Australia has a reputation for great outdoor entertaining. Summer barbecues and backyard cricket, sultry alfresco dining and even warm wintery meals huddled around an outdoor fireplace. We love the outdoors and love to entertain alfresco style.
With this in mind, look at your outdoor entertaining space. Is it inviting? Is it functional? Does the design and space work well with the rest of your home?
If your outdoor area is not yet set up for entertaining and hosting events, let’s go through some tips on how to improve it.
Plan
The first thing you need to do is plan so you don’t create chaos in your backyard. Look at the space you have available and consider how to use it most effectively.
What would you like to achieve?
- Do you want to host families and bbqs?
- Do you want to be able to cook outside?
- Do you want an area for kids to play in?
- Do you want an area to lay down?
- Do you want a dining area or lounge area? or both?
How much cooking will you be doing outdoors?
- Do you need an outdoor kitchen, with sink and refrigerator facilities?
- Do you want just a BBQ or how does a wood-fired pizza oven sound?
- Do you have enough space for a dining setting to enjoy your meal outdoors?
Outdoor Play Areas – Do you need to cater for children or pets?
- An outdoor play area with swings?
- A cubby house?
- Kids furniture?
- Grassed area for outdoor games?
Entertain And Relax – What do these words mean to you?
- Outdoor TV and Sound System?
- Hot tub and privacy?
- Sofa and fireplace?
- Water feature and greenery?
It is a lot to think about, but it can be achieved if you take small steps and know what you want from your outdoor space.
Have multi-function furniture.
The joy of outdoor spaces is how they can change depending on the season, time of day, different plants flowering or losing their leaves. So be adaptable to this idea with outdoor furniture that can change aswell.
- Bench seating with storage included.
- Modular furniture which can be moved to face away from the sun, or into the sun if you wish.
- Hardy outdoor bean bags are portable and relaxing – can be used inside and out.
- Water-safe daybeds that can live poolside during the summer, or undercover by the fire in winter.
- Rechargeable LED lanterns that will look beautiful during the day, and bring life to your outdoor space once the sun goes down.
Be Seasonal
Understand that the weather can affect how much you use the space. Ensure that you are prepared, come rain, hail or shine.
- Heating for the winter months
- fire pits
- Gas heaters
- Bioethanol heaters
- Shade for summer
- Umbrellas
- Shade sails
- Protection from the wind and rain
- Pergola
- Café blinds
- Protective covers for your furniture so whenever you’d like to sit outside, your furniture is dry, clean and ready to use.
Blur the line between indoors and out.
For style, your outdoor space should complement your indoors space.
- Make the styling match.
- Bring some of the interior colours to your outdoor space using simple accessories such as deco cushions, throws and side tables.
- Have a seamless transition from indoors to outdoors.
- Incorporate an outdoor rugs so the space is inviting.
Green Decoration
- Plants help give your space softer edges and bring the space alive
- They can attract beautiful wildlife and birds
- Can provide shade and ambience to your outdoor space.
- Gives a tranquil feel.
Lighting
- Are you brightening up the entertaining area or highlighting garden features?
- Step lighting helps with safety and can draw the eye to different parts of the garden
- Lighting up those dark corners of the garden make guests and children feel safe to use the whole backyard.
- Would you like the solar powdered or connected to the house?
- Do you need bug zappers or tiki torches to help with summer insects?
Knowing what is possible for your backyard and narrowing down what you want to do with it is a great place to start. You can then make a list with ideas you like including suggestions from above to outline what you are working towards.
Lastly, peruse through the stunning images on our website to be inspired and find those furniture pieces that will tie in with your vision.
Once you have a plan, drop into one of our showrooms so you can get a feel for all of our furniture and outdoor living ideas. Speak with one of our experts and let them help you find what you are looking for.
Find a store location here – Cosh Living Showrooms
Related Tag: Outdoor Furniture