As the housing market welcomes a new generation of homeowners, there occurs significant changes in property design trends. This is because each generation holds its own values regarding style and functionality. Amid the many shifts in interior design and architecture, it is the garden that is seeing some of the most radical changes.
The neat lawns of decades past are slowly being phased out with a greater emphasis being placed upon the wild and practical. This is why many homes now have dedicated wildflower patches, insect hotels, and vegetable patches, as if each garden were an opportunity for a smallholding experience. Alongside this usurping of a regimented aesthetic is the additional leaving behind of the garden shed.
While it may seem odd that an outbuilding that was once invaluable for its storage is now being displaced, there are four reasons that explain why this is the case.
Remote Working
One of the biggest reasons behind contemporary shifts in garden design is the rise of remote working. As a greater number of individuals begin working from home, property design is taking into account a greater need for office space. Since many homes are not innately designed to accommodate a home office, residents are instead turning to build summer houses and log cabins in their garden spaces, using these bespoke outbuildings as private offices.
Since garden space is often limited, these office spaces take priority over the storage facilities offered by sheds. However, as we discuss below, garden storage is no longer needed as much as it once was.
Lawnmowers
The lawnmower was once known to be a cumbersome and noisy asset, one that was reluctantly brought out seasonally to trim grass into a neat lawn. However, as the trimmed lawn aesthetic is no longer being held in the regard it once was, and with lawnmowers becoming automated and much smaller in the form of robot mowers, the storage space once required for lawnmowing equipment is no longer necessary.
Sustainability
Gardens are the hub of sustainability, being able to support residential pursuits of composting, water collection, solar panels, and vegetable growing. For the benefit of these endeavours, residents are looking to make the most of their space and there are now a number of alternative structures, especially those that reduce carbon footprints, that are more appealing.
As such, sheds are being replaced with greenhouses and food waste disposal systems, all with a view to reducing the ecological impact of each home.
Property Investment
A garden is estimated to add around 20% to a property’s value. And, as gardens continue to grow in demand, many homeowners are looking to get the most on their investment. This means reconsidering a garden’s functionality and seeking to make use of it all year round, instead of just during the spring and summer.
Now, neighbourhoods are seeing a growing popularity for lifestyle features, such as outdoor dining areas, pizza ovens, and zen spaces, each of which sees an outdoor space used for more than simply passive enjoyment.
