Entertaining Outdoors: 3 Tips for Creating a Welcoming Space on the Patio

Not everyone’s house is suitable for large gatherings. Although it may have felt big when you bought it, even a relatively large house can start looking smaller the moment you add three, two, or even one extra person into the mix.

But that’s why the outdoor space is so important. One of the biggest mistakes homeowners make is overlooking their patio as an entertainment area. Yes, you might be using it for a few flower pots or to hang up your washing, but the patio can offer so much more when it comes to welcoming people and creating an entertainment spot.

Now, at this point, you’re hopefully asking: but how can I turn a mundane patio into a welcoming space? And we’re glad you’ve asked that because we have all the tips you need to achieve it. Here are three decor tips to transform your patio, making it the best room/non-room in your home:

Don’t Settle For Furniture

The first thing a lot of people think about when transforming their patio is garden furniture. After all, if it’s going to be an entertainment space, you need to make it comfortable for guests to sit down.

But you’ve got to ask yourself: what, other than space, will make guests want to sit down here, rather than indoors? One of the best answers to this is creating a makeshift gaming area. This can include an antique card table, a poker set, or even an outdoor chess set.

We know it’s 2023, and most people prefer playing with decks of cards (Wat kost gokken jou? Stop op tijd. 18+) on their phone, but the point is that it doesn’t have to be used – it’s just something fun and different to entice people beyond comfortable furniture.

Make A Bold Statement

Continuing in this vein, we think it’s a great idea to make a bold statement somewhere in your patio. We could sit here and walk you through the furniture you should get or the lighting you should use, but let’s be honest, you know that already.

The best patios are not the ones that follow the basics; they’re the ones that draw the eye, feel unique, and like a place you want to be. A showstopper patio piece like a flowing waterfall, a decorative pond, or an original firepit can give your patio the oomph that it needs.

A water feature, especially, can provide a more relaxing, welcoming area – somewhere you could close your eyes, take a breath, and feel any stresses easing their way out of your body. They are serene, and that’s always how a welcoming space should feel.

Prepare For The Worst

We mentioned before that we’re not going to talk about the basics, but there is one relatively basic thing we need to mention. Covers. If you’re in the UK, then you can’t always rely on the weather to aid you in entertaining your guests. In fact, most of the time, the weather will do anything it can to ruin any outdoor experience you plan.

That’s why covers are so important. They don’t have to be an eyesore, either. Pergolas are incredibly popular right now, and they’re great for keeping out the rain and adding shade where the sun is a little too strong. In short, however, they give you control.

If you have a beautiful outdoor space, complete with entertainment pieces, a beautiful water or fire feature, ground cover like bark or gravel to make important features pop, and plenty of cosy garden furniture for guests to sink into, then you don’t want all of that to be weather-dependent. Make sure to get a cover, make it beautiful, and keep the patio as the most welcoming entertainment space in your home.