Outdoor living spaces are becoming a popular way to add extra functional space to the home, especially in more urban areas where space may be limited. Many homeowners have opened up their back or side yards to greenhouses, pools, gazebos, kitchens, gardens, and playsets.
An outdoor living space can be customized to the unique aesthetics and personality of the homeowner(s), which can make selling an outdoor living space a little tricky. Keep reading for tips on selling outdoor living rooms to three main homeowner personas!
The Entertainer
We all know an entertainer — or maybe you are the entertainer of your social circle! This homeowner loves treating their friends and family to a fun evening of food, drinks, music, movies, games — you name it!
When it comes to creating an outdoor living space for the entertainer, there are a few things to keep in mind:
- Maximizing space
- Multi-purpose space
- Design trends
The entertainer may host a small circle of close friends or invite the whole neighborhood over for a backyard BBQ. Either way, making the most of the available space is critical. Seating, surfaces, and lighting are crucial points for an entertainer to make a comfortable outdoor entertaining space.
The entertainer may also like to host a variety of events. Happy hour, game night, weekend brunch, birthday parties, baby showers — the list goes on! When talking with an entertainer about their space, make sure you get a rundown of ways they want to use the space to entertain. This’ll help you find the right products for an outdoor bar or kitchen, a space for lawn games, a cozy seating area, a hot tub, or a combination of them all!
Now the entertainer is probably proud of their home and takes a careful design eye to each of their rooms, especially the spaces they plan to host in. This means they’ll be keeping up on trends, and there’s a good chance they have totes of decor for each season! Show an entertainer pieces that follow new design trends if they want to WOW their guests, or stick to timeless pieces that’ll meld nicely with decor for any season.
Take a look at the outdoor living manufacturers we work with to browse timeless and trendy products.
The Family
Outdoor entertainment is the perfect place for family gatherings and entertaining friends. It's also a great way to spend time with your loved ones while enjoying the outdoors.
The family may have a few needs in mind, but they’ll be centered on creating a great space for their kids to play and learn. When you’re working with a customer who has kids, or has grandkids that visit often, here are some options to talk about for their outdoor living room!
Does your customer have kids interested in a specific sport? Whether it’s a mini basketball court, soccer goal, pitchback net, or lap pool, the backyard can become a great place for kids to practice and play their sport. Think outside the box, too, with climbing walls.
Is your customer looking to spend more quality time outdoors with their family? A pool, spa, or outdoor games can be a good place to make precious memories with family members of all ages — whether it’s a family cornhole tournament or summer afternoons in the pool.
Does your customer want to use their yard to teach their kids about the world? Different types of gardens can be great for teaching kids or exploring their interests in science. Growing vegetables or planting a bee and butterfly garden are great ways to get kids involved. Not a green thumb? Have some local landscapers and greenhouses in your back pocket to help customers plan an outdoor living space where a garden is a priority.
The Wellness Warrior
Your neighborhood wellness warrior is a regular at the local gym and leader of the neighborhood walking group. They’re active, but they’re also seekers of mindfulness and work self care into their schedules to keep an eye on their emotional and mental health as well as their physical health. The ideal outdoor living space for the wellness warrior addresses both of these.
If you’ve got a wellness warrior looking to redo their yard, offer products for the ultimate backyard oasis, like:
- Swim spas
- Loungers
- Exercise equipment
- Outdoor day beds
Your wellness warrior customers may not be as big on hosting company as the other personas, so helping them achieve a space just for them will be critical. Do they want a space to journal and meditate, or are they looking for a space to train for their next triathlon? The wellness warrior is likely pretty goal-oriented, so make sure you talk goals and recommend products framed for those goals.
A Solution for Every Yard
Yards big and small can benefit from the right design eye. A big yard may be ripe with possibilities from something custom for each of our personas, but smaller yards and side yards can still be places of retreat for homeowners.
For example, a wellness warrior with a yard that’s not well-suited for a full-size pool could still enjoy a swim spa. A complete bells-and-whistles outdoor kitchen may not be in the cards for every yard, but a new grill and a wine fridge can still be great investments for an entertainer.
When it comes to outdoor living spaces, make sure you talk with each of your customers about what they want to use the space for to recommend the products and layouts that will help them achieve those goals. What’s hot and new may not be the best option for every homeowner, and they’ll get more mileage out of products and spaces they’ll actually use.
