With a sigh of relief we welcome the warmer months of the year, which means it’s time to start preparing our homes for outdoor entertainment. Of course many people still entertain in the colder months, but certainly more people enjoy outdoor entertaining in the warmer weather. So whether it’s just you and your family planning to escape outdoors, or perhaps you like to entertain friends and co-workers, it’s important that you create the perfect outdoor space to match your entertaining requirements.
Let’s go through a checklist of what you might require.
Comfortable Outdoor Seating
Fortunately, the choices for comfortable outdoor seating are endless. The main consideration should be how many people you’re wanting to host in your outdoor area. We love the idea of a lounge set with multiple seats and matching coffee table. Because Australians love to entertain outdoors, there are plenty of outdoor seating options available to choose from. And if you need extra seating, consider outdoor bean bags or floor cushions for those late arrivals.
Benches
Eating Space
Is there anything more enjoyable than sitting outside relaxing with a meal, a glass of wine, or even just a cup of coffee, watching the sunset, looking up at the stars, or basking in the rays of the Australian sun? When considering furniture for your outdoor eating space, be aware that the weather can be very damaging to certain furniture materials, so look for outdoor-friendly woods like teak, rust-resistant metal alloys, and even plastic furniture.
Before you choose your outdoor dining furniture, consider the size and shape that would best suit your space, including other items you may want to include in your outdoor eating area.
Hosting Outdoors
Australians love to host outdoors – it’s one of the things we do best! Your first consideration should be the size of your outdoor table, and we always suggest a big table for outdoor entertaining. Determine how many seats you’d like at the table: to seat 6 people you’ll need a rectangular table of at least 160cm in length, a round table with a diameter of at least 120cm, or a square table of at least 110cm length/depth. Consider a dining bench for a larger group, because this seating option is a bit more casual and versatile than traditional chairs.
Dining Tables
Dining Tables
Make It Pretty!
To finish preparing your home for outdoor entertaining, why not make your backyard pop with some simple additions. Instantly transform your backyard into an entertaining space by hanging string lights. You can use cheap twinkle string lights, or if you want to go all out why not invest in one or two strands of waterproof commercial-grade outdoor patio lights. They’ll last for many years.
Create a separate seating area for the big kids with big comfy poufs, and you can even add an outdoor rug. Your outdoor rug should be made of nylon, polyester, or recycled plastic, because all these materials are water resistant and easy to hose down to get rid of spills and stains.