Australia’s leading masonry manufacturer and supplier of quality concrete bricks and pavers, Adbri Masonry reveals the top outdoor trends and themes to expect this coming summer and into 2014.

Upcoming trends in the outdoor space predicted by Adbri Masonry brand ambassador, landscaping expert Jason Hodges for the 2013/14 summer include experimenting with colour and texture, increased use of small space features, building furniture into outdoor spaces, outdoor lighting, outdoor objects as simple focal points, fire pits, pond-free water features, edible gardens, and connecting indoor and outdoor spaces seamlessly.

Adbri Masonry Marketing Manager Karl Wood explains that home owners want more out of their outdoor spaces, seeking to go beyond the conventional garden and barbeque layouts to create a seamless extension of their living areas that can be enjoyed day and night. The concept of the ‘Outdoor Room’ is a truly personal space in which homeowners have the opportunity to imprint their own personality.

According to landscaping expert Jason Hodges, home owners today have access to a wealth of inspiration from lifestyle TV shows, magazines, bloggers and social media, leading to higher expectations of what they want from their outdoor space.

Optimising limited outdoor spaces is a key objective for homeowners who are looking for ways to maximise their living space, says Jason Hodges. A new trend is for homeowners to extend their liveable areas through the creation of clever outdoor rooms that show off their personality and style, and allow the family to take advantage of the wonderful year-round sunny Australian climate.

Key trends for outdoor spaces for summer of 2013-2014:

  • Contrasting colour and texture will add dimension and character, helping to highlight a feature product or area
  • Increased use of mobile features such as layered plants and potted fruit trees, and furniture such as benches, pillows and cushions to make the available space multifunctional
  • Building furniture into outdoor spaces (e.g., a bench seat on a retaining wall) as a cost effective, innovative and versatile way of maximising space
  • Increased use of outdoor lighting for aesthetics as well as enabling outdoor spaces to be used day and night (e.g., soft mood lighting from concealed under- or above ground lights, spotlighting and self-sustaining solar lights)
  • Simple focal points to balance lines of contrast and de-clutter busy outdoor spaces using outdoor objects such as stone vases, sculptures and water features
  • Fire pits as a focal gathering point in the yard for use year round, built with concrete blocks such as Miniwall in a range of colours including charcoal
  • Greater use of natural, cost effective and recycled materials - crushed granite and blue metal are ideal for landscaping projects with large areas covered for minimal cost (e.g. a stepping stone path with Euro pavers, spaced with crushed granite)
  • Pond-free water features such as water fountains that fall into pebbles or feed vertical green walls provide a simple focal point, are low maintenance and child safe, and deliver a soothing background white noise to drown outside traffic
  • Urban edible gardens for home grown, chemical-free and garden fresh produce, using defined garden plots and planter boxes
  • Better ongoing utilisation of the outdoor space by making it easily accessible, facilitating a seamless transition from indoor living rooms through bifold or French doors
Adbri Masonry ambassador Jason Hodges has researched these trends on behalf of Adbri to enable home owners to develop an outdoor space, which not only best reflects their personality and needs, but is also easy to implement and sustainable.

Jason adds that Adbri Masonry has a wide range of quality products to help homeowners with any DIY outdoor project, as well as a great network of experts to provide innovative and sustainable solutions.