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Ten years ago, outdoor spaces got leftover furniture and whatever plants survived at the garden centre clearance sale. Not anymore. Homeowners are dropping serious money on backyards that cost more than most people’s cars.
The shift happened fast. COVID-19 locked everyone inside, then suddenly everyone wanted to be outside. Property listings now highlight outdoor kitchens and entertainment spaces like they used to promote granite countertops and walk-in closets.
1. Outdoor Kitchens Gone Mad
Basic grills are history. These new outdoor setups have pizza ovens that cost £8,000, built-in wine fridges, and prep space bigger than most London flats. Some even include dishwashers and ice makers.
Real estate agents love these installations because they sell houses. Buyers see a fully equipped outdoor kitchen and imagine hosting dinner parties without heating up the house or washing dishes indoors. The fantasy works – homes with elaborate outdoor kitchens sell 20% faster than similar properties without them.
Weather-resistant everything means these kitchens work year-round. Stainless steel appliances designed for marine environments handle rain, snow, and UV exposure without rusting or fading. Swimming pool companies in Saudi Arabia build integrated kitchen-pool complexes that operate in desert heat and sandstorms, proving that outdoor cooking can work anywhere with proper equipment.
2. Plants for Lazy Gardeners
Traditional gardens are exhausting. Watering schedules, fertiliser programs, pest control, seasonal replanting – who has time for all that? Here are more natural rewrites:
Forget about babying plants that die if you skip watering for three days. Pick plants that want to live in your climate. Succulents, native grasses, and local wildflowers don’t need you hovering over them with a watering can every morning.
Local plants know what they’re doing. They’ve been surviving here longer than humans have been trying to landscape. Plus, the birds and bees recognise them as food sources, unlike those fancy imports from halfway across the world that nothing wants to eat.
3. Growing Up When Out Is Full
Small spaces force creative solutions. When ground space is restricted, vertical gardens optimise plant capacity, while living walls offer both visual appeal and privacy screening.
Run out of soil? Go up instead of out. Vertical setups work great when you’ve got more wall space than ground space, which describes pretty much every city dwelling these days.
These wall gardens solve two problems at once. Nobody can see into your balcony anymore, and you still get to grow actual plants instead of staring at concrete. Small courtyards and those awkward skinny spaces between houses suddenly become useful again.
4. Backyard Spas for Everyone
Home wellness moved outside and stayed there. Hot tubs used to be for rich people with mansions. Now you can pick one up at the local home improvement store for less than a decent used car. Same goes for outdoor showers – they’re popping up in regular suburban backyards, not just fancy beach houses.
Conclusion
Outdoor living reflects changing priorities about how and where people want to spend time at home. These spaces offer entertainment, wellness, and daily living functions that indoor rooms simply cannot provide. The investment reflects their importance to modern lifestyles.