Entertaining? Create the Ideal Outdoor Entertainment Area!

Don't let a mild climate and cold winter months keep your outdoor parties at bay. With proper heating and insulation, dinner parties and get-togethers can last all year-round.  Often, you will find that heating can naturally be provided by certain appliances – such as a barbecue, an open pizza oven, or an exposed fireplace – however, the right materials can help keep the space cosy all night long.

Here is an example of a glass and wood-enclosed space, where the sliding glass doors offer exposure to the outdoor elements in the summer months, proper ventilation and a beautiful design. Cristina Menezes Arquitetura does a fabulous job of combining indoor and outdoor space! Give your guests the option of feeling both inside and outside of your home at the same time with mobile encasings and enclosures – windows, sliding doors and transparent materials.  Proper insulation is necessary with most of these instalments if you want optimal efficiency.

Wooden patio flooring and tiles are the two most common design choices when weighing in on outdoor flooring options.  However, just because you need something durable doesn't mean that design can't be a part of the decision-making process!  Multi-coloured tiles can be a cheap and easy instalment option if you want to add functional design to your outdoor space.

With the ability to survive almost any season and minimal upkeep – tiles are the most durable and bountiful choice when laying flooring.  Here, the designer has chosen an autumnal colour palette with occasional blue and cream-coloured tiles to help the space pop and add some diversity to the visual atmosphere.

Who says that lighting has to be expensive or extravagant – or even permanent?! String lights, or tea lights can bring a sense of romance and intimacy even to larger spaces such as the one pictured here at the Villa Privata Costa Azzurra.  With eco-friendly and multi-coloured string lights having a predominant roll in the outdoor lighting market now – there is no reason not to give it a shot!

Particularly if you have an outdoor space that you want to integrate into the interior of your home – or if larger trees, plants or even vines are a natural part of your environment, string lights and tea lights can pull both natural and interior elements together for a solid and succinct space.  Easily removable and changed, these lights are a more semi-permanent option for those of you that constantly want to revamp a space depending on the season, or the special occasion. 

No matter what size your outdoor entertainment area – to add some drama (with a great function), add a beautiful barbecue or exposed pizza oven!  Installing a hand-made barbecue or pizza oven can easily be a weekend DIY project, or leave it to the professionals for proper use and ventilation!

Varying in both shape and size, the materials that you choose to use can make your barbecue either simply a kitchen appliance in your outdoor area, or a key design focal point. With bricks and stones being the most popular materials – remember that the shades and colours you use are one way to spruce up your barbecue.  Another option is the pattern you decide to lay the bricks and stones in – the right pattern, even with a basic-coloured stone can add just enough intricate detail to be noticed by guests and truly appreciated.

As you already know, there are so many options with outdoor entertainment décor!  To help you narrow down your options, let's talk about some things that should be considered!

When choosing décor, think of three key points; 

1: the type of entertaining you do the most, 

2: durability & colour scheme, and 

3: how it ties together with the interior of your home.

If you tend to be someone that prefers small dinner parties and intimate settings, then choose place settings and dinnerware that work with a more romantic, deep colour palette – think autumnal colours and jewel tones. Sticking with whites and shades of off-white, silvers, and golds can also achieve the same look! If you prefer larger parties and barbecues – try something more fun! Try bright colours, patterns and mix-matching for each guest so you tie each other together as a whole party!

Durability is also important when considering materials.  Don't skimp on reusable linen napkins, cloths, and pillows to make your guests more comfortable!  One reason being, if the party happens to run too late and you're too tired to clean-up, you should be able to leave your decor outside overnight (even in rain) without fear that you will wake up to a ruined mess and wasted money!

Last, but certainly not least – try an open-concept decorating technique as shown in this example.  The interior of this home uses minimalist furniture and a fresh white and blue colour palette – and this is beautifully tied to the more funky decorations in the outdoor entertainment area.  This keeps the visuals on par with the feeling of the party – fresh, clean, and alive!

Pictured here is the Happy Home 2014 Project – which is a great example of how both the interior and exterior of your home can be a beautiful collaboration!

Furnishings for outdoor areas are dependent upon your environment, mood, and tastes. If you have a covered or enclosed outdoor area, then you have a little more wiggle room when choosing furnishings.  If you're outdoor space is one-hundred percent exposed, then you will have to consider durable materials, as mentioned above. 

Opt for machine-washable fabrics and lighter colours that won't fade when exposed to weeks, or even months, of sun exposure.  The same should be considered when thinking of end tables and coffee tables – darker-grain woods will fade in a short amount of time – so stick with light-grain woods, or select from tile or metal outdoor furniture.

Staging your furniture the right way can also change the ambience of your party.  Do you want everyone in the group to get to know each other better? Then place furniture in a more circular or rectangular way with very few, to no pieces of furniture separated from this formation.  If you want to allow for small side conversations and more privacy, then opt for chairs or smaller bar stools to a create more segregation of space.

Both outdoor and indoor entertaining are one of those events that makes a house truly feel like a home. Using these design techniques and social ideas can help your next party – no matter what size – be a hit!