When the Covid-19 pandemic forced people to find extended respite in their own backyards, it sparked a new movement to update and upgrade their outdoor aesthetics.
Now, decked out with sophisticated cooking and dining areas, dedicated areas for conversation, and even outdoor movie nights, backyards are mini retreats, many complete with smart technology for lighting, sound systems … even turning on your firepit from afar.
“Clients today are seeking outdoor environments that rival the comfort, functionality and sophistication of interior spaces,” says Punit Chugh, co-founder of BuildLabs, a Bridgehampton-based custom builder of luxury modular homes.
At Dragonfly Landscape Design in Westhampton Beach, owner Barbara Watral says much of their work—especially since the pandemic—is about “bringing the inside to the outside and we’re seeing that in both garden areas and the larger outdoor space.” General manager Joe Graviano, who handles design schematics, says that’s not limited to just designing al fresco living rooms and kitchens, but “creating absolutely separate rooms and experiences outside” such as dining and firepit areas in a natural setting defined by plantings and lighting.
He noted those areas tend farther away and typically set off by shrubs, trees or a small stand of trees, illuminated from various vantage points. “These places are magical and they are comfort zones that take you out of and away from the house,” he says. Dragonfly specializes in lighting, which can extend the entertainment possibilities for your home, says Watral. “Outdoor light can give a lot of drama to a house that doesn’t have any.” And, there’s the added benefit of providing safe passage through the grounds at night, she says.
At Oceanview Landscapes in Water Mill, marketing manager Ryan Dance says “just as people designed inside the home to fit their lifestyles, they are doing the same with the outside.”
“It’s not just generic pool space, but going one step further to really fit into their lifestyle,” he says. That includes extending interior color palettes beyond the walls and combining entertaining with food prep and dining.
Clients are also requesting updates to existing structures such as pool houses, patios and pergolas, giving them new life with multi functions and ultimately increasing the ROI on home resale, he says. On the softer side, Dance says Oceanview, a full-service landscaping company, has fielded more requests for interactive installments—a kitchen garden with herbs and vegetables, for example, or cutting gardens.
Also trending: more requests for native plants that soften a space. “We see people breaking away from boxwoods and getting into more native plants species and using those to create softer textures and aesthetics around their recreation areas,” Dance says. Two added benefits to the native garden: less maintenance and more important pollinators.
There’s been a change in outdoor recreation, too, with a focus on new passive activity courts multi generations can enjoy. Dance says they’ve gotten a few requests for bocce courts and conversions of tennis courts to pickleball. Watral, too, sees a shift to pickleball and pétanque, the French version of bocce. The sports courts, she says, tend to be set off—hidden in plain view so as to create the physical activity space, but not interfere with other entertaining.
Photo: John Musnicki
BuildLabs is taking the outdoor lifestyle concept even further.
Chugh says “We’ve seen a significant shift toward outdoor spaces becoming fully realized living environments rather than secondary amenities.” And that includes a trend toward spa-focused retreats and more requests for wellness courtyards—tranquil spaces for practicing meditation and mindfulness that Chugh says is “an outdoor living experience that feels intimate, luxurious and deeply connected to the surrounding environment.”
At Groundworks in East Hampton, co-founder and designer Kim Hren says “the newest thing that’s coming up recently for us are outdoor saunas and cold plunges.” Her business partner, Linda Silich, is a landscape designer and a personal trainer, giving the company a unique ability to help clients who want to unite nature and wellness.
“You can have a really nice spa with a cold plunge next to it in a very naturalized garden, so it kind of feels like it all fits together,” she says.staging stops being about furniture and starts becoming a true driver of value.
