6 Ways to Elevate Your Outdoor Entertaining Area
Author: Marie McLaughlin
With the right elements for comfort and the addition of the latest entertainment tech, an outdoor room can expand your living space and open up new possibilities for hosting. Interior designer and HGTV hostAnitra Mecadonsays its all about setting the stage to create meaningful moments with your guests.Outdoor spaces are just as important as indoor spaces and can really increase your quality of life, she says. A well-thought-out space will not only give your guests a reason to want to hang out outdoors, but to stay as well.Read on to discover six ways to enhance your outdoor entertaining area and make it a space that you and your guests will love.
1. Think Comfort, Function and Flow
Your top priorities are comfort, function and flow, Mecadon says. First think about what youre going to be doing in the space, such as relaxing, dining or entertaining. Then think about how to make that experience more enjoyable.
Once youve nailed down your priorities in terms of function, invest in your furnishings. Choose the largest pieces first, such as an outdoor dining table or asofa and coffee table combination. If space allows, include side tables to hold drinks or plates of food and chairs that can be easily moved around when youre hosting. When selecting furnishings, go for comfort as well as style and durability, and choose pieces you can imagine sinking into for hours of conversation or relaxation. Look for furniture made of materials designed to withstand the elements, such as treated wood, UV-resistant fabrics and rust-resistant metals.
Arrange furniture to foster conversation, with chairs turned toward each other, anchored around a fire pit or coffee table, and include flexibility in seating arrangements for different-sized groups. Leave enough space for easy flow between areas within your outdoor room.Next, use outdoor accessories to bring softness and personality to your space. Have faux fur throws for your guests to cuddle with when it gets chilly, a bar cart for snacks and drinks and a sound system to help you create the mood, Mecadon says.
Your top priorities are comfort, function and flow, Mecadon says. First think about what youre going to be doing in the space, such as relaxing, dining or entertaining. Then think about how to make that experience more enjoyable.
Once youve nailed down your priorities in terms of function, invest in your furnishings. Choose the largest pieces first, such as an outdoor dining table or asofa and coffee table combination. If space allows, include side tables to hold drinks or plates of food and chairs that can be easily moved around when youre hosting. When selecting furnishings, go for comfort as well as style and durability, and choose pieces you can imagine sinking into for hours of conversation or relaxation. Look for furniture made of materials designed to withstand the elements, such as treated wood, UV-resistant fabrics and rust-resistant metals.
Arrange furniture to foster conversation, with chairs turned toward each other, anchored around a fire pit or coffee table, and include flexibility in seating arrangements for different-sized groups. Leave enough space for easy flow between areas within your outdoor room.Next, use outdoor accessories to bring softness and personality to your space. Have faux fur throws for your guests to cuddle with when it gets chilly, a bar cart for snacks and drinks and a sound system to help you create the mood, Mecadon says.
2. Plan for All Seasons
Maximize your outdoor areas potential by planning for three- or four-season comfort. Start by incorporating a source of heat for cooler evenings. Heating lamps, fire pits and places to curl up and snuggle with blankets are a must when entertaining in the fall and winter months, Mecadon says.
Next, consider how you can add shade for hotter days. Pergolas, gazebos or large, cantilevered umbrellas provide relief from the midday sun, allowing you to enjoy your outdoor space when its warm out. You may also want to mount a ceiling fan to create a cooling breeze and help keep mosquitos at bay.
If youre up for a larger renovation project, consider designing your outdoor entertaining space with the option of being fully or partially covered with one or two sides opened to the garden. Covered porches and sheltered, indoor-outdoor lounges can provide the most year-round use particularly when set up with a source of heat, outdoor lighting, cushy furniture and all of the comforts of an indoor living room.
Maximize your outdoor areas potential by planning for three- or four-season comfort. Start by incorporating a source of heat for cooler evenings. Heating lamps, fire pits and places to curl up and snuggle with blankets are a must when entertaining in the fall and winter months, Mecadon says.
Next, consider how you can add shade for hotter days. Pergolas, gazebos or large, cantilevered umbrellas provide relief from the midday sun, allowing you to enjoy your outdoor space when its warm out. You may also want to mount a ceiling fan to create a cooling breeze and help keep mosquitos at bay.
If youre up for a larger renovation project, consider designing your outdoor entertaining space with the option of being fully or partially covered with one or two sides opened to the garden. Covered porches and sheltered, indoor-outdoor lounges can provide the most year-round use particularly when set up with a source of heat, outdoor lighting, cushy furniture and all of the comforts of an indoor living room.
