How to Style Your Patio
Whether your outdoor space is just a small corner of your backyard or an expansive terrace oasis, knowing how to style your patio can be a challenge.
Fortunately, you can ease this challenge by simply deciding what you primarily plan on using your patio for. Do you frequently entertain? Love to dine outside with your family? Or are you simply looking for a place to relax with a good book over the weekend?
Below, we’ve provided useful patio style ideas for three common patio uses Relaxation, dining, and entertaining.
Patio Layout 1: Relaxation
Create a Cozy Space for Relaxation
This patio layout is all about luxury — specifically your luxury. While two or three people could definitely chill out together in a space like this, it’s important to tap into your own indulgences. After all, you’ll be spending the most time here.
To truly capture the essence of luxury and relaxation in your cozy nook, we recommend thinking about your outdoor space as an extension of your indoor space. Not only is this a currently thriving trend in outdoor design, but it will also help you avoid focusing too much on practicality.
Of course, practical considerations are essential. The durability, waterproofness, and longevity of the furniture you choose are important. But at the same time, we invite you to take some of the edge off — literally. In other words, look for cozy pieces instead of those that are hard-edged and would dig into your sides if you tried to curl up in them.
Here are some key elements we recommend focusing on:
Soft Furnishings
As we mentioned, if your cozy area is primarily for reading, planning your day, or chatting with a friend, you’ll want to be able to kick back and get comfortable. This means choosing soft outdoor seating sets, such as outdoor sofas and sectionals with thick cushions and throw pillows.
Shade
Depending on the season and time of day, reading or chatting outside for hours may become untenable without shade. While a little sun is good, too much is a nuisance— and possibly even dangerous. If there’s one thing you need to know when learning how to style your patio, it’s that shade is a MUST!
Patio umbrellas provide adequate shade with style. Select the size that best fits your space, and choose from a variety of colors and/or patterns as well.
There are two main types of patio umbrellas: Market umbrellas, which have a pole extending downward from the umbrella’s center, and cantilever umbrellas, which have freestanding support on one side. Here, the umbrella extends out on an arm to provide a hanging area of shade.
Cozy Accessories
To create a cozy atmosphere in your relaxation space, go for homey accents such as throw pillows, blankets, hanging plants, and soft lighting.
Finally, don’t forget to center your seating around a small outdoor coffee table or two so that you can set your book, coffee, and perhaps even a candle or centerpiece there. It’s best to find one that doubles as storage. You’ll want to get those softer accent pieces out of the rain if bad weather is imminent.
Patio Layout 2: Dining
Set the Stage for Outdoor Dining
Without a doubt, one of the tops uses for any patio is outdoor dining. When the weather’s nice, there’s nothing better than getting outside of a stuffy house and basking in the sunshine or an evening breeze while you dine.
In this space, you can enjoy an early morning breakfast with your family, a cheery summer cookout with friends, or late-night drinks with your sweetheart.
In order to create a space that you can enjoy for years to come, it’s important to choose quality outdoor furniture from brands such as Feidao Furniture. Here are the top factors you’ll want to consider for your outdoor dining area:
Table Size
Consider your last three dinner parties (inside or out) and how many people attended. Make this number the basis for how large your outdoor table should be. While there’s nothing worse than trying to cram too many guests onto a tiny table, there’s also no use in going overboard and getting a table that’s too large either.
Also remember that just like you can enlarge many indoor tables with a leaf, you can alter the size of some outdoor tables. Extension tables are great for small intimate parties as well as larger family reunions.
Seating Comfort
When it comes to dining seating, you’ll need to consider several factors, including:
- Comfort: Choose chairs with large seats, high backs, and thick cushions for added comfort.
- Size: If you have a small patio, you’ll naturally need to go for smaller chairs. You’ll want enough space to walk behind and around the table.
- Ground Surface: Certain chairs (such as large sofa-style chairs) won’t do well on an uneven, grassy surface. If the ground is not smooth, you’ll also want to consider the weight of the chairs you choose. If they’re too heavy, this can make it difficult for your guests to move their chairs as they seat themselves and get up.
Meal Prep Space
Even if your kitchen is right inside your patio door, you’ll want to be able to set some things outside and close to your table — much as you would with a sideboard or buffet in a dining room.
Depending on your catering needs, this space may be as simple as a side cabinet or as complex as a full outdoor kitchen. In the latter, you might employ the use of a grill or an outdoor oven and supplement the space with a sink, cabinetry, and counter space.
Lighting
If your meals tend to run into the late hours of the evening, you’ll want ample lighting to keep the party going. While candles and solar lamps offer subtle cozy lighting, you may also want to integrate a central hanging light or a string of outdoor bulbs for overhead illumination.
Shade
For meals served while the sun is out, be sure to offer your guests some shade. While smaller, round or square tables can get full shade from a Galtech market umbrella inserted into the middle of the table, longer tables may benefit more from one or several cantilever umbrellas. This latter umbrella style extends out from offset support to provide hanging shade over your dining space.
Patio Layout 3: Entertaining
Arrange Your Patio for Outdoor Entertainment
Certainly, a dining area alone is enough to entertain a small group. But once your guest list goes above six or eight, it’s time to expand your horizons and go for an outdoor layout where you can really entertain.
Most of all, this means creating a mini version of your home’s indoor spaces — one where you can facilitate several different “sub-settings,” such as:
- A traditional dining area with table and chairs
- A cozy conversation nook (or two)
- A staging area for food and drink prep
- A bar
- Perhaps a place for kids to enjoy
To execute a full outdoor entertainment patio like this, consider factoring in these ideas on how to style your patio for entertaining:
Separate the Dining Area
At a dinner party, if your guests will be mixing and mingling until the meal starts, you’ll want to be able to arrange your outdoor dining set and keep it orderly until it’s time to eat.
For this reason, use the backs of sofas and sectionals, cabinets, or small potted shrubs to divide your space into an eating area and a conversation area.
Center the Conversation Area around a Focal Point
A good conversation space tends to be low. Instead of a normal table with chairs, conversation spaces are more like living rooms. They’re a place to lounge, not sit up straight. Therefore, choose comfortable and relaxing seating with thick cushioning (perhaps two small sofas or one sectional and one to two chairs), and center these pieces around a focal point.
As a focal point, you might choose a low table with a flower, plant, candle, or solar light centerpiece. Alternatively, you can install something exotic like a Castelle firepit. If you choose the latter, find one with a substantial edge, so that it can still hold your guests’ drinks and hors d’oeuvre plates. If neither of these ideas appeals to you, even a simple rug can tie a conversation area together.
Consider the Bar as Another Conversation Space
Whether you’d like your guests to be able to self-serve or you plan on hiring a bartender, this space can double as a conversation space. All you need to do is create a large enough bar and add a few stylish stools (try swivel stools for added comfort).
Decorate the area with a few dishes of snacks (nuts, pretzels, etc.), and light it up with some candles or solar lights.
Create a Space for Kids
If you’ll be entertaining kids at your party or gathering, they’ll want their own space to play and be merry. This might be your patio-side pool or yard. Or, you can also give them a lounging space of their own.
A lower table and chairs or a small picnic table will work well here. If the children are playing with toys (whether for the pool or otherwise), make sure there’s a storage space to toss these and get them out of the way when they’re not in use. Towels, sunscreen, and life jackets should also have their own storage place.
Finally, keep in mind that children can be a bit rough on their furniture, so choose pieces you can easily wash and maintain.
Now that you know how to style your patio, it’s time to bring your ideas to life.
Situate each piece of furniture just as you like it, determine focal points, and even arrange the placement of plants and accent rugs. Get started planning your dream patio today!
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