Commercial Outdoor Furniture Trends | National Outdoor Furniture

Whether you are merely doing some research about 2024 trending outdoor furniture options or are in the market for a new purchase, you have come to the right place. This comprehensive guide will inform you of the trendiest outdoor setup for 2024 to optimize your comfort and provide you with a fashionable background for entertaining guests.

Sustainable Power

As technology continues to rise to new heights, outdoor furniture trends evolve along with it. When thinking through outdoor furniture options, it is important that your planning goes beyond a consideration of the typical seating arrangements and chair types.

Lights, irrigation systems, automated shades, and more can all be a part of the décor. Not only that, but patio furniture often comes with built-in speakers, charging ports for your cell phone or laptop devices, and LED lighting.

Therefore, you may want to consider the advantage of using solar panels as a form of sustainable power. Solar panels are a great way to harness the sun’s energy and turn it into usable electricity. You may be turned away by such a suggestion because of the large solar panels you have seen that would take away from the decorative look you are seeking. However, solar-powered lighting and panels have changed and can now be blended into your scenery without taking away from it.

Sustainable Materials

In 2024, there is no shortage of options on the market. Consumers are increasingly seeking after eco-friendly and durable options, while also maintaining a desire to invest in furniture made from recycled materials or responsibly sourced wood.

Merchandising and design director from Room & Board, Jenon Baile, has said, “Design-minded customers appreciate beautiful, timeless, and functional pieces that will stand the test of time in addition to the elements,” and, “There is a desire for not only great design, but for choice, quality, and durability.” Thus, thinking through your choice of material for your outdoor furniture is a must.

• Eco-friendly – One trending option is the eco-friendly approach. In taking the eco-friendly approach, you can reduce waste and preserve the environment.
• Durable – When searching for a durable option, you will want to ensure that your furniture choice can withstand the elements. Wood is in high demand, is a durable option, and is often sustainably sourced. Look for certifications such as FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) to ensure you are investing in the right material.
• Recycled with a unique look – With there being a rise of consumers who are interested in preserving the environment, furniture manufacturers are increasingly making furniture from recycled materials. Recycled materials such as plastic and rope are commonly used when making this type of furniture, and they bring a unique look that is often highly durable and versatile.

Multifunctional Furniture

Multifunctional furniture is an outstanding way to adapt to the diversity of needs within your home. If you are seeking practical solutions to the ever-increasing demands surrounding your home, you may want to consider the following solutions:

• Convertible sofas – With convertible sofas, you can easily transform a seating area into a sleeping area. Whether sitting, sleeping, or relaxing, a convertible sofa is a great choice for entertaining guests because of its versatility.
• Extendable tables – These options are perfect for either an intimate dinner or a large gathering. This is also a good option for conscientious space savers. If you have many visitors, you can simply extend the table and gather around. When you are planning a dinner for two, you can make better use of the space and create a more desirable atmosphere by collapsing the table.
• Storage benches – When you combine seating with hidden storage compartments, you get the best of both worlds. A bench such as this is highly versatile. The storage spaces are often well protected from rain and elements and can be used for anything from dog food to frisbees, or from kids' toys to garden tools.

Bold colors and patterns

While choosing the right material and type of furniture is important, you will also want to consider the colors and patterns incorporated into your outdoor design plan. Plain outdoor furniture is a thing of the past. Now, in 2024, bold colors and patterns are on the rise.

Vibrant and bold colors such as cherry red, cobalt blue, and botanical green are hitting the scene this year in an attempt to use color to bring comfort and an appealing scenic display. Not only that, Moroccan and tribal patterns, along with floral designs and geometric prints, are in demand in 2024.

Tips for making the right choice:

• Furniture selection – You do not need to purchase all your furniture in the same color. Instead, mix and match colors for a lively and fresh appeal.
• Accent pieces – Try combining rugs and cushions with unique patterns and energetic colors to create a friendly yet robust environment.

Outdoor Kitchens and Dining Areas

While eating indoors may be the traditional approach, there is nothing like the great outdoors. In 2024, outdoor kitchen and dining areas are trending. There is a growing desire to bring the indoors outdoors. Thus, where there is a market demand, you can expect high quality innovations to meet such a demand.

