As customers invest more in outdoor living, retailers are seeing new opportunities to grow their outdoor assortment. Shoppers are transforming their porches, patios, and gardens to reflect their style. Customers are looking to retailers for ideas that bring comfort, color, and creativity to create an outdoor oasis. At Dallas Market Center, buyers can discover the latest outdoor trends and explore new, fun categories, all under one roof. These seven fresh ideas will help you build an outdoor assortment that inspires your customers and keeps them coming back season after season.
1) Porch personality is the new curb appealThe front door has become the new first impression, and shoppers want their entryways to feel styled and welcoming. Porch décor is selling as a story with door décor, outdoor mats, planters, and other items that create instant moments for their guests. These moments are swapped out, with customers attaching their porch décor to a holiday, a season, or both! K&K Interiors offers a great assortment of seasonal outdoor items to help your customers build their welcome moments. Tip: Many showrooms offer home, garden, and gift items to help you spend less time sourcing and more time selling.
2) Soundscapes sell serenity
Wind chimes have evolved from a souvenir to an outdoor essential. Consumers are embracing chimes as “audio décor,” creating calm, musical backdrops for their outdoor spaces. Customers aren't just listening for a beautiful sound, but they want an elegant hanging piece of art in their space. Gift Essentials has musical decor collections that look as beautiful as they sound. Tip: Choose different materials, such as wood, glass, or metal to offer different sound profiles.
3) Nature motifs with friendly critters
Nature-themed décor, such as birds, bugs, and bunnies, never goes out of style in the garden. Adding animal statuary, insect-inspired stakes, and playful planters adds instant personality to any outdoor space. Retailers love them because they’re both giftable and collectible, making them an easy year-round add-on. Tag showroom has a mix of whimsical garden décor to add the perfect amount of playfulness to any garden. Tip: Merchandise items together by theme (“Garden Friends” or “Pollinator Patch”) and pair items together to tell a story that feels cheerful and connected to nature.
4) Outdoor art goes bigger, brighter, bolder
Outdoor art is embracing boldness with color-drenched finishes, oversized handcrafted sculptures, and ornate decor items. Shoppers are drawn to statement pieces that add energy and personality to their outdoor spaces, making this category a powerful upsell for retailers. At Zaer Ltd. International buyers can explore handcrafted metal art, whimsical garden stakes, and weather-resistant sculptures that blend craftsmanship with color. Their collections make it easy to curate a color story or create a bold patio vignette that feels instantly elevated. Tip: Pair colorful, large-scale pieces with smaller coordinating ones to give a pre-picked theme.
5) Planters with Personality
Planters and vases are becoming design features, not just functional containers. Retailers succeeding here are mixing modern silhouettes, matte textures, and soft neutral palettes with playful statement pieces. Creative Co-op offers a great selection of pots in all sizes and in many different styles - they even offer planters by the pallet for added savings. Tip: Create good/better/best pricing to appeal to multiple budgets, and pair with faux plants or trees for customers who want the look without the upkeep.
6) Light the Way
Don’t let lighting be an afterthought for your customers. From softly illuminated pathways to water features that shimmer at night, integrated lighting adds drama, safety, and atmosphere to any backyard oasis. Many lighting options are easy to maintain and easy to install, which can be found at the Dallas Market Center.
Lightovation, the largest marketplace for exterior lighting, is taking place concurrently with the Total Home & Gift Market. In January, there will be an exterior lighting display, Exteriorscapes, with 9 exhibitors offering the best in exterior lighting. Brands participating in Exteriorscapes, such as ET2 and Aurora Lighting, have a wide selection of exterior lighting to fit all your customers’ landscape needs. Retailers who merchandise lighting alongside fountains, planters, or statuary inspire customers to see the full picture. Tip: Some brands offer technology in their lighting, such as smart controls, adaptive data, and color-changing bulbs to add functionality and ease to exterior lighting.
7) Paper Meets Petals
Garden-themed Stationery is an easy add-on category. Cards, journals, and artwork with a botanical or nature theme sell best when they’re merchandised with intent, not hidden in the back of a store. Tie it to the theme: pair floral prints with vases, tuck bird sketches beside feeders and houses, or place animal journals near garden statues. These accessories will complete a display, add personality, and boost margins. At Dallas Market Center, you can find a variety of floral and nature-themed paper products at daniel*richards. Tip: Try stacking journals and cards in tiered trays or baskets near checkout as an impulse buy.
Come to Dallas Market Center with themes in mind and plan to shop across home, garden, and gift showrooms to tell cohesive stories that sell year-round. Dallas makes it easy to source everything you need for outdoor style and inspiration all under one roof.
Dallas Total Home & Gift Market - January 7-13 | TEMPS January 7-10
Lightovation- January 10 - 13