PALO ALTO, CA — A significant number of American homeowners are upgrading their outdoor areas to extend their living space – a number that’s even higher for Gen Xers and Millennials compared to Baby Boomers, a major new study has found.
According to the 2024 Houzz Outdoor Trends Study, whose results were released in June, one-third (33%) of more than 1,100 surveyed homeowners reported that they are upgrading their outdoor areas to extend their living space. The number jumps to 41% for Gen Xers and to 38% for Millennials, compared with 28% of Baby Boomers, according to Houzz, the Palo Alto, CA-based online platform for home remodeling and design.
To make their outdoor spaces more livable and suitable for entertaining, “it’s no surprise” that younger generations invest in major structural improvements, such as decks, outdoor kitchens, swimming pools and hot tubs, more frequently than older homeowners (65% for Millennials, 61% for Gen Xers and 54% for Baby Boomers), Houzz reported.
Millennials and Gen Xers also pursue outdoor decorating projects at a higher frequency (54% and 45%, respectively, versus 31% of Baby Boomers) to make the space more usable and inviting.
“With limited housing stock and higher interest rates impacting affordability, younger generations are squeezing functionality out of every inch of their current homes by focusing on the outdoors,” said Marine Sargsyan, Houzz staff economist, adding that large-scope outdoor projects are common across generations, and “homeowners are hiring professionals to bring their dreams to life.”
Professional space planning is particularly important for the one in eight renovating homeowners who turned their alfresco cooking dreams into reality by adding or upgrading outdoor kitchens, Houzz reported, noting that these projects often involve significant construction, including installation of plumbing, electrical or heating (58%); appliances (55%); countertops (50%); storage (22%), and roofing (21%).
Grills are most common for outdoor kitchens (88%), followed by cooktops (46%), pizza ovens (32%) and smokers or deep fryers (24%), according to Houzz. In addition, two-thirds of homeowners reported incorporating a beverage refrigerator (67%).
Lastly, millennials are the generation most likely to prioritize built-in outdoor kitchens (22%), followed by Gen Xers (15%) and Baby Boomers (8%), Houzz reported.