Considerations for upgrading your backyard to a great outdoor entertaining space
It’s summertime and that means holiday after holiday. If the entertaining space within your home is limited, summer holidays are some of the best because your party can spread out throughout your backyard area and you should be able to comfortably entertain more people than you can indoors.
However, there may be a number of reasons that you don’t want to want to host the next holiday party at your home. Hopefully, it’s not because of your outdoor living space. If your outdoor living space is too small, too run down or not functional enough to host get-togethers with family and friends, you might want to consider giving your backyard a makeover. We’ll share some considerations for upgrading your backyard to make sure your outdoor space is not only ready for personal enjoyment, but also a great place to host gatherings at your home.
Think about traffic flow
You may have a great backyard space but it’s difficult to get to. Perhaps you have a small deck that was original to your home with a large beautiful area beyond the deck. Perhaps you have a pool with a spacious adjoining patio. No matter how wonderful parts of your backyard outdoor living areas are, if family and guests trip over each to get there, they may not be able to enjoy all that your outdoor living space has to offer.
How many are at your party?
If you’re reading this article, you’re likely hoping to expand your backyard living space to be able to host not only family but also friends and important gatherings. A really important thing to consider is exactly how many people you plan to regularly host. If you have a family of 6 and a perfect night is having both sets of grandparents join your outdoor family dinner, you want to design a space that very comfortably fits 10 people on a regular basis. That is a very different space than a small builder deck with a 4- or 6-person table.
Don’t just think about deck space
The backyard deck is the all-American quintessential outdoor living space. Most builders won’t consider a new build completed until they have added a back deck. When you’re beginning to plan your next outdoor living space, think about adding a paver patio either as the primary outdoor living area or in combination with your deck or porch.
Exactly how do you plan to live outside?
When planning your new outdoor living space, it’s very important to consider whether you want to use your outdoor living area for eating, seating or both. A table and chairs take up a certain amount of space. A seating set takes up a considerable amount of space. Likely, you don’t want space so small that you are forced to decide whether to add a table OR to add outdoor furniture seating. Many Chicagoland homeowners make the decision to build a space that accommodates both an eating and a seating area. You’ve likely waiting a while to build your dream outdoor living space. Build a space that really works for how you want to live outside.
Don’t forget how often you’ll use your space at night
When determining the final specifications for a new outdoor living area, many homeowners are hesitant to consider the extras given the investment. Do yourself a favor and don’t skimp on lighting. You do not want the usefulness of your new space to expire when the sun goes down. If you’re building a paver patio, make sure to incorporate lighting into the seating walls and pillars. If you’re building a deck, make sure to integrate lights into the railing and step risers.
Start the conversation now
If you’re thinking about finally being able to host the number of people you want and doing so in style, give us a call for a free design consultation at (847) 250-4100 or email us. Our design consultants will help walk you through the options, considerations and design choices for your new space. We look forward to your call.
