While kitchen and bathroom renovations dominate home improvement budgets, backyards remain underused spaces where designers face fewer structural constraints.
Most discussions about real estate marketing and renovation focus on interiors. However, Paul Lafrance, founder and CEO of Paul Lafrance Design, says working inside a house requires operating within strict boundaries.
Interior Renovations Come With Structural Limits
“There’s nothing new under the sun when it comes to the interior of a house,” Lafrance says. Even in the largest rooms, designers must work within the constraints of walls and ceilings. Room size, structural supports, plumbing, and electrical systems limit what designers can change.. While finishes and furnishings can be updated, the space’s basic feel remains tied to the original building.
Outdoor areas, by contrast, allow designers to reshape the land, add vertical structures, install water features, and rethink how spaces connect. Aside from zoning rules and property lines, designers have much more freedom to customize and create unique environments.
Despite these advantages, most homeowners pay little attention to backyard design. Lafrance points out that even homes with extensive interior renovations often have backyards that receive only routine maintenance, not creative upgrades.
Why Real Estate Overlooks Backyard Potential
Lafrance sees widespread “untapped potential” in the way backyards are handled in residential real estate. Properties with large outdoor spaces are often listed with generic, underdeveloped yards.
“How many beautiful properties, whether small or large, have backyards with no imagination?” Lafrance asks.He believes these spaces could offer major benefits for relaxation and well-being, yet are usually overlooked.
He argues that the real estate industry has not recognized the value of outdoor design. Agents and sellers spend heavily on staging interiors, but backyards are rarely featured as key selling points. This lack of focus is a missed opportunity for homes to stand out in crowded markets.
While buyers touring homes often see similar kitchens, bathrooms, and flooring in listing after listing, a thoughtfully designed backyard can make a property memorable. Lafrance notes that “people are used to kitchen renovations looking awesome, bathroom renovations looking awesome,” but rarely see the same creativity in other areas.
Because most interiors now follow well-established trends, he believes a unique backyard is one of the few ways to differentiate a home truly. Outdoor features can create an instant emotional connection with buyers that standard interior finishes cannot.
How Outdoor Spaces Reflect Personal Identity
Lafrance says outdoor spaces offer something interiors cannot: the chance to tell a story through design. Unlike rooms that must serve specific functions, backyards can be shaped to support personal goals and emotional needs.
“The ability to create something that is truly connected to who a person is in their story, to be able to design something timeless, gets me out of bed in the morning,” Lafrance says.
For Lafrance, outdoor design is not just about adding amenities. A backyard can be tailored to support family life, provide a place to unwind, or capture the atmosphere of a favorite destination. This flexibility makes outdoor projects fundamentally different from interior renovations, which are always shaped by practical requirements like cooking or storage.
Lafrance prefers to describe himself as an “outdoor living space creator” rather than a deck builder, reflecting his belief that these projects are about extending the home’s living area and promoting well-being. “I’m creating an extension of the home that allows you to psychologically de-stress,” he says.
He suggests that real estate agents could do more to help buyers see this potential. Rather than treating backyards as empty spaces for buyers to figure out, agents could work with designers to create visual concepts that show what is possible.
Integrating Outdoor Design Into the Home Buying Process
Lafrance proposes a new approach: integrating outdoor living design into the home-buying process. In this model, agents would partner with designers to develop plans for undeveloped backyards, giving buyers a clear vision before they move in.
He imagines agents saying, “Here’s the house, and as part of things, Paul’s going to design this backyard for you. You’re going to have a vision of what this is going to look like before you even move in. That’s got power to it.”
Lafrance believes this approach would address a common problem: most buyers struggle to imagine how a bland backyard could be transformed, even if they value outdoor living. By providing professional concepts, agents help buyers see the full potential of a property.
This strategy could be especially useful for homes with difficult outdoor spaces, such as small lots or awkward layouts, where design can turn a liability into an asset.
Lafrance says this partnership would benefit everyone involved. Agents would have a new way to distinguish listings. Buyers would receive expert guidance, even if they choose to wait before implementing any changes. Designers would gain a steady flow of projects tied to home sales.
He acknowledges that not all buyers will act on these plans right away. But he argues that having a clear design in place makes it more likely that buyers will eventually improve their yards, and ensures those improvements will be well thought out.
Paul Lafrance Design has completed outdoor living projects across North America for 30 years, including projects featured on HGTV. The firm focuses on creating outdoor spaces that promote relaxation and family connection, positioning backyard design as just as important as any room inside the home.
Outdoor Design as a Competitive Advantage in Real Estate
As interior renovations become more standardized, the value of distinctive outdoor spaces is increasing. Buyers are looking for homes that offer more than updated kitchens and bathrooms. They want spaces that support their lifestyle and well-being.
For sellers and agents, investing in backyard design is a way to give properties a competitive edge. For buyers, seeing the potential of an outdoor space instead of focusing on its current condition can make the difference between a house that feels ordinary and one that feels like home.
Lafrance’s approach highlights a shift in how value is created in residential real estate. In a market where interiors often look alike, the real opportunity for creativity and differentiation may be waiting just outside the back door.
