Casual Living's Today's Casual Designer Report

Outdoor lighting tops list of must-haves

Stephanie Nickell -- Casual Living, 11/1/2012 2:00:00 AM

Casual Designer ReportAn overwhelming majority, 91%, of designers responding to Casual Living's 2012 Designer Survey say outdoor lighting is crucial for any outdoor space.

Grills and professional landscaping tied for second place, with 85% of designers saying they are must-haves for their client's outdoor spaces. Outdoor dining sets and lounge chairs were named as essential products by 84% and 83%, respectively.

Casual Living's exclusive 2012 Designers Survey is based on responses of designers across the United States. Casual Living queried designers through the Interior Design Society and American Society of Interior Designers during the months of August and September.

Designers in the West accounted for 29% of total respondents, with the South coming in second at 27%. Twenty-five percent of responding designers were in the Northeast; and 19% in the Midwest.

Forty-five percent of responding designers describe their business model as freelance/independent; while the next biggest percentage, 19%, are designers associated with furniture stores. Fifteen percent of respondents are landscape designers; 13% are with an interior design firm; 4% with a construction firm; 2% with a casual furniture specialist; and 2% with an architecture/engineering firm.

For the entire four-page report, see the November 2012 print issue of Casual living, or click here for the exclusive online edition.