Summertime, and the outdoor livin' is easy
Out of sight may mean out of mind in some cases, but when it comes to home trends, “outside” is becoming increasingly top of mind.
Outdoor living has been on the ascent as a category in recent years, and last October, Freedonia Group forecasted a 3.7% annual growth rate for outdoor furniture and grill demand in the U.S., reaching a $9.1 billion market value by 2019. A recent HBSDealer reader poll found that outdoor living was a top category for growth, garnering 23% of the votes and trailing only appliances (38%) and core home repair (24%).
Fueling that rise is a trend that favors, well, more time spent outdoors, with consumers electing to bring indoor comforts outside: Full-fledged kitchens with cabinets, televisions and outdoor storage factor into this hugely.
Here is a sampling of the types of products that go into the creation of an ideal outdoor living space in 2016, curated by the HBSDealer editorial eye.
CorLiving Patio Umbrella with Solar Power LED Lights
When form and function combine, you get powerful sales appeal in the outdoor aisle. This patio umbrella provides shade in the daytime and mood lighting in the nighttime, featuring UV-resistant umbrella fabric and solar-powered LED lights. (corliving.com)
Char-Broil Deluxe Digital Electric Smoker
For smoked flavor coupled with the convenience of a microwave, this smoker can be operated with a remote and intuitive controls, making it easy to set and monitor the temperature and cook time from a distance. (charbroil.com)
Larson Electronics High-Intensity LED Floodlight
No outdoor living space is complete without thoughtful mood lighting. This new floodlight contains 10 five-watt high output CREE LEDs that produce a combined total of 3,700 lumens of light output. It’s also protected by a weather-proof aluminum housing that features cooling fins to release heat and extend the life of the product. (larsonelectronics.com)
Weber Summit S-660 Built-In Grill
Customers who opt for maximum outdoor comfort prefer grills and appliances that blend seamlessly into the kitchen suite. The Weber S-660 also features a stainless steel smoker box, lighted handles and control knobs, and six stainless steel burners, including a 10,600-BTU-per-hour infrared rotisserie burner. (weber.com)
Dynatrap Insect and Mosquito Trap
Keeping mosquitos and bugs at bay doesn’t have to come at the cost of good design. This new DT600 model provides 1/4-acre of coverage, and it’s free of odors and pesticides. Instead, it relies on a unique combination of LED-UV lights and an Octenol lure from the ATRAKTA pod. (dynatrap.com)
RCS 20 Bottle Outdoor Freestanding Wine Cooler
Storage isn’t always a simple matter: Sometimes it requires cooling technology, and a glass door and interior lights to show off a wine collection. This wine cooler can fit 20 bottles on a series of adjustable shelves, as well as an internal temperature dial for custom cooling conditions. (rcsgasgrills.com)
Kingsman Outdoor Fireplace
Fire pits and chimineas are classic additions to any patio or deck, but with the way things have been shaping up for outdoor living trends, a full-fledged gas fireplace that blends seamlessly into the architecture has never been more 2016. (kingsmanind.com)
Bird Photo Booth
It’s pretty much exactly what it sounds like: a device that allows you to remotely watch, photograph, record and talk to birds. After meeting its fundraising goals on Kickstarter in 2013, inventor Bryson Lovett is now working on a version 2.0. (birdphotobooth.com)
Southern Patio Living Space Designer
Because patio and deck customization requires a designer’s eye just like any other part of the home, Southern Patio recently launched a digital design tool that allows customers to upload photos and visualize how they’ll look in their garden and outdoor living spaces. (southernpatio.com)
Trex Outdoor Storage
Outdoor living rooms are becoming more like indoor living rooms every day. Trex’s line of outdoor storage products makes it easy (and attractive) to outfit an outdoor living space with weather-proof drawers and cabinets for seat cushions, drinks, hoses and more. (trex.com)