Want to know how to create an entertaining garden designed for quality time with friends and family in your yard? Your home’s backyard is an ideal outdoor space to relish the open air with your loved ones. Regardless of whether you desire an area for summer barbecues or outdoor dinner parties, there are endless possibilities. We’ve compiled various top ideas for creating outdoor entertaining spaces, catering to everything from expansive lawns to compact patios, providing all the design inspiration you’ll need.
How To Design Outdoor Entertaining Spaces?
Map It Out
First, determine the size and boundaries of the space you wish to transform into an entertainment area. Understanding the available space will help you plan effectively before purchasing outdoor furniture, such as a dining table and other accessories. After mapping out the area, you can begin planning the layout of your design concept.
Know The Primary Purpose Of The Entertainment
To create your ideal outdoor oasis, it is also essential to determine how you envision using your backyard entertainment area. Are you more interested in hosting BBQs or providing complete meals for your guests?
One option to enhance the entertaining experience is incorporating a fire pit, offering warmth and comfort on cooler evenings. Additionally, for those with a swimming pool, a poolside bar area can elevate the fun during pool parties.
Design Your Layout
When designing your backyard entertainment space, one of the initial steps is to ensure the inclusion of a sitting area. Providing ample seating options for your guests is crucial when hosting gatherings in your backyard.
Consider creating focal points and impressive features in your garden to make it suitable for entertaining, as well as adding a personal touch to the outdoor space. This can be achieved by incorporating lighting, sculptures, and various outdoor artworks, along with water features, striking plants, and the strategic use of color.
Integrate your concepts for outdoor living and dining areas, such as a coffee table in the lounge and a designated dining room space. Once these areas are planned, concentrate on enhancing comfort and including decorative elements for special events.
Lighting
For garden lighting ideas, consider having ample and varied lighting options, which include task and ambiance lighting. Hanging lanterns or globe lighting on a trellis can be both aesthetically pleasing and ideal for creating a cozy atmosphere. Additionally, incorporating tiki torches or string lights in nearby trees or along the trellis can enhance the overall outdoor experience.
Incredible Outdoor Space Entertainment Ideas
Incorporate The Right Garden Lighting Ideas
Why should your backyard fun come to a halt when the sun goes down? Consider various garden lighting options to generate the ideal nighttime ambiance. It is not only inviting and fashionable but also secure!
Hang String Lights
Sparkling lights are essential for any outdoor oasis. Fortunately, they are available in various forms and sizes at different price ranges. Establish the ambiance by hanging string lights over your outdoor dining table.
String lights adorning the trunk and primary branches of trees in your garden can significantly enhance its overall appearance. These small, luminous bulbs accentuate the tree’s form and illuminate the garden beneath it.
Additionally, integrating string lights in the trees, illuminating the ground with candle-lit hurricane lanterns, and using a fire pit for added warmth contributes in creating a comfortable and inviting mood for your outdoor space.
Position Lighting Near Water
Garden ponds with gentle, calming sounds provide an opportunity to cultivate water plants. The enchanting appearance of soft light reflecting on the water can create a mesmerizing sight. Thus, consider integrating lighting into your garden pond for a truly captivating display.
Garden Bed Illumination
A garden bed floating in the middle of the lawn demands attention due to its striking presentation of plants. To further emphasize the garden’s characteristics, particularly during nighttime when it is more difficult to observe the garden and its boundaries, utilize LED lights.
Strategically position spotlights within the garden bed to accentuate ground-level plants’ foliage and taller trees and bushes. Remember that, for a balanced appearance, it is essential to evenly distribute light across the entire bed instead of concentrating it on one side.
Garden Pathway Stake Lighting
Stake lights guide landscaped walkways, enabling effortless access to gardens, gazebos, or patios even after sunset. Shaded lights offer downward lighting on the pathways rather than upward lighting to highlight plants, showcase garden features, or draw interest to a container garden. Moreover, it maintains the garden’s peaceful ambiance and protects the eyes from harsh light in low-light situations.
