People Prefer a Rooftop Terrace to a Backyard, According to Houzz

Backyards have long been considered the most desirable outdoor amenity for homeowners, but that could be changing. Drawing from search insights thanks to their community of users, the interior design site Houzz recently released its 2023 U.S. Emerging Summer Trends Report. According to their findings, another outdoor feature is poised to take the lead: rooftop terraces.

The report found that searches for “outdoor rooftop terrace” have increased by a whopping 1,555% over the past year.

Other home trends rising in popularity include walk-in kitchen pantries (up 2,636%), basement golf simulators (up 1,905%), and Spanish Colonial living rooms (up 1,470%).

Rooftop terraces are traditionally associated with urban homes, where many residents live in apartment buildings that don’t offer private access to the outdoors. However, it’s also possible to install a rooftop terrace in your own home… but you’ll have to meet some important criteria to do so.

According to the U.K.-based design studio Resi, most building regulations will require you to submit a full planning application illustrating how your building plans will address issues like fire safety, structural safety, and waterproofing.

And as professional architect Michael Montgomery previously told Houzz, the style of house you have could have a major impact on how well-suited your home is to host a rooftop terrace.

“If the roof terrace is to be located at the front of the house, properties that have a high parapet (such as mid-period Victorian terraces or even Art Deco-era homes), or that have a high gable-end roof form (like some Edwardian era homes) are perfect for rooftop terraces,” he said. “On smaller inner-city properties, a hip roof facing the street might not be ideal, since you’re likely to make a major impact on the original house unless it’s set back far enough.”

Having a backyard will never go out of style, but for now, it seems like rooftop terraces are a good vibe for the summer, especially if you have room to garden or entertain guests.