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Patios have become year-round living rooms – they are must-haves for homebuyers. According to the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) a patio is among buyers’ most-wanted features, and 86 percent of buyers want one.
For 2026, outdoor living trends are focused on performance with polish – materials that read residential, wear commercial and extend maintenance cycles. Think matte micro-textures, softer curves and view-first detailing that lets the landscape do the talking. Systems that cool on contact, clean easily, and stand up to UV, salt air and freeze/thaw are moving from “nice to have” to baseline.
Designers are prioritizing upholstery that reads indoor residential but performs outdoors. Ultraleather is setting the bar with collections engineered for a cool-to-the-touch, breathable hand alongside UV stability and enhanced colorfastness so cushions stay comfortable and keep their hue in high sun and coastal environments. Easy-wipe cleanability and resistance to water and mildew reduce maintenance cycles while delivering a matte, design-first esthetic.
Designers are seeking textiles that marry residential softness with outdoor resilience. Serge Ferrari Group’s new Batyline Eden Life answers that call with a sustainably engineered upholstery fabric crafted from recycled materials and free of added PFAS. The collection delivers a refined, tactile esthetic across six nature-inspired hues, balancing high-performance durability with a sophisticated, design-first appeal. Resistant to fading, weather, and wear, Eden Life keeps outdoor cushions comfortable and elevated, season after season.
Feeney’s Kerrie Kelly x Feeney DesignRail LaserCut Collection features nine intricately designed laser-cut panels that enhance both indoor and outdoor spaces. These panels blend artistic inspiration from architecture, nature and fashion, providing decorative accents, privacy screens and functional partitions. Crafted with precision from durable materials, the collection offers customizability with a range of frame colour options to complement any design esthetic. The laser-cut panels crafted with the talented Kerrie Kelly – award-winning designer and Feeney brand ambassador – are all about bringing innovative style to spaces. Right This Way makes a polished statement using cues from herringbone and menswear-inspired patterns.
Perennial Stays is known for offering historic, boutique stays in Harper’s Ferry, West Virginia. Now, they’re offering a thoughtfully curated, unforgettable retreat in the heart of Lancaster, Pa., where luxury meets the charm of small-town living. Featuring a seven-by-13-foot Soake Pools plunge pool, the space transforms into a true wellness destination, turning an ordinary rental into a spa-like experience.
Designed in collaboration with Summit Outdoor Living and showcasing that plunge pool from Soake Pools, this western home in Denver, Colo., embodies the true spirit of the Rocky Mountains and western living with a connection to nature and the great outdoors.
Designers and homeowners are using their outdoor spaces as an extension of the home. Different from patios or porches, “California rooms” are partially open to the outdoors with a roof overhead and running electricity, typically for outdoor kitchens, fans or a TV. These spaces become an extension of usable square footage in the house, allowing homeowners to enjoy indoor comforts and outside air. To achieve the indoor-outdoor connection seamlessly, many designers are turning to flexible glass wall systems like the NW Clad 740. The aluminum-clad, wood interior folding glass supports the use of these spaces year-round.
Native Trails’ award-winning Avalon freestanding bathtubs are handcrafted by artisans in Vietnam using NativeStone, a proprietary concrete blend of cement and natural and renewable jute vegetable fiber. The reinvented concrete mixture produces bathtubs that are 40 percent lighter, much stronger and far more sustainable than traditional concrete products. Each Avalon tub is sealed using NativeStone Shield, which penetrates the concrete on a molecular level to create a protective yet integrated barrier against stains and scratching. The sealer is hand-applied in a multi-step process using contemporary craft techniques, creating an impenetrable barrier that is scratch-resistant and impervious to water, oils, acids and food. The final two coats enhance the natural beauty of the concrete blend while adding even more strength and durability. Avalon is available in 62-, 66-, and 72-inch sizes, as well as 10 neutral and earthy finishes.