Patios and backyards are the perfect places to entertain guests. You can eat, drink, and be merry, and you don’t even need to let them in your house! Be a good host this year by preparing your patio to welcome friends, family members, and neighbors. To fully prepare your patio for evening drinks and parties that run long into the night, make sure you have all of the following areas covered.
Big Tables and Bigger Benches
No one wants to sit tightly packed around small tables and squeezed into small spaces. And if you’re expecting a lot of guests, you don’t want to fill your patio area with a dozen chairs, either. They’re going to get in the way and they’ll be awkward to protect and store. Instead, consider investing in a large dining table and add a couple of benches. Most outdoor benches can comfortably seat three people and two benches are more economical than 6 chairs. Alternatively, you can purchase chairs, corner tables, and other units that all fit together and can be built around a table, giving everyone access to the food/drink on that table, as well as nearby firepits and lights.
Patio Umbrellas and Awnings
Umbrellas can be fiddly and cumbersome. They blow around in the wind and it can be a pain to keep putting them up and taking them down. But it’s something you’ll get used to and the umbrella will pay for itself in the long run. A good umbrella will protect your furniture and fabrics from sun damage and water damage. It can be removed and cleaned with a little soapy water and you’ll be thankful for the shade when it’s 100 degrees and you’re crisping like a French fry. If your patio furniture is next to the house, you should consider an awning, instead. An awning attaches to the back of the house and stretches over the furniture. It’s a much less fiddly option and it provides the same level of protection. If you do invest in an umbrella, remember to keep it clean and remove it when the wind starts picking up.
Lots of Lights
Invest in some standing lights, embedded lights, and/or string lights to make your patio more inviting when the sun goes down. Dimmer lights tend to work best, as you can set the mood and keep the patio bright throughout all stages of the night. Most lighting options are inexpensive and as you don’t need a lot of power to light a small power, you won’t be using much electricity either. However, as with anything else, there are cheaper and more expensive options. You get what you pay for, but it’s also possible to overpay and blow your budget unnecessarily.
Mix and Match
Don’t be afraid to mix and match your furniture. They don’t all need to be the same color—variety is the spice of life! And if you need a few more chairs to keep unexpected guests happy, bring them out from inside the house. Dining chairs, stools, beanbags—get creative! If the furniture doesn’t quite fit your color scheme, you can make it work by adding a cover or some cushions.
Serve Drinks and Food in Style
Forget about paper plates and other disposable dinnerware. It’s awkward, it looks cheap, and your guests will spend the night looking for makeshift paperweights to prevent them from blowing away. Instead, invest in some solidly built dinnerware made from melamine. It will give your outdoor dinners a Mediterranean aesthetic and the plates definitely won’t blow away. Big glass pitchers, beer tankards, melamine serving bowls, wooden salad bowls, and copious amounts of food and drink will complete the look.
Embrace the Heat and Fire!
If you’re planning outdoor gatherings, you’re going to need a firepit or two. Next to tables and chairs, it’s the most common outdoor purchase. It’ll add a little light and heat and also works as a centerpiece, with the chairs wrapping around it and your guests enjoying the warmth. Basic high-quality firepits are available for around $150. They’re essentially just solid metal structures with open bowls. You’ll need to supply the kindling and keep them lit, but they’ll do their job and should provide optimal warmth for at least 3 people. If you have a little more money in your budget, you can invest in bigger and sturdier firepits, including larger ones made from concrete and metal. Firepits should be kept away from fabrics and furniture, as the flames can burn the materials and the constant heat can fade the colors. If you’re worried about the open flames, look into heaters, instead. Patio heaters are all about the warmth and they’ll give off a more intense and constant heat than firepits. They’re similar to the units used by restaurants and they’re surprisingly cost-effective.
Keep Everything Clean and Maintained
Outdoor furniture is designed to be resilient and to withstand whatever Mother Nature throws at it, but that doesn’t mean that it’s self-cleaning and it definitely doesn’t make it naturally rust or mold-resistant. Depending on the type of wood, metal, and plastic, and well as the fabric that covers them, outdoor furniture can fade, rot, split, crack, and attract mold, mildew, and bacteria. If it’s wood, you’ll need to treat it at least once every couple of years; if it’s metal, you’ll need to watch for signs of rust. The easiest way to protect your furniture is to store it during bad weather. If that’s not an option, consider covering it to protect against direct sunlight, rain, and snow. You will also need to get out the soapy water every few weeks and give everything a thorough clean. Follow the manufacturer’s care instructions and avoid using anything that could harm the fabrics, including strong detergents.
Fridges or Iceboxes
Sick of constantly running to the kitchen to grab beers or pop? Want to keep that Champagne on ice? Consider an outdoor fridge or cooler to keep those drinks at optimal temperatures. Alternatively, you can just grab a bucket, fill it with ice, and pop your bottle and cans in there. There are numerous buckets and containers designed specifically for this purpose. They’re basically just insulted buckets that are designed to match your décor and are often made from a combination of wood and aluminum. It’s a much cheaper option than outdoor refrigeration, which could set you back anywhere from $400 to $2,000 depending on the size and type.
Finish with Some Backyard Entertainment!
Last but not least, inject some fun and mischief into those late-night parties with a few backyard games. If there are any kids present, the games will distract them and keep them away from the adults, and once those adults have had a few drinks and the little ones have gone to bed, they can take over! Backyard games are basically just giant versions of classics. For instance, you can buy a corn hole set that consists of two plywood/plastic boards and some colored beanbags. It’s a game that all ages can enjoy and it’s perfect if you have a lot of space. Alternatively, lawn darts will test your accuracy while jumbo games of Jenga, Checkers, and even Chess will keep the mental juices flowing along with the wine. If you’re looking for games to get the heart pumping and burn off those BBQ calories, buy a portable net to play games of badminton or tennis, or some sticks, balls, and posts for a game of croquet. You can even buy a giant Twister mat! If food, drink, and relaxation are the themes of the night but you still want to keep your guests entertained, turn your backyard into an outdoor theater instead. It’s very easy to set up a projector these days and it will allow you to project films onto makeshift screens made from sheets. Just make sure you have permission from your neighbors first and keep the volume down if you’re watching into the early hours of the morning.