Originally Published on December 28, 2022. Last Updated on April 1, 2024.

The POLYWOOD team loves a good forecast, so we collaborated with three industry experts to create a list of outdoor living trends we’re predicting to be hits in the coming year. Ginger Curtis, owner and principal designer of Urbanology Designs; Sallie Lord, Principal Designer of GreyHunt Interiors; and Megan Pierson, Senior VP of Business Development at POLYWOOD, all lent their expertise to the cause.

Read on to see 18 fresh takes and continued faves in exterior design, colors, landscaping, lighting, and more—with a final flourish of six style ideas for your space that incorporate multiple trends.

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Jump to Section
Outdoor Design & Style Trends
Exterior Color & Material Trends
Outdoor Setting Trends
Garden & Landscaping Trends
Outdoor Lighting Trends
Try the Trends: 6 Ways to Style Your Space

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Outdoor Design & Style

Dream up a fresh patio edit with these new outdoor design trends.  

1. Outdoor Fire Pits & Fireplaces

Offering come-together coziness and light to linger throughout the night, it’s no wonder outdoor fire features are growing in popularity. There are so many styles available, from tiny tabletop types to glow-casting giants. 

  PRO TIP:  
If you want a fire without the work or worry of safety, stick to fire pit tables made from weatherproof materials that run on natural gas or propane. 

2. Hanging Furniture

The moment we see a porch swing, we’re transported to a state of relaxation. The sway-all-day comfort offered by this iconic style and other suspended furniture, such as hanging daybeds and hammocks, puts this outdoor trend on the upswing.

  PRO TIP:  
Before purchasing hanging furniture, we highly recommend checking that you have plenty of room and a solid structure that can support its weight and that of family members.

3. Multifunctional & Modular Furniture

Even though the list of ways to use your outdoor areas grows, the available square footage within them likely does not. Recognizing this, homeowners have set their sights on modular and multifunctional furniture they can use across different occasions and seasons. 

Try this out-of-the-box thinking in your home with alfresco dining sets that double as work-from-home desks, reconfigurable sectionals, or benches that transition from plant stands to extra seating.

4. Sculptural Styles

Outdoor furniture, lighting, and decor with curvy, sinuous forms have been trending for a while, and we expect these sculpted stars to continue rising. The contoured silhouettes and more fluid lines of sculpted designs blend beautifully with nature’s organic shapes and ever-shifting vignettes. 

5. Eco-Conscious Designs

The term “responsibly sourced materials” has become a mainstay in furniture design over the past several years. But now, we’re seeing the focus extend beyond what something is made of to how and where it’s made.

“Eco-friendly practices are becoming a defining feature of modern outdoor designs,” Curtis agrees. Here are just a few ways to bring sustainability to your backyard:

• Purchase furniture made from sustainable materials. High-density polyethylene (HDPE) is a recyclable plastic that’s infinitely reusable—an ideal option if you want to lighten your footprint while enhancing your lounge space. If you prefer wooden items, shop for products built from wood that’s reclaimed, farm-grown, or certified by the Forest Stewardship Council or other reputable organizations.
• Shop local. The Sustainable Furnishings Council suggests looking for companies near you with efficient shipping practices. Fewer resources are used when items are shipped domestically, leading to reduced carbon emissions. Plus, it’s a great opportunity to support local businesses.
• Try a DIY project. Upcycle materials in small- and large-scale backyard projects. Using what you have on hand or browsing thrift stores for materials saves money and keeps useful supplies out of landfills.
• Select solar-powered lighting. Switching to solar lights saves energy, money, and time. With reduced reliance on gas and electricity, you’ll see smaller utility bills, and installation is easy. Plus, you won’t have to worry about ongoing energy or maintenance costs, thanks to their reliance on clean and renewable sunlight.
• Use native and drought-resistant plants. Local flora is pre-acclimated to your climate and available at nearby garden centers, eliminating shipping expenses and extra care to ensure they thrive. Drought-resistant plants need less water, making them money- and water-saving options for drought-prone regions. 
• Save water. According to the Bureau of Reclamation, fresh water makes up 3% of all the water on our planet, but we can only use 0.5% of that amount, as the rest is polluted or trapped in glaciers, soil, and the atmosphere. Harvesting rainwater and other conservation techniques will protect and prolong this valuable resource.
• Support closed-loop manufacturing. When you shop from businesses that employ sustainable manufacturing methods, you’re endorsing reduced waste, resource preservation, circular economies, and cost savings for the company. 

What is Closed-Loop Manufacturing?

