Outdoor entertaining trending in renovations

Home is no longer just about personal retreat and comfort. More and more, we are seeing people place a high value on how well it can serve and entertain family and friends. According to real estate agents, outdoor living and entertainment spaces are gaining momentum as the next big trend and must-have amenity for homes.

If you’re looking to add value to your property before selling during the fall home-buying season, or you simply want to create a space for you and friends and family to enjoy, consider these features:

OUTDOOR KITCHEN

Outdoor dining used to be pretty simple — a dining set and a barbecue was all you needed. Now, agents say that as cooking and food preparation have become as much a part of entertaining as the meal itself, more and more buyers are seeking additional amenities, such as an outdoor refrigerator, sink and counter space.

In the luxury market, we’re seeing full-on outdoor kitchens complete with bar areas, islands, ovens, stoves and extra storage space. These features allow a homeowner and host to be present with their guests outside even as they prepare the meal. This brings right to your home the modern, interactive dining experience where you can watch your food being prepared in front of you.

POOL AND SPA

For those without access to a waterfront setting, a swimming pool remains one of the most popular outdoor living features, bringing a waterfront feel right to your own back yard. Agents are seeing a shift in the way pools and the spaces around them are designed.

Owners are getting creative with shapes and unique pool designs — we’ve seen everything from jets, slides and waterfalls to a hot tub in the middle of the pool and even the occasional moat. Buyers are also seeking beautiful terraces and lounges overlooking the pool area to help create the feel of a relaxing oasis. Pools are a personal preference and best designed for your own enjoyment, not for resale.

OPEN ACCESS

An exciting trend agents are seeing is the creation of a nearly seamless transition between indoor and outdoor spaces. At the higher end of the market, homeowners are installing collapsible window walls that allow your outdoor living areas to become a true extension of your indoor space, while french and sliding glass doors accomplish this feel at more affordable prices.

RECREATION AND ENTERTAINMENT

Like pools, recreation amenities such as basketball and tennis courts remain perennial favourites for outdoor features, especially in luxury markets. We’ve also seen sand volleyball courts and putting greens. To health-conscious homeowners and families with active children, these types of features are especially appealing.

Of course, these features are also great for entertaining. For those looking for a more relaxed gathering, there’s increased interest in outdoor home theatre amenities, including speaker systems and screening areas, complete for backyard movie nights.

OUTDOOR FIREPLACES

Fireplaces have long topped homebuyers’ wish lists, but the upand-coming trend is toward incorporating fireplaces into spaces other than the traditional living room, such as bedrooms, bathrooms, even in closets and of course, outside. Real-estate agents are seeing everything from the simple fire pit to custom fire features built into the deck or landscape.

To make the most of your outdoor fireplace, gas or wood-burning, make sure you have plenty of seating options for friends and family to gather around. A combination of couches, chairs, benches — even hammocks or swings — can bring the cosy environment of a living room fire to the great outdoors right in your own back yard. Washington Post