Houzz Inc. has released its 2026 U.S. Houzz Outdoor Trends Study. The survey of more than 1,100 U.S. respondents found that homeowners are increasingly transforming outdoor spaces into functional extensions of the home, prioritizing comfort and everyday living over resale value.
Although deteriorated or broken outdoor elements remain the leading trigger for outdoor renovations (41%), homeowners are increasingly motivated to upgrade their spaces to be more accommodating (25%, up 3 percentage points from 2024). What’s more, the share of homeowners renovating to improve resale value declined to 15%, down 3 percentage points from 2024.
Outdoor spaces are designed as true extensions of the home, with dedicated zones for lounging, dining, relaxing, gardening and cooking. Lounge or seating areas are the most common outdoor living space, included by more than 4 in 5 renovating homeowners (83%), followed by dining areas (55%), quiet retreats or reading areas (53%), gardening areas (49%) and outdoor cooking areas (48%). Across these spaces, homeowners are incorporating indoor-style features such as sofas or lounge chairs, lighting, coffee or side tables and fireplaces or fire pits, making outdoor spaces feel more intentional and comfortable for regular use.
“Homeowners are investing in outdoor renovations with long-term lifestyle goals in mind,” said Marine Sargsyan, head of economic research at Houzz. “We’re seeing a shift away from resale-driven upgrades toward spaces that support everyday routines and blur the lines between indoors and out, from outdoor dining and cooking to reading retreats and lounge areas. As these outdoor spaces become more personalized and multifunctional, homeowners are increasingly turning to professionals to help bring their vision to life.”
Professional involvement in outdoor renovations reached a new high in 2026, with 71% of homeowners hiring a pro, up from 65% in 2024. Landscape contractors remain the most commonly hired professionals, rising 5 percentage points to 26%, followed by stone, paver and concrete specialists (20%), general contractors (17%) and landscape architects or designers (15%).
The increase in professional hiring comes as homeowners take on more complex outdoor upgrades, including shade structures, which rose 15 percentage points to 35%, bringing them closer to decks, the leading outdoor structure upgrade at 43%. With homeowners making significant changes to their outdoor areas, pros can guide them through their projects using tools like Houzz Pro.
A Deep Dive on Outdoor Kitchens
Homeowners are treating outdoor kitchen areas as permanent cooking, dining and entertaining hubs rather than occasional-use amenities. Among homeowners upgrading an outdoor structure, 1 in 8 added or upgraded an outdoor kitchen (12%), and the share adding or upgrading built-in bars rose 2 percentage points to 8%.
The scope of outdoor kitchen projects has expanded, with 95% of these projects starting from scratch, up 7 percentage points from 2024.
Homeowners are undertaking significantly more extensive outdoor kitchen projects than in 2024, with nearly every major category seeing substantial gains. More than two-thirds are incorporating infrastructure improvements (68%), including plumbing, electrical or heating systems. Storage (37%) saw the largest increase in popularity (rising 15 percentage points), while appliance and roofing installations (61% and 25%, respectively) climbed 6% and 4%, percentage points, respectively. Countertop upgrades were the only major category to remain relatively stable (51%).
The overwhelming majority of outdoor kitchens have a grill (85%), while cooktops (36%), pizza ovens (29%), smoker or deep fryer (24%) and warming drawers (9%) also support food prep. Other popular inclusions are beverage refrigerators (62%), sinks (59%) and faucets (49%). Entertainment is a strong factor as well, with nearly 2 in 5 homeowners including a TV (38%).
Additional insights from the 2026 U.S. Houzz Outdoor Trends Study
Outdoor systems have overtaken decorating. Outdoor feature projects remain the most common (72%), followed by structures (56%). Systems rose 4 percentage points to 36%, surpassing decorating projects, which declined 3 percentage points to 34%, signaling a shift toward higher-functioning outdoor spaces.
Lower-maintenance landscapes gained ground. Plants, shrubs or trees remain the top outdoor feature upgrade (74%), followed by beds or borders (62%) and paths, stairs or steps (45%). Lawn projects declined 4 percentage points to 31%, and among those replacing original lawns, natural grass fell 9 percentage points to 63%. Meanwhile, synthetic lawns increased 10 percentage points to 19%, while hardscaping (57%) and mulch (51%) also gained popularity, rising 7 and 5 percentage points, respectively.
Resilient planting choices guide outdoor updates. Flowering plants remain the top choice among homeowners upgrading plants, shrubs or trees (82%). Low-maintenance plants (73%), native plants (55%) and drought-resistant plants (49%) all rose 3 to 4 percentage points from 2024. More than half of homeowners upgrading outdoor features choose plants that attract pollinators (56%).
Nearly half of renovating homeowners have a dedicated gardening area in their outdoor plans (49%). Beds or borders anchor these spaces (74%), while lighting (64%) and storage or cabinetry (30%) help make them more functional.
You can read the full 2026 U.S. Houzz Outdoor Trends Study here.
