Growing In Popularity
In 2025, JBREC surveyed designers from the industry who reported that built outdoor spaces are 47% more important than the previous year, more than any other space in the home. Another 42% said that outdoor spaces are just as important now as they were last year.
According to the report, residential designers increased the connection of the home to the outdoors through a variety of features, even carving outdoor spaces into the footprint of the home.
The Aire at Westchester, a new HHHunt community in Midlothian, Va., placed emphasis on front porches and other front-facing balcony features that enhance front elevations and often face public green spaces.
Several of KTGY’s communities from the past few years, including The Aire at Westchester Commons by HHHunt (above), have placed emphasis on front porches and other front-facing balcony features.
These spaces enhance front elevations and often face public green spaces. The home aesthetics benefit from these features, and the green spaces are injected with vibrant activity as neighbors are more likely to engage with each other outside.
On the East Coast, perhaps the biggest trend we see in outdoor spaces is the rooftop terrace. Pitched roofs are traditional for our region, but flat roofs are becoming more popular as density has increased in suburban areas.
At Aire at Westchester in Midlothian, Va., rooftop terraces on flat roofs are a response to increasing demand for outdoor space in high-density housing projects.
In communities where lot sizes are small, where driveways occupy larger percentages of what otherwise would be used for yards, the rooftop is a great option for designers to create outdoor space.
A rooftop terrace can be covered or uncovered, is often finished with materials that blend with the architecture of the home and can be upgraded with outdoor fireplaces to allow three-season use.
We started seeing a demand for rooftop terraces in the Washington, DC metro area, particularly in locations close to public transit. After showing the design and buyer receptiveness to clients throughout the East Coast, we have taken rooftop terraces to other markets.
These built outdoor features maintain their importance in the post-pandemic era and continue to gain popularity in 2025. Homeowners enjoy these spaces, and home builders appreciate the value that these spaces add. When done thoughtfully, they enhance the architecture of the home and the curb appeal of the neighborhood.
For these reasons, built outdoor spaces are a post-pandemic trend that is here to stay. Architects and homebuilders should continue to consider thoughtful built outdoor spaces to meet the needs of prospective homeowners.
The front elevation of the Florin model of the Nouveau Collection at Amalyn, a Toll Brothers community in Bethesda, Md.
