Today’s trends go well beyond the expected exterior spaces and styles. For example, outdoor kitchens have long been popular and are increasingly favored, but now, we’re also seeing the creation of garden offices, outdoor bars, and designs that intentionally merge the indoors and outside spaces for cohesive style and functionality.
Here’s a quick review of exterior trends and the many ways Crossville collections contribute to aesthetics and technical performance for these cherished spaces.
Outdoor Kitchen
With online searches for outdoor kitchen ideas trending up, it is clear homeowners want to be outside. Typically, outdoor kitchens were reserved for properties in sunnier climates, but now designers embrace the opportunities to extend the entertaining space and make the best use of square footage year-round.
With an outdoor kitchen, countertop selection becomes a critical specification due to the harsh elements encountered. With superior technical characteristics, Crossville’s Porcelain Countertops are the right choice for outdoor kitchens, barbecue areas—even outdoor furniture and tabletops and windowsill ledges.
Crossville technical services director Noah Chitty shares that the advantages for outdoor use are clear. “Because porcelain is freeze/thaw resistant and U/V stable, our slab products are perfect for outside. We offer a superior solution for exterior use.”
As a matter of fact, porcelain countertops are the only surfaces that can be specified for outdoors. The resins of quartz would yellow over time if applied outside, and natural stone’s porosity does not provide freeze/thaw resistance required to perform in exterior countertop applications.
Crossville Porcelain Countertops offer the consistency of product, particularly predictable design styles and surface visuals, as well as ease of cleaning that the market came to appreciate in engineered quartz. However, the porcelain slab’s advantages don’t stop there; they go on to exceed that of engineered quartz. Increased stain resistance, increased scratch resistance, fire resistance, UV resistance, freeze/thaw resistance: these are just a few of the reasons that Crossville Porcelain Countertops are a top choice for outdoor kitchen countertops.
Outdoor Working Spaces
As more people are discovering that “WFH” (working from home) actually means “WFA” (work from anywhere), they are taking their business activities outside. After all, if there’s a Wifi connection available, there’s no requirement for staying inside to get down to business!
Crossville porcelain countertops are ideal for creating multi-use horizontal surfaces that are not confined to cooking and eating. They are also excellent for providing attractive and sturdy work surfaces for whatever tasks are at hand.
Likewise, other Crossville collections (ie. – Garden and Portugal) suited for exterior applications are beautiful upgrades for anyone who’s opting to work outside and enjoy the range of spaces around the home.
This trend reflects property owners’ willingness to upgrade on the outside near or at the same levels they would invest in interior spaces. People desire top quality, style, and performance outside, just as they do for interiors.
Outdoor Living Spaces
After an outdoor kitchen, the second most requested feature for enhanced outdoor living spaces are expanded and upgraded seating with fireplaces and firepits. From multipurpose furniture to making the entire space usable, designers are really finding ways to merge as a seamless transition. The end result is for homeowners to use the outdoor living area as much as inside and not even realize it.
Crossville’s new Portugal collection is an excellent flooring and surfacing alternative that offers the style and performance required for exterior areas. The collection is the first offered by Crossville with finishes specifically for exterior and interior applications, making it a great solution for designs that need to visually flow from inside to outside.
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Not only does Portugal answer demanding performance requirements, but it also offers a naturally elegant look for surrounding outdoor and indoor areas. Made with Crossville’s Digital+ technology, the collection replicates the appearance of Portuguese Atlantic Dark limestone found only in the Mediterranean. The look features a subtle, organic surface with nuanced, tactile style. The line’s palette of six colors represents a mix of warm and cool neutrals offering designers a wide range of hues that blend beautifully with existing home spaces.
With two large exterior tile sizes (12“x24” and 24”x24”), designers can create visual intricacies in the flooring area. Additionally, Crossville’s Portugal collection is available in the stunning triangular mosaic that is sheet-mounted and ready for installation on floors and walls. The triangular mosaic works well to create a stunning vertical focal point on the wall. For more traditional looks, the sheet-mounted 2”x2” mosaic is also available.
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