4 Tips to Create a Cozy Outdoor Dining Area for Summer
What’s the one thing you look forward to the most during summer? If you’re like most people, chances are you jump with joy at every opportunity to spend more time outdoors. That isn’t surprising considering the bright and warm summer days can easily lift your spirits and make you feel liberated.
In an ideal world, we’d all hop into a car or hit a hiking trail for as long as the golden summer sun shines. But between family and work commitments, it’s a distant dream at best. Nevertheless, it doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy the fresh air and openness of the outdoors beyond occasional backyard BBQ parties with friends.
A simple trick is to shift your dining space outside during summer. Whether you live in an apartment with a dainty balcony or a lavish duplex with a spacious backyard, you can easily create an inviting dining space outside. And it serves as the perfect setting for hosting family brunches and cocktail parties during summer.
In this blog, we’ve curated a few simple tips to help you design a stellar outdoor dining space. Let’s take a look.
Find Your Why
First things first – you’ll need a clear idea of why you’re contemplating building an outdoor dining area? Is it because you need a larger space to host gatherings for your friends? Or are planning to use it as your regular dining space throughout the summer months? Or do you want to use it more as a space for relaxing on a weekend afternoon?
Your answers to these questions will influence every aspect of your dining area, from its location to the type of furniture. For instance, if you’re planning to restrict the space for your family, placing a small dining table on your patio will seal the deal.
On the other hand, if you want to host elaborate brunches and BBQ parties, a more fancy and spacious setting in your backyard/garden would be a better choice. Make sure you have a clear idea of who is going to use the space and how often.
Get The Location Right
The location of your outdoor dining space will impact how much you’re going to enjoy being there. Ideally, you’d want to create a refreshing and welcoming ambiance. The area should be easily accessible from your kitchen.
And it should be close enough to your home’s entrance so that your family members and guests. It’ll ensure that your guests and family members can easily go indoors to wash their hands and use the bathroom.
Also, if you have an infant or elder at home, make sure the dining space is situated away from their home. Likewise, you should ensure that there’s enough buffer space between your dining area and a neighbor’s property.
Lastly, don’t forget that the reason you’re building the dining space is that you want to cherish the outdoors. So, choose a location that treats your eyes with the best views of your surroundings. If your property has a pool with enough surrounding space to accommodate a dining table, it could be the perfect location.
It’s Time for Furniture Shopping
It’s likely one of the best parts of any home improvement/renovation project. There’s something deeply satisfying about browsing multiple catalogs and choosing furniture pieces that resonate with the exterior decor of your home. It’s the first step to witnessing your vision for the outdoor dining area come to life.
Of course, the type of furniture you need will depend on the location of your dining area. Also, it’ll depend on why and how often you’re going to use it. At the very least, you’ll need a dining table and a set of comfortable dining chairs.
Make sure the dining table you choose easily fits into the area and leaves enough room for movement. Additionally, you could consider getting a fire pit to add a spark to all those evening cocktail parties.
You could also get lounge chairs, coffee tables, storage cabinets, and other types of furniture to create a self-sufficient dining and lounge area. It’s a good idea to check out a reputed furniture brand for more info about the different types of garden furniture available in the market.
Irrespective of the type of furniture you buy, make sure you also get durable covers to protect them from the scorching heat and rains.
Let There Be Shade
While you love the freshness of the outdoors, no one enjoys the sultry summer heat. That’s why it is essential to create some provisions for shade. The simplest way of doing that is to place large umbrellas around the dining table. You could even install a gazebo that’ll double as a lounge. Or you could plant a few trees to bring the temperature down while adding a splash of green.
Dining outdoors shouldn’t be restricted to occasional friendly gatherings. Instead, you could turn it into a daily event for summer evenings to spend quality time with your family. Choose a location that offers the best views, and get high-quality durable furniture. While you’re at it, you could also create a lounging area adjacent to the dining space to maximize relaxation.
