Yelp Says This Outdoor Trend Is Growing — And It’s Bobby Berk-Approved

It may sound dramatic, but it seems like there’s never been as many outdoor decor trends to keep track of as there are in 2022. Designers and brands are sharing their insights with rapid speed, noting the growing popularity of everything from warm colors to modular designs and so much more. It’s a lot of information to take in, and if you’ve thought of embarking on an outdoor project of your own, you may be feeling overwhelmed by all the advice. That is, until you read Yelp’s just-launched report on backyard trends, which is essentially a definitive guide to what’s really worth trying on your home this summer and beyond.

To create this breakdown of what’s hot now, Yelp dug through its own data to reveal the biggest home updates, additions, and refreshes people are searching for. It then partnered with interior designer and Queer Eye star Bobby Berk to curate the list and finalize the trends. What Yelp found solidified its previous predictions: 2022 is seeing a move away from major renovations related to staying home, and “a return to aesthetics and decor trends, where artistry, texture, and details take the spotlight.” Berk has noticed the same. “When it comes to design inspiration and summer decor updates, 2022 will continue to spotlight a return to aesthetics inside and out, whether that’s installing a skylight to bring more natural light in, or adding solar lights to easily elevate a backyard’s ambiance.”

While the report dives into a whole range of trends both inside the home and out that follow in this vein, we wanted to hone in on the backyard-specific movements it identified in order to aid you in your seasonal planning. You can find the full list (as well as the exact methodology Yelp used to create it) on Yelp’s site, plus a curation of TZR’s favorite backyard trends from the report, ahead.

Backyard Overhauls

According to Yelp’s data, the focus this year is on making the backyard look good, and there are a few updates in particular getting all the love. Landscaping is big, with searches for botanists and gardeners up 22% in April 2022 compared to April 2021, and searches for landscape curbing and pavers surging 203% in April.

As you probably already know, indoor-outdoor living is also on the rise. Patio enclosures have seen a 66% increase in searches, and glass-door installation (up 22%) and garage screen doors (up 254%) are also trending in search.

’70s Design

As Yelp puts it, “users have the disco decade on their minds.” In fact, searches for 1970s design increased by 72% in March. Outside the home, this includes geometric shapes and patterns, bright color palettes, and rattan outdoor furniture. As the platform notes, you could also take this in a modern direction with a “chic outdoor sunken lounge with a firepit.”

Outdoor Lighting

Sometimes outdoor lighting gets overlooked — but apparently, that’s not so with Yelp users this year. According to the platform, “searches for outdoor lighting increased by 30% in February 2022 compared to February 2021.” And Berk approves. “We all know the importance of the right lighting when it comes to our indoor spaces, but often neglect our outdoor spaces — and it’s a big missed opportunity,” he said in the report. “Whether you want to hang overhead cafe lights for ambiance, or uplights to create an evening glow, it’s an investment you will not regret. I’ve been using solar lights for years now, and not only are they an easy installation, but they don’t require any power, which means that you can add them virtually anywhere.”

Eco-Friendly Design

Earlier this year, designers told TZR that sustainability was gaining an increasingly crucial role in outdoor spaces. Now, Yelp is proving it’s true. The report notes that it’s “seeing searches for electric vehicle charging station installations rise,” and Berk himself says he recently installed one in his home.

In addition, the report continues, “Searches for solar installation increased 47% in March 2022 compared to the same month last year, and searches for glass glazing, which increases energy efficiency by reinforcing doors and windows, are up 32%.” In fact, Yelp has seen such a rise in demand from users for info about eco-friendly business practices that it launched new eco-friendly business attributes in April.