8 Outdoor Furniture Trends That Will Inspire You to Use Your Patio Year-Round

Outdoor spaces have drawn increased focus recently as many of us find new ways to embrace our yards, porches, patios, and verandas with as much enthusiasm as our home interiors. While there are certainly plenty of fresh new ideas in the outdoor furniture space, there are a few trends that stand out.

Many overarching themes echo what we're seeing in interior design, including a focus on sustainability and functionality for small spaces. There are also popular materials that are here to stay, such as teak wood and performance fabrics. To help you make the most of your patio, porch, or backyard space, experts share the top outdoor furniture trends for the season ahead.

Tria Giovan

1. Sustainable Pieces

“The demand for sustainable and eco-friendly outdoor furniture will continue to be strong,” says Grace Carlson, head of merchandising and partnerships at Yardzen. “Consumers are investing in high-quality sustainable furniture that’s durable, beautiful and meant to last—keeping it out of landfills after just a few short seasons, which too often can be the norm with some outdoor furniture.” Carlson explains that we’ll likely see more furniture come to the market that utilizes responsibly sourced wood that’s been certified by the Forest Stewardship Council, recycled materials, and eco-conscious fabrics.  

2. Indoor-Quality Furnishings

“Outdoor spaces are being seen as extensions of living areas, emphasizing comfort and relaxation,” Carlson says. “An outdoor couch should be just as comfortable as the indoor couch that’s built for endless hours of binge-watching.” To that end, luxurious cushions, elegant loungers, and plenty of deep seating options are going to continue gaining traction as we find new ways to relax and unwind in our outdoor retreats.

People are not only using their outdoor spaces for entertaining and enjoying the outdoors, but also as outdoor home offices, Carlson says. In a way, this means our outdoor living spaces need to include all the elements of the interior of our homes.

Kim Cornelison

3. Organic Textures and Forms

As our modern farmhouses have evolved into old-money-inspired dwellings, we’ve seen an evolution of furnishings as well. While the design industry moves to a more collected, textured, and personality-driven point of view, our outdoor furnishings have begun to follow suit. “The clean and stark lines of modern design are giving way to more organic textures and forms in outdoor furniture, Carlson says. “You see this reflected in the cottage and organic aesthetic that’s taking hold this year.”

4. Antique-Inspired Pieces 

“We’ve seen this trend materialize in more antique-inspired furniture such as garden benches, vine-covered trellises and arbors, rustic stone planters, and weathered teak that looks like it has already been exposed to salty sea air,” Carlson says. The nostalgic look of antique-inspired furniture lends a natural and lived-in look. And not only does shopping antique, vintage, and consignment furnishings provide a history that adds to the overall aesthetic, but it’s a more sustainable choice as we turn someone else’s potential landfill fodder into our own backyard treasures. 

5. Teak Wood Furnishings

Carlson says teak wood is the most popular furniture pick for their clients this year. From tables to chairs to sofas, home decorators are looking for more ways to incorporate this material that ages beautifully. Adirondacks continue to be a favorite choice for lounging around a fire pit or for back porch sitting. “I love that we’re now seeing new iterations (in design and materials) of the classic [Adirondack] style that fit more outdoor styles,” she says.

6. Long-Lasting Materials

Over the past few years we’ve completely changed the way we use our outdoor spaces. It’s no longer the space we turn to from June to September before closing the doors for the rest of the year. As such, the materials we use on these now year-round spaces need to work year-round too. “Long-lasting materials that hold up to the elements from season to season like teak, performance fabrics like Sunbrella, and washable materials will be immensely popular,” says Carlson. “Weather protection won’t be an afterthought.” 

7. Multifunctional Pieces

It probably comes as no surprise that we want our outdoor furniture to serve more than one role. “People are looking for versatile pieces that can be easily rearranged or transformed to accommodate different needs, such as modular sectional seating, convertible tables, firepit tables, or storage-integrated designs,” Carlson says. “Modular and flexible designs offer people the ability to rearrange or expand their setups as their needs change.” Similarly, they’re able to get more out of their investment in knowing that their furnishings have the power to play various roles no matter what situation might arise.

8. Furniture for Small Spaces

Even those who have just a small side porch or stoop are getting in on the outdoor furniture action as Carlson notes there’s a growing number of outdoor furniture options for those who are working with limited outdoor square footage. “In the past, a lot of outdoor furniture was fairly bulky, but we’re seeing a lot more compact options that are suitable for smaller spaces,” she says. “We’ve seen a significant number of clients who want to take advantage of smaller outdoor spaces such as a rooftop lounge space, small front porch, or even a balcony, and there is an array of beautiful, durable, and sustainable furniture options available for those spaces.” 

What Features Are Must-Have for Home Furniture Online Stores?

To maximize the performance of your online furniture store, you should regard the following fundamental features.

1. Set up and manage user profile

Customers must be able to create and handle their profiles easily. The interface of your e-commerce furniture website should be clear and friendly for the swift establishment of a username and password.

The primary role of a profile is to provide authentication, personalization, data storage, customization, interaction history, and more. It contains all the vital functions, allowing a visitor to perform the desired actions promptly and seamlessly.

Additionally, the registered users may be eligible for special purchasing conditions, promo offers, and other bonuses.

2. Register through social networks

While the opportunity to set up and operate a profile comes without question, recent years brought about additional demands and expectations. Thus, the apps that enable users to log in with their social media accounts are gaining traction.

This functionality is particularly convenient for consumers since it simplifies authorization: they don’t need to compose and remember additional usernames and passwords. 

3. View product catalog

In a physical shop, customers can enjoy the closest exploration of the items they like. When developing an online furniture store, merchants should ensure that their visitors will likewise get a breadth of ways to investigate a product. Furthermore, furniture websites increase the speed and comfort of product search since users can perform it from their homes.

Therefore, make sure that your product catalog is detailed and illustrative while your ecommerce software provides effortless navigation and intuitive design. The core elements to highlight in your product catalog include a search bar, the key product categories, and the related pieces in the description area.

4. Product description and quality photos

We have already touched on the importance of presenting the furniture pieces in a most illustrative manner. Product descriptions and photos are the primary means of product presentation. Make the descriptions as precise, clear, and detailed as possible. Include the design type, materials, properties, dimensions, colors, brand, etc. 

The furniture photography should be flawless and enticing. Take pictures from different angles and provide a view of an item in a furnished room to present a real-life look. 

5. Search options and filters

A stellar furniture website is all about the exceptional customer experience. New technologies enable advanced search options and jazz up online store’s navigation. 

Smart search and filters provide extended functionality that allows users to find the items they want swiftly. For instance, customers may utilize voice search or picture search instead of typing in the name of the product.

6. Product reviews and ratings

Product reviews are a mighty conversion driver. Studies assert that ratings and reviews are the top factors affecting purchase decisions. Include a client review section on your product pages and leverage this powerful marketing tool. Detailed reviews may address numerous concerns of potential buyers and ease their path toward making a purchase. 

Reviews can go in both written and video formats. Encourage your customers to share their experiences in a convenient way and let this user-generated content drive your sales.