Outdoor Living for Millennials
With millennials making up the most of the country’s purchasing power, it should be no surprise that they’re taking over our backyards too. Millennials love to be outdoors. Whether it’s a hangout site, hiking spot, or beach trip. But outdoors doesn’t always mean outside of your home. With outdoor and patio furniture becoming the hottest buys this summer, millennials could probably teach us a thing or two about outdoor living.
Most millennials aren’t looking to buy and own homes. They prefer to live in small comfortable apartments or townhouses. But with little space, comes big imagination. And a big imagination goes a long way in the home furnishings industry.
Because millennials are an eco-conscious bunch, they’re looking to see what they can do to be environmentally responsible. You can recall things like indoor plants or solar lights. Millennials long to live in homes that are flexible, personalized, with open floor plans and outdoor living spaces. In fact, 59% of millennial home buyers say the outdoor living space is the number one must-have.
Which finally brings us to their style and approach when it comes to outdoor living for millennials. In fact, outdoor living MicroD is going to take you through some fun facts about the different types of outdoor styles millennials just can’t seem to ignore.
Fire Pit Central
First up, fire pits. Furniture Today lets us know that millennials want to buy fire pits more than any other outdoor furniture. A good 26% are interested in upgrading their outdoor living space with a fire pit. The outdoor fire pit caters to the socially active lifestyle millennials favor. Can’t have a cool summer night out by the fire without any fire! Not to mention you can use all year-round. It’s the fun of being outdoors, but still be at home.
Everyday Modern
Six out of ten millennials prefer modern styles. And more than half have to touch, sit on, and “test out” outdoor furniture before making a purchase. This is mainly because durability and product quality are the two main factors millennials look for when buying outdoor furniture. Millennials plan to keep their outdoor furniture in good condition between two to four years. Thus, the quality is a major factor for them. Just make sure you don’t flash any brightly-colored outdoor sectionals. Muted colors are preferred over bright ones according to 57% of millennials.
Glamorous Camping
Camping isn’t what it used to be now that millennials have put a twist on it. Their obsession and love for the outdoors seem to have a limit. But leave it to millennials to do it in style. They’re not going to let a little harsh weather ruin their glamorous ways. They prefer a finer surrounding. Things like sitting in camp chairs with drink holders, and sleeping in tents with LED lighting.
Open Space Fever
Remember when we mentioned open floor plans? Well, according to Hearth and Home, 85% of millennials believe outdoor rooms, with areas for both cooking and relaxing, are “very important”. Over half plan to decorate their outdoor living space as they would an indoor dining or living room. And 77% want to make their outdoor areas feel like an indoor room. This explains the constant craze over lofts and studio apartments!
Providing millennials with furniture for the outdoors shouldn’t be a challenge at all. Especially if they want to make their patio a living area and their living area more outdoorsy. If it was possible to live outdoors permanently, they probably would (given a few adjustments)!