Backyard Sanctuaries Lead 2025s Outdoor Living Trends, Survey Finds

Homeowners across the U.S. are embracing a new outdoor living trend in 2025 — transforming their backyards into private sanctuaries designed for rest, connection, and personalized style.

A new survey of 2,000 U.S. homeowners conducted by Talker Research on behalf of Trex Company reveals a major shift toward outdoor living, with with 67% planning to spend more time outdoors this year than in years past and 41% planning to create backyard sanctuaries.

In fact, the average homeowner expects to spend 11.7 hours per week outside at home in 2025 — up from 9.6 hours per week in 2024, marking a 22% increase in outdoor time.

Alongside the sanctuary trend, 38% of respondents said they plan to add fire pits or outdoor heating elements, while 37% are focusing on making their spaces more private. Other leading exterior upgrades include landscaping projects (34%), building new patios or decks (25%), and upgrading outdoor lighting (25%). Overall, four in 10 homeowners already have concrete plans to renovate the exterior of their homes this year.

“Homeowners are reimagining their outdoor spaces not just as extensions of their homes, but as essential retreats for relaxation, connection and comfort,” said Jodi Lee, senior vice president of marketing for Trex Company. “From fire pits to privacy features, its clear that 2025 is all about creating personalized, livable areas that reflect individual style and support year-round outdoor living.”

Just 10% said they wouldnt change a thing about their outdoor space, and most said they are still a long way from their ideal vision: on average, respondents estimate their backyard is only 45% of the way to becoming their dream outdoor area.

Whats motivating the investment? In part, daily enjoyment — 40% say they already spend at least 30 minutes per day in their outdoor space. But it’s also a financial decision. Eighty-seven percent of homeowners believe that improving their yards will increase their homes resale value.

Homeowners estimate theyll need about $13,321 on average to bring their dream outdoor space to life. As for how theyll approach the work, 33% plan to do it themselves, 28% prefer to hire a professional, and 34% say theyll do a combination of both.

Sustainability is also top of mind: 68% of respondents are making sure their renovations include eco-friendly materials and energy-efficient designs.

“Were seeing more people wanting to carve out spaces where they can slow down, unwind and enjoy being outside,” Lee said. “As daily life gets busier and more digitally connected, the backyard has become one of the few places people can disconnect, find a bit of quiet and spend time with family and friends on their own terms. Thats whats really driving these changes — its not just about adding features but creating a space that feels personal and restorative.”