Outdoor Patio And Furniture Trends Set To Take Over In 2026

Even if it's still extra-chilly where you are, it's never too early to look ahead to spring and the warmer, longer days ahead. Naturally, one of the biggest perks when the temperatures rise is getting to spend more time enjoying your outdoor space at home; and with outdoor entertaining set to become more popular than ever this year, you'll want to brush up on the patio and outdoor furniture trends that will be dominating in 2026.

From full-scale outdoor kitchens to front porches made for socializing, 2026's top outdoor fashions are designed to bring people together for more meaningful moments. But contemporary outside spaces won't just be curated for friends and family. This year, we'll also see an uptick in outdoor wellness areas and intimate, private garden nooks that encourage you to slow down and take some time for yourself. Here's what to look out for in the patio and garden design spaces.

Although once popular, identical patio furniture sets look outdated in 2026. Designer Nate Fox told Martha Stewart's website that "the matchy-matchy approach can feel sterile and lacks the character and visual interest that comes from mixing different pieces, eras, and styles." Instead, the trendy approach is to look for what Fox describes as an "eclectic" assortment of pieces with slightly different aesthetics or styles that still stay on theme.

Zillow's 2026 Home Trends Report flagged wellness spaces as a feature that more homeowners are on the hunt for, and the trend is spilling over into outdoor patio areas, too. Requests for saunas and hot tubs are up, and even patio areas dedicated to yoga practices are gaining popularity. "When surrounded by nature, the experience becomes as mentally restorative as it is physical," Nick Fobes, a partner at the landscape architecture firm Hoerr Schaudt, told Veranda of incorporating yoga and stretching spaces into outdoor design.

Homeowners are gravitating away from sprawling patio designs in favor of creating more intimate outdoor gathering spaces. "It's less of these big, huge, open, clean, hard spaces, and much more of a personal, comfy, intimate aesthetic of a little nook with a comfortable chair," Tara Piergies-Baker, a landscape designer with The Addison Group told the National Association of Landscape Professionals. Smaller areas, where a close group of friends can gather around a stylish stone fire pit, for example, are gaining steam in 2026.

While curb appeal has always been a thing, the National Association of Landscape Professionals reports that people are looking for more ways to socialize in their front yards, too. "Now I'm seeing more and more the desire to have a front courtyard, the desire to have a space that we can come outside in the front and relax and say hello to the neighbor when they ride their bicycle by, or when they're walking the dog, or the place to watch the kids play," said Dan Waters, owner of Creative Environments.

Untraditional outdoor living rooms, complete with sound systems, wireless charging areas, and televisions, are all the rage in 2026. G & G Landscape Solutions, which is based in Charlotte, N.C., says people are blurring the line between indoor and outdoor spaces by incorporating patio heating and cooling systems to bring the comforts of indoor living spaces outside, and that "furniture selections increasingly mirror indoor quality and comfort levels while incorporating weather-resistant materials and construction techniques."

Container gardening (i.e. growing plants in pots, boxes, or baskets) is taking over patio spaces, and the great part is that it enables you to enjoy beautiful blooms even if you're a city-dweller or don't have a huge yard. "There is more interest than ever in gardening on decks and patios," Katie Tamony, chief marketing officer and trend spotter for Monrovia Nursery, told Southern Living. While container gardens are particularly popular among elder gardeners, Tamony said lovers of this low-maintenance option cover all ages. 

A 1stDibs designer survey called out rattan and wicker furniture as fashionable design choices that are still trending in 2026 (and, no, wicker and rattan are not the same thing; wicker is a type of weaving, and rattan is a vine often used in wicker furniture). You will love incorporating these classic, vintage-inspired furniture styles on covered porches and patios like your grandmother used to; or if you're looking to just bring a small wicker accent to your outdoor design, try DIYing your own wicker planter.

With an increased interest in entertaining and Italian-inspired al fresco dining, outdoor kitchens are expected to trend in 2026, with 43% of designers recommending outdoor kitchens as a "bonus" room to clients, according to the 1stDibs survey of design professionals. Think not of the typical grille and outdoor dining table setup of yesteryear, but of professional appliances, full outdoor bars, pizza ovens, fire pits, and built-in seating.