3. Bring Entertainment Outside
To further blur the boundaries between indoors and out, consider including some of the latest entertainment technology in your outdoor room. Outdoor TVs and speakers are key to expanding living space outdoors and creating an immersive entertaining experience, Mecadon says. Think about it: The big game is on, youve got the fire going, the outdoor TV and sound system raging, your favorite drinks on ice, snacks within arms reach, a comfy place to sit and nature all around you. What more could you possibly want?
TheFurrion Aurora 4K LED outdoor televisionis specifically designed for outdoor use and comes fully equipped with smart technology that allows you to stream your favorite shows and movies. Available in full-sun, partial-sun and full-shade models, the Furrion allows you to select the television style that best suits your light exposure to ensure a crisp, clear picture. The Furrion TVs are very bright, which is important when youre trying to overcome the brightness of the sun, and theyre as easy to install as any indoor TV that youd mount on a wall, Mecadon says. While the television is engineered to withstand all weather conditions, you can further protect it with an outdoor television cover when not in use.
Combine your television with aFurrion soundbar and wireless subwoofer speaker system,which has a sleek, unobtrusive design and offers high-definition audio. Designed for indoor-outdoor use, the speaker system is equipped with a Bluetooth connection that makes steaming a playlist as easy swiping an app.
To further blur the boundaries between indoors and out, consider including some of the latest entertainment technology in your outdoor room. Outdoor TVs and speakers are key to expanding living space outdoors and creating an immersive entertaining experience, Mecadon says. Think about it: The big game is on, youve got the fire going, the outdoor TV and sound system raging, your favorite drinks on ice, snacks within arms reach, a comfy place to sit and nature all around you. What more could you possibly want?
TheFurrion Aurora 4K LED outdoor televisionis specifically designed for outdoor use and comes fully equipped with smart technology that allows you to stream your favorite shows and movies. Available in full-sun, partial-sun and full-shade models, the Furrion allows you to select the television style that best suits your light exposure to ensure a crisp, clear picture. The Furrion TVs are very bright, which is important when youre trying to overcome the brightness of the sun, and theyre as easy to install as any indoor TV that youd mount on a wall, Mecadon says. While the television is engineered to withstand all weather conditions, you can further protect it with an outdoor television cover when not in use.
Combine your television with aFurrion soundbar and wireless subwoofer speaker system,which has a sleek, unobtrusive design and offers high-definition audio. Designed for indoor-outdoor use, the speaker system is equipped with a Bluetooth connection that makes steaming a playlist as easy swiping an app.
4. Up Your Grill Game
Love cooking and hosting outside? Take your outdoor entertainment area to the next level by investing in your outdoor kitchen.An upgraded outdoor kitchen can transform how you use your backyard and make it much easier to host friends and enjoy delicious meals al fresco.
Consider a built-in grill for a sleek, professional look and a kitchen layout that suits your available space. Include a preparation area with counter space for chopping and plating and a mini fridge to keep beverages cool and ingredients fresh. If your configuration allows, you might like to add bar-style seating to accommodate guests who like to hang out by the grill to chat.
No matter your space, look for ways to set up your outdoor room to eliminate pinch points and make hosting more effortless. For example, Mecadon recommends investing in a rolling cart. Outdoor kitchens almost always require transporting things in and out of the house, she says. Rolling carts make this so much easier and can act as a great display for drinks and snacks when entertaining. Another must-have for Mecadon? An ice reservoir of some kind for party time! she says.
Love cooking and hosting outside? Take your outdoor entertainment area to the next level by investing in your outdoor kitchen.An upgraded outdoor kitchen can transform how you use your backyard and make it much easier to host friends and enjoy delicious meals al fresco.
Consider a built-in grill for a sleek, professional look and a kitchen layout that suits your available space. Include a preparation area with counter space for chopping and plating and a mini fridge to keep beverages cool and ingredients fresh. If your configuration allows, you might like to add bar-style seating to accommodate guests who like to hang out by the grill to chat.
No matter your space, look for ways to set up your outdoor room to eliminate pinch points and make hosting more effortless. For example, Mecadon recommends investing in a rolling cart. Outdoor kitchens almost always require transporting things in and out of the house, she says. Rolling carts make this so much easier and can act as a great display for drinks and snacks when entertaining. Another must-have for Mecadon? An ice reservoir of some kind for party time! she says.
5. Create a Focal Point
You might not have the space for a large outdoor entertaining area, but even a small patio can be transformed into an intimate place for relaxing solo or catching up with a friend. The key to an inviting design is to give the area a sense of place and to offer somewhere comfortable for you and a guest to sit.
