Architects and Landscape Designers Predict What Our Home Exteriors Will Look Like in 2025

What does 2025 have in store? In Design Psychic, our community of editors, experts, and tastemakers predicts the trends coming soon to a house near you.

While some people swear by end-of-year “best of lists” we love to look forward and predict the trends that will dominate design in the coming year. From kitchens to bathrooms to color, we’re starting to get a sense of what will be big in 2025. And all of this fun forecasting isn’t limited to interiors. Here, we asked six interior and landscape designers what will be happening in the great outdoors, a.k.a. our gardens and exteriors, this new year. 

Embrace the Mess

“We’re loving that people seem to be embracing messy imperfections in their gardens,” says Abigal Shea of Studio Eastman. “Instead of perfectly manicured flower beds, we’re seeing grasses, trees, and more casual greenery having a serious moment in landscaping.” 

Scott Zimmer of landscape design firm Zimmer Gardens agrees and predicts we’ll be seeing more meadows instead of manicured spaces. “Whether it be acres, a front yard, or a mini meadow patch, this trend is here to stay. One way to achieve this is to just stop cutting your lawn and see what happens naturally.” 

Put Your Garden to Work 

Helen Lambrakis, partner at Landscape Design firm Garden 26, predicts an uptick in utility in outdoor spaces. “With the rising cost of food, edible landscapes are becoming a practical yet beautiful trend,” she shares. “Growing your own fruits, vegetables, and herbs not only promotes self-sufficiency but also adds a unique, personal touch to outdoor spaces.”

Get Rid of Your Grass

“Lawn be gone!” says Zimmer. “More clients are requesting to replace as much of their lawn as possible with all kinds of gardens.” If replacing your grass sounds daunting, Scott has a variety of ideas to replace traditional English grass. “Options include a tapestry of decorative grasses, low growing ground covers like micro clover, bee turf, creeping thyme, or ajuga. For a more polished look, planting through a large area of pea stone never disappoints. 

Lighten Up 

Exterior trends aren’t just for large spaces, as evidenced by Atlanta-based Interior Designer Sandy Saintilus’s apartment balcony makeover that went viral earlier this year. She posits we’ll see more interesting lighting in outdoor spaces of all sizes. “Although string lights and flood lights seem to be the go-to for outdoor lighting, more people [will] opt for outdoor lighting that resembles indoor light fixtures, like solar floor lamps and table lamps.” 

Bring Indoor Style Out

For interiors pro Honey Collins, there’s no limit to creating an outdoor space that mirrors all the comforts of rooms not exposed to the elements.“Thanks to the incredible advances in outdoor fabrics and furniture, we’re no longer limited by the elements. Outdoor spaces can now be as dynamic and livable as any interior room,” she shares. 

KD Reid thinks outdoor dining areas will have a particular moment as they go beyond simple patio setups. “Key trends will include biophilic design elements, such as greenery and natural textures, alongside multifunctional layouts that maximize space and engage with nature,” he says. “As homeowners continue to seek refuge and connection in their outdoor settings, the rise of thoughtfully curated dining areas will redefine the allure of exteriors, making them essential for both relaxation and socialization.” 

Bring Outdoor Living In

For Garry Shumaker, Principle of Shumaker Design Associates, spaces that blur the lines between indoor and outdoor are only going to get more popular. For their clients in the midwest, the firm has seen a rise in three-and-a-half season porches. “Close the storm windows, turn on a heater, and your outdoor porch is warm and toasty for the winter, ” he shares. 

But the spaces aren’t being adjusted just for winter, “As the temperatures climb, folks want to be able to close these rooms up with air conditioning,” he says. So the flow between these types of spaces will get more seamless and less delineated. 

Go Big 

“One trend we’re seeing is the integration of large format tile or stone panels in exterior cladding applications, along with more traditional wood siding,” says Doug Maxwell, partner at Upstate Modernist. “These materials more typical in commercial construction add interest and drama to exterior forms, especially with modern detailing.” 

Look Natural 

Shumaker sees a rise in natural, durable materials for exteriors, as folks become more aware of sustainability and the rising costs of materials. “People are tending to select materials of a higher quality that will last longer,” he shares. With an emphasis on materials that weather naturally and use fewer synthetic chemicals like charred cedars and Ipe. 

Give the Garage Its Due 

Architect Seth Brayton recently worked on a project “to elevate the humble garage.” Going forward we may see the garage become more than storage and serve “as the first mark of architecture on the site, welcoming visitors to the land while protecting the house behind it.” 

He also notes that outbuildings like garages and the ADUs can become as architecturally significant as the main house itself.  “The more the shape and form of these little structures can respond to pre-existing context, the more settled and cohesive they feel. And they are a great opportunity to be playful, riffing on pre-existing structures without being beholden to their stylistic precepts.”