Summer will be here before you know it, although the British summer is often fleeting. A lot of people tend to look forward to the warmer months because they can finally get outdoors a little more, enjoying the sunshine and soaking up the vitamin D.
Most people’s gardens languish unused during the winter, which means that it needs a little work in order to get it summer ready.
Your patio holds a lot of potential, and it can become integral to your summer hosting plans. Let’s get into it.
An Outdoor Living Room
You could choose to use your patio to create an outdoor living room. Extending your living space in this way has a number of benefits beyond simply providing you with more hosting options.
It provides you with more space, which is great for those that feel like their homes can get a bit cramped at times. Luckily, there are so many options when it comes to outdoor furniture and decorations. You can lay down an outdoor rug to make the space feel a little cosier.
Remember to measure before you purchase anything. Sofas, hammocks, chairs and daybeds are all solid options, as are outdoor coffee tables.
Finally, if it is within your budget, then it might also be worth considering installing some electrics out there, you can cover the patio to protect it a little from the elements, and then there is nothing to stop you from hanging a television or installing lights and heating to really finish it off.
An Outdoor Dining Area
If you enjoy throwing dinner parties, then why not do this outdoors in the summer by transforming your patio into an alfresco dining area?
An outdoor table and chair set is better suited for hosting dinner parties. This is because, unlike sitting on an outdoor sofa, there is somewhere to rest the plate and other utensils; it simply makes more sense.
Having a larger outdoor table is advantageous in other ways too. If your patio isn’t large enough to house a barbecue, outdoor grill or other outdoor cooking equipment, then an outdoor pizza oven from Ooni is a great option. There is a range of sizes and styles, and they sit on the tabletop. Everyone loves a pizza party! You could even host a ‘make your own pizza’ evening with your friends., which can be done on a relatively low budget.
An Outdoor Kitchen
Within the same vain as an outdoor dining area, if your patio is large enough, you could also choose to build an outdoor kitchen.
Truthfully, outdoor kitchens are really trendy right now, and the patio is the perfect place for them. They do often require a bigger budget and tradespeople to pull off; however, once built, they are essentially a fully functioning kitchen outdoors.
You can even have running water plumbed in outside so that you can install a sink. A lot of people also install storage too, like cupboards, cabinets or trunks, to house the necessary crockery and cookware. If you want a more minimal commitment, then an outdoor barbecue, grill and pizza oven are great to start with.
An Outdoor Playroom
If you have children, then you are likely to be well aware of how much of a struggle it can sometimes be to get them out into the fresh air. This is why using your patio as an outdoor playroom during the summer can be a great idea.
Obviously, there are a number of things that you will need to think about first. Depending on the age of your children, the patio might not be the safest choice. They should be supervised when playing.
You will need to make the patio more child-friendly; you can do this by softening the edges and surfaces. It might also be worth thinking about whether you will need to install a screen or other safety measures to keep the children from wandering too far.
You will also need to make sure that there is enough shade; remember to liberally and regularly apply sun cream to protect your children from the sun’s rays. A patio is great for those toys that would be considered too messy inside, like sandpits, paddling pools, paints or any other arts and crafts.
To Sum Up
A garden patio is a great space, but it is often criminally underutilised simply because a lot of people don’t know what to do with it.
Instead of having a clear purpose, it becomes a mismatch of several. You need to think about how you will get the most use out of the space.
You will obviously also need to think about your budget for this transformation as well as how much time you have to dedicate to this makeover. In the end, it comes down to your personal preferences.
Before You Go…
Looking to create a multi purpose area in your garden? You might want to head over to the following post which is all about garden igloo domes, one of the best ways to create an extension from your home that could be used for a myriad of purposes…
9 Reasons Your Garden Needs A Garden Igloo Dome
