Seat Walls Are Now Trending

Landscaping trends change regularly. From traditional landscapes to “themed” landscapes to xeriscaping, there is always a type of landscape that is popular at the moment.

The good thing about landscaping trends, though, is that even when they are no longer trendy their popularity never dies. People never regret landscapes like they do fashion, because landscapes are usually trendy because they match the homeowner’s character/personality, and it simply happens that a trend will pop up where a homeowner will say to themselves: “that’s what I want!” and go for it – not because it’s trendy, but because the trend happens to coincide with what they have always wanted.

Simple But Popular: Seat Walls Are Now Trending

This bring us to one of the requests we’re receiving often now at FiveSTAR Landscape – the need for seat walls. Seat walls have always been a fairly simple addition to any landscape, and not necessarily that uncommon. They are very common around fire pits, for example.

But over the past few years, they’ve picked up dramatically – at least within our client base. Possible reasons for this include:

• Entertaining a Priority – More and more people are prioritizing entertaining in their backyards, rather than considering it an afterthought. Seat walls allow large families and friends to easily sit down anywhere in the yard without worrying about having enough chairs.
• Limited Maintenance – Seat walls also require very little maintenance and upkeep. For many, there is nothing as frustrating as wanting to have a gathering and putting out dozens of metal chairs. Seat walls are always there, require no/little cleaning, and last for years.
• Decline in Patio Furniture – It seems as though fewer people are spending money on patio furniture. The costs of this type of furniture have been on the rise for a while, but because seat walls (and similar hardscape seating areas) are affordable landscape additions, spending hundreds on some high upkeep fancier chairs appears to be less appealing for homeowners.

Seat walls have been a part of landscaping for decades, and that is certainly not changing any time soon. But perhaps over time, more homeowners have enjoyed creating entertainment areas that look more like a part of a natural landscape, rather than patio furniture and other chairs that may be less inviting.

Regardless, they’re yet another “trend” that is popular today, and like other trends in landscaping, this one doesn’t appear to be dying off any time soon.