Houzz revealed results from its 2014 Spring Landscaping Trends Study.
Conducted in March, the study surveyed more than 4,500 respondents who are Houzz users in the midst of, or are planning, a landscape update.
It showed 56 percent of homeowners are making updates to improve their yards for entertaining and 55 percent to solve issues such as flooding (41 percent), sun exposure (25 percent) and privacy (23 percent). After a dry winter in the West, nearly one third of homeowners in that region are solving for water shortage (30 percent).
Moreover, backyards are turning into entertaining spaces (83 percent), outdoor eating spaces (73 percent) and outdoor living rooms (53 percent). To make this possible, homeowners are incorporating features like patios and decks (83 percent), barbecues (48 percent), fire pits (48 percent), sound systems (19 percent) and outdoor kitchens (14 percent).
For evening entertaining, seven in 10 homeowners are installing lights to illuminate their hardscape. And the majority is turning to green lighting to do so, 58 percent choosing to install LED lights and 56 percent solar-powered lights.
The study also found the majority of homeowners is making eco-friendly choices for their yard.
Overwhelmingly, homeowners are choosing plants that are native to their region (92 percent)—while many are motivated by benefiting the environment (49 percent), nearly seven in 10 are looking to reduce maintenance (67 percent).
The traditional lawn remains popular, but is significantly less so in the West (69 percent) versus the Midwest (88 percent), East (87 percent) and South (86 percent). Alternatives to traditional lawns are appearing throughout the country, with homeowners in the South choosing mondo grass (20 percent), and those in the West saving on water bills and upkeep with artificial lawns (16 percent).
The full Spring Houzz Landscaping Trends Study is downloadable at http://info.houzz.com/rs/houzz/images/HouzzLandscapingStudy.pdf.
