Originally published in the October 2015 print issue of Casual Living

The patio is the most habited outdoor space, used by one-third of consumers answering the 2015 Casual Living and Apartment Therapy's exclusive Outdoor Decorating Survey. Six out of 10 consumers who live in a house have a patio and four out of 10 of consumers living in a condominium have one. Among apartment dweller, a balcony is the most common outdoor space for at 47%, followed by a patio at 31%. Nine out of 10 consumers use their outdoor space to relax and 76% read. Grilling, cooking, barbecuing and entertaining are popular among 71%. Not surprisingly, a majority of consumers, nine out of 10, use their outdoor space during the summer months of June, July and August; 85% during the spring and 81% use it during the fall. Even during the coldest months of the year in winter, more than one-quarter use their outdoor space. Casual Living and New York-based Apartment Therapy fielded an online consumer survey this May. The survey, asking readers about the outdoor spaces in and around their home, garnered responses from more than 550 consumers.

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