Start with a focal point, which could be anything from a cozy fire feature, small recirculating fountain or wall-mounted outdoor TV and build your intimate outdoor room around this anchoring feature. Surround the patio with evergreen plants that will look good no matter the season, and, as the weather warms up, add layers of interest with flowering perennials for color and pots of culinary herbs you can pinch to add to dishes.
If your patio space is bordered by walls, dont forget to utilize the vertical space to its best advantage. Vines trained up a trellis, outdoor art and small-scale potted trees can all add interest, draw the eye and make a space feel larger than it is.
You might not have the space for a large outdoor entertaining area, but even a small patio can be transformed into an intimate place for relaxing solo or catching up with a friend. The key to an inviting design is to give the area a sense of place and to offer somewhere comfortable for you and a guest to sit.
Start with a focal point, which could be anything from a cozy fire feature, small recirculating fountain or wall-mounted outdoor TV and build your intimate outdoor room around this anchoring feature. Surround the patio with evergreen plants that will look good no matter the season, and, as the weather warms up, add layers of interest with flowering perennials for color and pots of culinary herbs you can pinch to add to dishes.
If your patio space is bordered by walls, dont forget to utilize the vertical space to its best advantage. Vines trained up a trellis, outdoor art and small-scale potted trees can all add interest, draw the eye and make a space feel larger than it is.
6. Set the Mood
As a final touch in creating a captivating outdoor entertaining area, set the mood with lighting and outdoor music. For lighting, first consider what you need from a practical standpoint to safely illuminate pathways, stairs, patios and cooking areas. Next, think in terms of adding ambiance. String lights hung across a patio can cast a welcoming glow over a seating area, and a few subtle accent lights placed throughout the garden can transform your landscape into an enchanting nighttime retreat.
Position landscape speakers to border a patio and enjoy your favorite tunes while youre relaxing in your outdoor lounge or hosting a dinner outside.Furrions landscape speaker systemsinclude a combination of outdoor speakers and subwoofers to ensure high-quality sound in unobtrusive, fully weatherproof models. Furrion landscape speakers are a go-to for us when designing outdoor spaces, Mecadon says. The speakers blend in to almost any type of landscaping and dont require a high volume to get great sound.
Use speakers on ground stakes around decks or patios or mount them to a bracket to position on a pergola beam, against a wall or on a tree in your yard. Place your outdoor speakers as close to equal distance apart as possible for even sound distribution throughout the space, Mecadon says.
As a final touch in creating a captivating outdoor entertaining area, set the mood with lighting and outdoor music. For lighting, first consider what you need from a practical standpoint to safely illuminate pathways, stairs, patios and cooking areas. Next, think in terms of adding ambiance. String lights hung across a patio can cast a welcoming glow over a seating area, and a few subtle accent lights placed throughout the garden can transform your landscape into an enchanting nighttime retreat.
Position landscape speakers to border a patio and enjoy your favorite tunes while youre relaxing in your outdoor lounge or hosting a dinner outside.Furrions landscape speaker systemsinclude a combination of outdoor speakers and subwoofers to ensure high-quality sound in unobtrusive, fully weatherproof models. Furrion landscape speakers are a go-to for us when designing outdoor spaces, Mecadon says. The speakers blend in to almost any type of landscaping and dont require a high volume to get great sound.
Use speakers on ground stakes around decks or patios or mount them to a bracket to position on a pergola beam, against a wall or on a tree in your yard. Place your outdoor speakers as close to equal distance apart as possible for even sound distribution throughout the space, Mecadon says.
When you are ready to buy or sell real estate, please call me, Marie McLaughlin 727-858-7569.
Source: https://www.houzz.com/magazine/6-ways-to-elevate-your-outdoor-entertaining-area-vs~175999615?lsmr=Platform_Email&source=ed_newsletter&utm_term=brandstory&utm_campaign=06192024-us-pro-newsletter&utm_source=blueshift&utm_medium=email&utm_content=06192024-us-pro-newsletter-designers-10-dramatic-kitchen&bsft_clkid=e7c18cc3-382f-4e16-917c-924ef5cf08a6&bsft_uid=7cbf006d-bb0c-4683-8130-9ce9bfa2dbaf&bsft_mid=18ff3f90-94bd-41d6-b257-54bff0291d84&bsft_eid=e66adab9-b966-4c9c-a0fc-43b9daef92e0&bsft_txnid=36839ed0-47e5-4e2e-ab88-a45457227487&bsft_mime_type=html&bsft_ek=2024-06-19T07%3A00%3A38Z&bsft_aaid=655436aa-235e-4be4-a903-a0e4ab0fc230&bsft_lx=20&bsft_tv=22
