Homeowners today are focused on making changes to their front yards so they're markedly different from their neighbors' yards and easier to maintain, finds the
2017 U.S. Houzz Landscaping Trends Survey.
Homeowners want their yards to look distinct. Only 6 percent of homeowners reported front yards that were nearly identical to those in the neighborhood after their outdoor project, compared to more than a third before the update (36 percent), the Houzz survey shows. Two in five owners say they wanted to make a statement with a new front yard that was “very” or “extremely” different from others in the neighborhood following their update.
More homeowners are turning to low-maintenance plants to enhance their front yards, along with native plants and those that attract insects and birds. More than half of those who updated their front yard say that beds or borders, shrubs, and perennials were the most important to improving curb appeal.
Some owners are removing their front yard lawns altogether, citing environmental considerations as a strong motivator, the survey also showed.
Lighting is also growing in popularity among outdoor upgrades, particularly LEDs, low voltage, solar, and wireless lighting. Nearly one in five homeowners reported installing lights that could be controlled from their mobile device.
“Home renovation activity is benefiting from the significant increase in home sales in 2015 and 2016, which is reflected in our findings on motivations for starting a landscape project,” says Nino Sitchinava, principal economist at Houzz. “Since housing inventory has remained low, recent home buyers likely consider their homes less than ideal, leading them to prioritize upgrades like outdoor projects more than ever, with emphasis on low maintenance.”
Source: “2017 U.S. Houzz Landscaping Trends Survey,” Houzz (March 29, 2017)
