Landscape Design Trends: What’s Shaping Outdoor Living in 2026

As homeowners continue to blur the line between indoor comfort and outdoor enjoyment, landscape design has evolved to prioritize year-round usability, technology integration, and wellness-focused spaces. From outdoor offices to automated lighting and backyard saunas, the latest trends show a clear shift: people want to spend more time outside—and they want those spaces to be functional, beautiful, and smart.

Here are the top landscape design trends reshaping outdoor living today.

With hybrid work schedules now the norm, homeowners are looking to expand their productivity beyond the four walls of the house. Outdoor workspaces have become a highly requested feature, offering a refreshing change of scenery and the health benefits of being outdoors.

Designers are incorporating:

• Weather-friendly workstations
• Comfortable seating zones
• Shade structures or pergolas
• Power access and charging stations
• Wi-Fi boosters or extenders to ensure strong, reliable connectivity throughout the property

The result is a serene, functional extension of the home office that allows people to stay productive while enjoying nature.

Homeowners want to maximize their time outside, even during cooler months. Three-season rooms—including covered cabanas, screened-in rooms, and modern pergolas—are becoming a go-to solution for extending outdoor living.

Thanks to advancements in efficient gas and electric heating, these spaces stay comfortable during the shoulder seasons and often well into winter. They’re perfect for:

• Outdoor dining
• Family gatherings
• Cozy reading nooks
• Entertaining without worrying about weather or bugs

More than just outdoor rooms, these are fully realized living spaces designed for comfort and versatility.

Nothing ruins a perfect evening outdoors like mosquitoes. Fortunately, the newest trend in landscape design focuses on non-toxic, user-friendly mosquito control.

Systems such as Thermacell create invisible, scent-free protective zones around patios and gathering spaces. Instead of killing insects or requiring chemical sprays and candles, these systems repel mosquitoes naturally, allowing homeowners to enjoy the outdoors without odor, noise, or mess.

This low-maintenance, environmentally considerate approach is quickly replacing traditional methods.

Wellness-focused outdoor living continues to grow, and backyard saunas are becoming one of the hottest additions to modern landscapes. These compact luxury escapes offer year-round relaxation, health benefits, and a spa-like experience just steps from the back door.

Today’s saunas often include:

• Electric-start heaters
• Wi-Fi compatibility
• Smartphone-controlled temperature settings
• Energy-efficient designs
• Homeowners can even preheat the sauna on their commute home so it’s ready the moment they arrive—bringing convenience and self-care together.

Technology continues to transform outdoor spaces, with automation now a staple in landscape design. Almost every outdoor system can be connected to a home’s network or controlled via smartphone, including:

• Outdoor lighting
• Irrigation systems
• Audio systems
• Grills and smokers
• Water features
• Heating systems

Automation not only makes outdoor living more convenient but also improves efficiency, reduces energy use, and enhances security and ambiance.

As homeowners seek comfort, connection, wellness, and functionality in their landscapes, these trends signal a future where outdoor spaces are just as essential as the rooms inside the house. Whether it’s working remotely in a fresh-air office, relaxing in a sauna, or hosting friends in a perfectly heated three-season room, today’s outdoor environments are smarter, more versatile, and more enjoyable than ever.