6 Home and Outdoor Trends to Look for This Summer, From Sensory Gardens to Retro Revival

Entertaining season is upon us, and if you're planning to host an outdoor soirée or garden party this summer, you'll want to ensure your home and patio are ready for guests. To help you prepare, Yelp analyzed search data to create its summer home and outdoor trend forecast for 2024. From emerging gardening techniques to home design styles, these are the trends that Yelp expects to take off this summer.

Layered Lighting

Say goodbye to harsh overhead lighting. According to Yelp, more people are gravitating to softer, layered lighting with searches for ambient lighting up 106 percent since last year. "Consider diversifying your lighting sources and their placement throughout a space," says Tara Lewis, trend expert for Yelp. "Try stylish paper lanterns, globe table lamps, or statement floor lighting. Pair them with soft, warm light bulbs to set the mood."

Luxe Self Care at Home

Create a spa-level experience at home by implementing some wellness-focused features in your home. Yelp found that searches for plunge tubs, sauna installation, and steam showers have increased dramatically since last year. But updating your bathroom doesn't mean you need to start planning a renovation of remodel. "Small, simple changes with the help of a handyman can revitalize your bathroom, like installing a new shower head, modern fixtures, or faucets," says Lewis.

Home Gardens That Engage the Senses

Sensory gardens—a gardening style that's meant to stimulate all five senses—are becoming a favorite among gardening enthusiasts. These gardens use fragrant and textured plants, as well as calming sounds like wind chimes and water fountains, to create a soothing, engaging garden experience. In addition to sensory gardens, searches for homestead gardens, edible plants, chicken coops, and beekeeping, are up significantly.

Fashion Trends in Home Design

Popular fashion trends are making their way into home interiors. This has been seen with trends like quiet luxury, the unexpected red theory, and now with coquette. According to Yelp, searches for coquette are up 337 percent, demonstrating an increased interest in adding soft, delicate textile touches to homes, such as plush ballet pink seating and elegant curtains.

Retro Revival

As a growing disinterest in fast furniture and home décor takes hold, vintage pieces are becoming more and more popular. An appreciation for pre-loved furnishings has led to increased demand for experts who restore furniture, as searches for chair reupholstery and furniture repair are up 199 percent and 24 percent, respectively, according to Yelp. Additionally, retro floor patterns like checkerboard are making a come back as tile installation searches are up 36 percent since last year.

Custom Comforts

Personalization is becoming more popular around the home, as custom touches are seeing significant increases on Yelp. Custom curtains are up 60 percent and custom doors are up 30 percent. If you want to make your home more personalized, first consider what kind of functional updates would be the most helpful to your daily life. "Struggling to find your favorite shirt in a cluttered closet? A new closet system can be a game changer for organization, maximizing your space and highlighting meaningful items, like your display-worthy shoe collection," says Lewis.