Closed-loop manufacturing is a key factor in a “circular economy” concept, where the production and consumption of goods both focus on recycling and reusing materials to reduce waste and maximize resource efficiency. Products are crafted with the intention of the materials being reclaimed at the end of their lifespans. This sustainable approach is kind to our planet, one that POLYWOOD has employed at our facilities in multiple facets, including:

• Sourcing post-consumer plastics and recycled plastic containers
• Designing our lumber from infinitely reusable HDPE
• Recovering 99% of plastic scraps from our production floor to create new lumber
• Recycling or upcycling leftover pallets, aluminum, fabric, and other post-industrial scraps

6. Outdoor Art

Families are putting personal touches in their backyards with outdoor art. “This attention to detail works harmoniously to create a cohesive and welcoming environment that beckons people outdoors,” Curtis adds. 

Style stone sculptures in your garden, hang photographs encased in waterproof outdoor frames, or display hand-painted flower pots gifted by children to bring that little extra something to the setting.

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Exterior Color & Material

7. Tactile & Visually Appealing Textiles

• Solution-dyed acrylics: The fibers made from a pre-dyed acrylic solution are typically woven into umbrella canopies, awnings, and cushion covers.
• Acrylic-coated polyester: This fade- and stretch-resistant fabric is spun first, then dyed. It’s ideal for car and boat covers, umbrellas, and outdoor curtains.
• Printed acrylic or polyester: This fabric starts as a blank base cloth, with schemes screen printed on the surface using UV-resistant dyes—perfect for pillows, cushions, and tablecloths.
• Vinyl-coated synthetic fiber mesh: Polyester fibers are coated in waterproof vinyl. This fabric is turned into tote bags, tennis court nets, tarps, and furniture upholstery.
• Canvas: A heavy-duty fabric woven from cotton, linen, or other fibers, this textile is used in furniture, backpacks, tents, and sails.

Olefin: Woven from ethylene and propylene fibers, it’s a versatile fabric for furniture, curtains, and cushions, that’s available in various weaves, textures, and prints.

  PRO TIP:  
When selecting outdoor fabrics, look for materials specifically designed for cushions and pillows. These will have the most comfortable feel, and there will be plenty of colors and patterns available.

8. Warm Color Palettes

Most people gravitate toward welcoming spaces, and as such, homeowners are blanketing their outdoor settings in happy, inviting hues. “We’re seeing warmer color palettes emerge for materials, fabrics, and lighting to keep the mood cozy long after the sun has gone down,” Lord states.

Enter the Pantone^® 2024 Color of the Year: Peach Fuzz. It’s soft, creamy, and tempts you to burrow deep into your fluffiest blanket. Give this and other homey hues a test run by selecting decor and accessories that complement your house’s architecture and landscaping:

• Greige seat cushions inspired by your natural stone patio
• Terra-cotta planters that pull color from your home’s brickwork
• Red throw pillows that match your rose bushes
• Chocolate area rug to complement your decking

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Outdoor Settings

9. Multiuse Spaces

Do you wish you had more room on your patio for various activities? Try the up-and-coming trend of transforming your setting into a multipurpose area with complementary zones that combine to form one coherent space. 

You could split your patio down the middle, turning one half into a dining space, and the other a relaxing conversation area where guests can take their after-dinner cocktails. Another option is creating a quadrant with designated corners for eating, lounging, sunbathing, and exercising. 

10. Self-Care Settings

As holistic health continues trending upward, homeowners are starting to integrate wellness areas into their outdoor layouts. These settings have many forms: a private space for yoga, a hidden reading nook, or a lush meditation garden. 

11. Garden Dining Areas

As the trend of pollinator-friendly gardening grows, we predict more people will create spaces among nature where they can watch the bees over breakfast and smell the dahlias at dinner. When designing an alfresco garden space, include landscaping in your plans. We recommend choosing a counter or bar set that takes up less floor space, to ensure you have ample room for walking as well as your planters or flower beds.

Try a tall bistro table for two where you can sip wine beneath winding sweet potato vines, or a round four-person counter set where family can enjoy a peaceful meal next to fragrant honeysuckle and gardenia

12. Alfresco Kitchens

A trend that we’re very excited to see is the rise of fully outfitted outdoor kitchens. “If you have the room and can splurge, an outdoor kitchen—custom or ready-made—will keep you outside longer to enjoy your guests without missing out,” Lord says.

Bringing the conveniences of indoor cooking outside, open-air kitchens contain counter space, outdoor-rated appliances, dining sets—everything you need to create fabulous spreads for family and friends. 

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Garden & Landscaping

13. Edible Landscapes

The concept of growing edible and ornamental plants together isn’t new—Benedictine monks were doing it in the 10th century—but rather a practice reintroduced. 

