Garden and outdoor trends for next year. This and more was seen at the fair Spoga+Gafa in Cologne. Here is my report.
As city dwellers increasingly turn balconies into dining rooms and backyards into sanctuaries, the garden is no longer just a patch of grass — it’s a stage for modern life. Nowhere is this transformation more evident than at Spoga+Gafa, the outdoor living fair held annually in Cologne. Drawing more than 26,000 visitors and featuring over 1,600 exhibitors, it’s a mix of lifestyle inspiration and industry muscle.
This year marked my first visit — and it didn’t disappoint. Despite having read plenty about the fair beforehand, nothing quite compares to seeing it in motion: a buzzing, bright celebration of design, innovation and al fresco ambition. From sleek BBQ setups and sustainable garden furniture to smart irrigation tools and trend-savvy planters, the fair offers a comprehensive glimpse into what our outdoor spaces might look like in the years ahead.
True, some major players were absent — Italian Nardi, grilling US brand Weber and garden tool titan Gardena among them. But the floor was far from empty. Yeti, the American lifestyle brand known for its rugged coolers, made a splash, as did Swedish outdoor furniture name Brafab. The creativity was palpable, and the mood optimistic.
There’s also a sense that Spoga+Gafa could stretch its influence further. Urban gardening, for instance, feels ripe for a larger spotlight — especially as planners look to greenify cityscapes. Attracting architects and landscape designers might enrich the dialogue even more.
Would I return? Without question. Spoga+Gafa strikes the right balance between niche and substantial, offering a focused yet diverse experience. A few missing names aside, it’s a vibrant barometer for the future of outdoor living — and one well worth watching.
Some of the trends I noticed.
Knotted furniture
There were lots of variations of pieces with knots and ties. Nice.
Cushions
There were also a lot of pieces with a fluffy, pillow-y feeling.
Grills are getting more and more technical
Spoga+Gafa has a big section only for grills and what I could see was that they get more and more advanced. Meaning that they get more buttons. A standard grill should have at least six or seven control buttons. I think one, that I saw, had up to twelve buttons. What do they all do??
In general I saw quite few new ways of cooking outdoor. You could argue that Churrasco or Asudo from South America could be a new things – but not a lot at the fair. Maybe too early?
Elevated gardening
A lot of the flower pots are now eleveted. I am sure there is a logical reason for that. Perhaps we don’t want to break our backs when bending over for taking care of the flowers or it is simple a room divider. But regardless, we will grow our plants higher up now.
Even plain flower pots are now stacked on eachother.
Sustainability
The care for our environment is of course present at a fair like Spoga+Gafa. If you like gardening, then you most likely want to care for Mother Earth. What was very evident was that almost all BBQ coal or briket now is made of other things than wood. If could be hazelnut shells or other things. But also innovations like the sofa below. This outdoor sofa collects rainwater and save it so you can water or irrigate your garden. Clever.
nice report, as usual, but a bit short this time … I have been for 2 complete days and saw many more very interesting trends and tendencies …
Thanks. This was my first trip to Spoga.+Gafa so always difficult to compare. Hope to come back and make a more detailed version next time.