strawberries, blueberries, radishes, and tomatoes into a relatively small space. Of course, you won’t get a year-round yield, but you can certainly find something to put on the family dinner table and save you a few bucks.
Preparing for Year-Round Use
The more time we spent indoors, the more desperate we became to get outside! With that in mind, it’s no surprise that homeowners are looking to adapt their outdoor spaces for use in all seasons. It usually means focusing more on adaptable and durable materials and overlooking wood (which can rot and break) and metal (which can rust). It also means thinking twice about fabrics because while some of them are made to withstand cold and wet weather, as well as direct sunlight, others will capitulate within a few weeks. Lighting also needs to be considered. You should be okay during those long summer nights, when there’s enough light to keep you drinking, eating, and dancing until the small hours, but when winter arrives, you’ll need to prepare. A firepit is a great option for an outdoor garden. It will provide you and your guests with some much-needed heat during the colder weather, and it’ll also shed some light on your midnight activities. Other popular lighting options include solar lights, which soak up the sunshine through the day and emanate a warm glow during the night, and dimmer lights. You can even install smart lights that you can activate using a smartphone or voice commands.
Creating More Natural Views
How many times have you found yourself locked inside the house, staring longingly out of the window, and wishing you had something more interesting to look at? You’re not alone, as it’s a position that countless Americans found themselves in during 2020, and 2021 became the year in which we all decided to do something about it. If you don’t have much of a view to look at, you can create one. Add some flowerpots, trees, and other décor to your outdoor space; it’s a canvas, so get creative! It’s all about perspective. After all, you’re only focusing on the view from one window, whether it’s an office window or a bedroom window. As a result, you don’t need to change all of your front yard or backyard. You don’t need to uproot your home and move somewhere with more pleasing scenery. You just need to cram enough greenery in front of the window so that your immediate perspective is natural, beautiful, and bucolic.
