With the right setup, outdoor spaces can become extensions of our living rooms. If you have a garden or patio, adding some comfortable furniture, sources of heat and light, and other outdoor accessories can help transform your outdoor space into an inviting place to relax and unwind. We have created a list of outdoor living essentials to spruce up your outdoor living this summer.
- Comfortable Outdoor Seating
You wouldn’t select an uncomfortable sofa for your living room, so keep those same standards when choosing seating for your patio. Your outdoor furniture needs will depend on your space constraints, covering, and lifestyle. Choose durable outdoor materials like teak, steel, powder-coated metal, resin wicker and anything that can handle exposure to sunlight, moisture and outdoor temperature changes. If you have the space for it, creating multiple seating areas — some for groups, others for quiet retreats — can make a yard more dynamic. - Outdoor Table
Nothing is as special as enjoying a meal at an outdoor dining table on a warm evening. As with choosing any outdoor furniture, getting the scale right is key. As a general rule, allow at least 2½ feet from the edge of a table to the end of a patio or any other obstacle to allow space for a chair and circulation. As with selecting any other piece of outdoor furniture, choose durable materials for your dining table and chairs so they will hold up to the elements. - Source of Share
If you have a sunny outdoor space and enjoy spending extended periods of time outside, you’ll appreciate some shade protection. Shade sources can take all forms, including shade trees, pergolas draped in vines, shade sails mounted on wires, retractable awnings and umbrellas. Freestanding umbrellas can be the most effective option (and the most budget-friendly) if you want the flexibility of being able to move a spot of shade where you need it. - Outdoor Lighting
Nothing quite sets the mood in a garden like soft lighting. While installing an outdoor lighting system is a larger investment, adding freestanding solar-powered lights or battery operated LED lights along pathways is something easy to do on your own. Hanging string lights over a seating area adds instant atmosphere! When purchasing any outdoor lighting, make sure to choose ones specifically for outdoor use, which will often have seals to keep out moisture, among other advantages. Those marked as “commercial grade” are the most durable and often come with a warranty. - Cushions
Scattering a few colorful throw cushions on a neutral outdoor sofa or adding cushy seat cushions to wood chairs can make an instant difference in boosting the style and comfort of an outdoor living space. When choosing cushions, opt for those made for outdoor use with fabrics that have been treated to be water repellent and to prevent fading with sun exposure. To keep cushions clean, come up with a plan for storing them at the end of the season, on rainy days, or generally when not in use. - Outdoor Tableware
Having a casual outdoor tableware set made from durable materials can help prevent stress over accidentally dropping a glass on the patio or having cutlery from your primary indoor set go missing. While it’s easy to automatically think of plastic as a largely shatterproof material, particularly as a safe option for glassware around pools, consider wood or enamelware as long-lasting alternatives for plates and platters. - The Grill
If you don’t have a grill, or if you’d like to upgrade your setup, it’s helpful to know that grills generally fall into categories based on fuel type and overall style. While gas-powered covered grills and freestanding charcoal grills may be the most common types out there, don’t let that limit your imagination. Maybe you’d like to try cooking low and slow over a smoker, searing skewered meats on an uncovered Southeast Asian-style grill or half-grilling, half-roasting meats in a rotisserie grill. Many grill fanatics swear by kamado-style cookers, like the Komodo Kamado and Big Green Egg, which benefit from the radiant heat of their ceramic side walls. - Heat Source
If you like to linger outdoors in the evening, having some type of heat source is just as important as having outdoor lighting. Throwing blankets draped over shoulders can work for an individual, but investing in outdoor heaters can make an entire space feel much more cozy and inviting. An outdoor fire pit can be a great way to add heat, light and some nice atmosphere to an outdoor space in the evening
BY LEAH GROUT