80% of consumers report their outdoor living space is more valuable to them than ever and new lighting, shade, and decor including pillows, cushions, and rugs are 2023 planned purchases.
An independent survey conducted by The International Casual Furnishings Association (ICFA) shows that 54 percent of Americans plan to purchase new furnishings and decor for their decks, yards and patios this year. After two years of pandemic living that motivated many residents to invest in improving the spaces around their homes, there is significant interest in continuing to upgrade their outdoor living setting. The findings also confirm that consumers will spend an average of nine hours per week outdoors in the coming year, up from seven hours per week in 2022, according to the study conducted by Wakefield Research.
In 2023, more than one-third (36%) will prioritize upgrading their outdoor lighting, and more than one-quarter (27%) reported they will add shade items including umbrellas, pergolas, and awnings, as well as décor including pillows, cushions, and rugs (26%). Not far behind are the desire to add firepits or fireplace features (26%), flooring (22%), seating/sofas (21%), water features (19%), and outdoor kitchens and bars (17%).
“In addition to shopping for new pieces of furniture, consumers ranked lighting and accessories as the easiest ways to make their outdoor living spaces more stylish,” said Jackie Hirschhaut, vice president of the American Home Furnishings Alliance and executive director of its outdoor division, ICFA. “These easy-to-add enhancements make it more conducive to spending time outdoors, which people are doing more and more each year, as work from home becomes more normalized and the home has new and different meanings in our lives.”
More data points from the ICFA Wakefield Research:
- 54% of households will purchase outdoor furnishings or accessories in 2023.
- 64% of Americans spend a lot more time in their outdoor spaces compared to a year ago.
- 80% say their outdoor living space is more valuable to them than ever before.
- Americans (with outdoor living spaces) spend an average of 9 hours per week enjoying them, compared to 7 hours last year.
- Planned outdoor upgrades planned over the next couple of years: improved lighting (36%), shade items (27%), pillows/rugs/cushions (26%), firepit or fire feature (26%), higher quality furniture (26%), flooring (22%), seating (21%), water feature (19%), and outdoor kitchens and bars (17%).
The research was conducted by Wakefield Research on behalf of the American Home Furnishings Alliance and International Casual Furnishings Association among 1,000 nationally representative U.S. adults ages 18 and older in January 2023.
The International Casual Furnishings Association, a subsidiary of the American Home Furnishings Alliance, based in High Point, N.C., represents more than 100 manufacturers and importers of outdoor furniture and accents, along with retailers, designers, independent sales representatives and suppliers to the industry.