We’re loving this tasty trend that turns fruits, vegetables, and herbs into design features. No longer are we keeping edible plants sequestered in a backyard plot. They’ve found new homes among front yard foliage. We’ve seen rosemary hedges serve as backdrops for pretty pansies, creeping thyme cover the ground around marigolds, and bright strawberries spill over the sides of stone planters. Think outside the vegetable patch, friends. 

14. Native Plants

More folks are tuning into the benefits of growing local flora: It helps protect nearby ecosystems and is easier to maintain plants already adapted to the area’s soil conditions and climate. Plus, they’re far easier and less expensive to obtain than exotic plants from faraway places. 

15. Low-Maintenance Plants

More busy families are planting low-maintenance blooms in their backyards because they want to spend their free time with each other, not pampering flowers. Here’s a list of popular plants that will greatly enhance your outdoor aesthetic without asking for much in return: 

• Hosta
• Caladium
• Coneflower
• Hydrangea
• Dianthus
• Agave
• Lilac sage
• Peony
• Barberry
• Sedum
• Fountain grass

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Outdoor Lighting

Let these outdoor lighting trends brighten your day.

16. Solar Lighting

Families crave convenience because it leads to less work and more time together, so it makes sense that solar lights are illuminating homes all over the country. Stylish, sustainable, and low-maintenance, solar lighting is charged by the sun during the day and automatically switches on after sunset. 

Try styling these ambient adornments in your landscaping, weaving strands through pergola lattice, or lighting up your poolside patio so you can enjoy evening sips and midnight dips.

17. Modular Lighting

The concept of modularity has gone above and beyond seating. Modular lamps have entered the picture and their versatility has us all intrigued. Offering homeowners the opportunity to create customized illuminated looks that scale to the size and shape of their outdoor areas, modular lighting gives them more freedom to express themselves.

If you’re going to make modular lights part of your backyard aesthetic, choose outdoor-rated fixtures equipped with multiple lighting levels that allow you to set the mood. You’ll want solar-powered products (they charge themselves) that join via magnets or sturdy clasps that can be easily disconnected when you want to move them.

18. Pendant Light Clusters

Outdoor chandeliers are grand, but homeowners have been on the lookout for a fresh lighting look. Clusters of pendant lights offer the same dramatic impact with the added bonus of versatility. A perfect fit for large, covered areas, it’s easy to picture a generous gathering of pendant lights dangling at different lengths over a spacious nine-piece dining set. However, they also work in cozy spaces as the lights themselves are small, and homeowners can group fewer together. 

Give this trend a go with a trio of pendant lamps above your backyard bartop, or make a statement at all future dinner parties with a sizable selection of glass-domed lights suspended above the table. 

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Try the Trends: 6 Ways to Style Your Space

Ready to give these outdoor living trends a go? Use our curated mood boards to stimulate your creativity and style fresh looks in your backyard.

1. Sustainable Loungescape

1. Prescott Deep Seating Rocking Chair in Teak/Ash Charcoal
2. Jefferson Woven Rocking Chair in White/White Loom and Outdoor Lumbar Pillow in Buffalo Plaid Grey Mist
3. Country Living 60″ Swing in White and Bench Seat Cushion – 17.5″D x 55″W x 2.5″H in Dune Burlap

2. Modern Moment

1. EDGE 6-Piece Modular Deep Seating Set in Vintage Coffee/Natural Linen
2. Ash Charcoal Fabric Swatch
3. EDGE 7-Piece Dining Set in Black

3. Wellness Retreat

1. Modern Grand Upright Adirondack Chair with Ottoman in White
2. Primary Colors Pistachio Fabric Swatch
3. Chippendale Dining Arm Chair and Long Island 18″ Side Table in Teak
4. Captain Chaise in Black and Chaise Cushion in Dune Burlap

4. A Night Out(side)

1. Presidential Rocking Chair in Green
2. Navy Linen Fabric Swatch
3. Braxton 5-Piece Deep Seating Conversation Set with Fire Pit Table in Teak/Dune Burlap

5. Fine Dining

1. Braxton 9-Piece Farmhouse Trestle Bar Set in Vintage Sahara
2. Spiced Burlap Fabric Swatch
3. Farmhouse 37″ x 72″ Dining Table in Teak

6. Breakfast Nook in Bloom

1. Chippendale 5-Piece Nautical Trestle Dining Arm Chair Set in Teak
2. Buffalo Plaid Dune Burlap Fabric Swatch
3. Modern Studio Plaza Chair 7-Piece Parsons Table Dining Set in Sand