• Grilling areas – An outdoor kitchen is incomplete without a grilling area. The grill is often the focal point of an outdoor kitchen design. If you want your outdoor kitchen and dining area to maintain an elegant look, you could consider constructing a cover for your grill area or looking into more luxurious options like a cabana or gazebo.
• Counters – You will also want to consider the proper material for your outdoor counters. Once again, durable material is a good option because, unless your countertops are sheltered from the sun and rain, they will need to withstand the elements.
• Storage – An outdoor kitchen and dining area must also have ample storage space. It is ideal to be able to stock your outdoor kitchen with the utensils and supplies needed. Therefore, ensure that durable storage options are also a part of the plan.
• Lighting – An outdoor kitchen and dining area must also come equipped with lighting. Solar-powered lighting is on the rise and could be a good option. LED technology is at the top of the list for outdoor lighting options due to its high illumination capabilities and its energy efficiency. You can also make use of smart outdoor lighting and control your lighting through automation technology.
• Cabanas – Cabanas are often made from wood or metal. They are sheltered areas that are sometimes walled but other times resemble a gazebo made from simpler materials. Cabanas are a great addition to better accommodate outdoor dining, entertain guests, and gain shelter from the sun.

Vintage and Retro Styles

The year 2024 is one in which the old days are becoming the modern trend. Some of last year’s styles are a thing of the past, but 2024 brings a whole new flare of vintage styles onto the scene.

• First up are the patterned umbrellas. Surely, a break from the sun is nice, and the trend this year that provides such relief is retro patterned umbrellas reminiscent of the 1950s and 1960s.
• Next are the highly affordable and durable wicker furniture styles. These classic furniture pieces from the past are another example of using eco-friendly materials that will both please guests and make a positive impact on the environment.

Comfort

While stylish pieces with bold colors are at the top of the list, you must never sacrifice comfort. Highly popular furniture designer Edward J Wormley has said, “Furniture is needed for practical reasons, and because it must be there, it may as well be as pleasant as possible to look at, and in a less definable psychological way, comforting to the spirit.” As a result, comfortable outdoor arrangements are designed with many different approaches. Some of these include the following:

• Table design – In 2024, tables are being designed with comfort in mind. Have you ever sat around a rectangular table in a large group? If so, you may have noticed that the person sitting at the corner is in an unfortunate spot. While the rest of the party is comfortable, the ones at the corners have little table room to work with and a sharp edge to deal with.

Table designers have recognized this glaring problem and are transforming the old table design into a new one. In 2024, tables with rounded edges are trending. They allow for better enjoyment and comfort for everyone around, along with increased visibility for those at the corners.

• Automated shades – In 2024, automated shades are in. With these shades, you can allow the gentle breeze to sweep through your patio, or you can block the sun to get a dose of shade. As previously mentioned, you could also consider using solar panels as an eco-friendly choice to power your automated shades.
• Fabric and material – The comfort of indoor furniture is no longer something that can only be experienced indoors. Durable and luxurious frames are being constructed for outdoor furniture options. Along with this, pioneering work is being done to enhance fabric selections with outdoor furniture to rival its indoor furniture counterpart.
• Kitchen and dining areas – While kitchen and dining areas have already been mentioned, we must also consider them in light of their comfort appeal. The point of the outdoor kitchen and dining area in 2024 is not to simply have a place to cook and eat outside. Instead, it is to bring the comfort and enjoyment of eating and dining indoors to the outdoors.
• Indoor-outdoor furniture – One of the driving forces behind the 2024 outdoor furniture trend is to mimic the comfort, versatility, and practicality of indoor furniture. One way of doing this is by blurring the lines between indoor and outdoor furniture. Furniture items such as ceramic tables, rattan sofas, and plush cushions help to accomplish this goal.
• Choosing chairs – While table designs are changing to become more comfortable, so are chair designs. Chairs with large backrests and adjustability options are a sure way to bring comfort to your outdoor dining area.
• Choosing sofas – In 2024, you will also see a rise of circular sofa chairs with circular backrests. These chairs are highly comfortable and often swivel. Opting for the swivel feature will add a level of versatility and ease when entertaining guests.

Rope Material

While outdoor garden furniture materials such as aluminum and teak have been consistently popular, using rope for the construction of outdoor furniture is on the rise. Using this material gives furniture pieces a visual appeal that is often unrivaled by many other fabrics and materials. It also allows for a large amount of variation in colors, patterns, and sizes.

This material choice is also a durable option because of its synthetic fiber design. It can also be designed with a protective layer of rubber surrounding it to protect it from the elements including rain, UV rays, and moisture. Combining it with aluminum or acacia wood is in growing demand in 2024. The ergonomic and flexible nature of the material also makes for a comfortable outdoor furniture choice.

It is also lightweight. Unlike some of the heavy metal outdoor furniture pieces that are often set in place and stay there until they are disposed of, choosing furniture made with this material will allow for ease in rearranging outdoor furniture pieces as often as you see fit.

In addition, it is sometimes made from recycled material. Thus, the eco-friendly nature of this material adds to its trending appeal in 2024.

The trends for 2024 outdoor furniture focus on sustainability, durability, space optimization, and comfort. Creating your outdoor space is a fun project to help you have a relaxing backyard experience, to help host parties, and to entertain guests.