Globe lights
Illuminate your garden with orb-shaped lights, offering a visually appealing alternative to conventional stake lighting. These circular lights are particularly suitable for gravel gardens or xeriscape landscaping designs. Position the lights on elevated sections of your garden or behind and below plants for a highlighting effect.
Lighting Above Seating Areas
Does your outdoor dining area feature a robust patio covering like a pergola or gazebo? These not only protect your seats but also serve as ideal spots for suspending eye-catching pendant lights. These lighting fixtures generate a captivating chandelier-like charm over the dining furniture, and even strings of twinkle or festoon lights draped around the structure would appear similarly striking.
Illumination for Potted Trees
Potted plants in your garden can be accentuated with backlighting, adding visual interest even during nighttime. A spotlight’s warm glow situated behind the large container of a potted tree can create an appealing ambience. The combination of warm light and the tree’s yellow-hued foliage creates a cozy garden atmosphere near the privacy screen.
Opt For A Relaxed & Easygoing Ambiance
At times, embracing a laid-back approach to entertaining can be rewarding. Constructing a fireplace adjacent to the house and incorporating a wooden awning for protection from the elements can set the stage for an ideal outdoor living space. A cozy arrangement of a couch, coffee table, two chairs, and potted plants completes the inviting atmosphere next to the warm hearth.
Create a cozy atmosphere on any patio using hanging lights, candles, and floral decorations. Enhance the homely feel of the porch with vibrant colors and patterns on patio furniture cushions and pillows. And maintain a harmonious ambiance by sticking to a limited color palette or texture finishes, like neutral shades or woven rattan details.
Create A Firepit Experience
Contemporary fire pit designs provide an exceptional touch of allure to your outdoor space, offering a warm and appealing centrepiece for gatherings that stimulates and pleases.Â
A simple standalone fire bowl models come in diverse materials such as concrete, metal, and cast iron, occupying minimal room. Wood-burning fire pits contribute to a comfortable campfire ambiance with their crackling and popping sounds, instantly transforming your patio or deck into an enchanting gathering spot.
Construct A Pool Area
Consider installing a hot tub or incorporating a diving board. Alternatively, you could construct a saltwater pool instead of a freshwater one, add a heating system for chilly days, or install stunning lights to illuminate the night.
Another excellent idea is to include bar stools to ensure your friends stay refreshed throughout the day. Adding a TV and some sofas with comfortable cushions can create a resort-like atmosphere in just a few simple steps. Complete the setup with a garden entertainment area and lounge chairs, ensuring endless fun and relaxation all year round.
Partition Your Entertainment Area
Creating separate functional zones in your outdoor space on a rooftop deck or terrace is simple, much like in a larger garden. Employ raised beds or large rectangular planters to partition various areas for distinct activities, such as admiring sunset views, al fresco dining, and unwinding after an outdoor meal.
Choose matching outdoor furniture and supplementary soft furnishings that introduce a splash of colour to enhance the visual appeal of the space. A uniform planting style helps establish a sense of consistency and connection between the separate zones.
Incorporate bench sofas with embedded lighting beneath the seats and a central, integrated fireplace to provide warmth and comfort for evening entertainment. This arrangement will allow you to optimize your outdoor space with the right outdoor furniture.
Introduce Numerous Potted Plants
Regardless of the size of your backyard, incorporating plants can create a more cozy and inviting atmosphere. If you are hesitant to establish a permanent garden, consider planting a variety of attractive flowers and vegetables in containers, allowing you to rearrange them as needed to achieve the ideal layout for your outdoor area.
An abundance of plant life may engulf you into a seemingly never-ending jungle, while a lack of it can give off a sense of desolation. For an added visual delight, consider vibrant flora, such as these eye-catching violet blooms.
Set Up Curtains Or Sheets For Outdoor Cinema Evenings
If the image of an outdoor living room appeals to you but constructing a wall for privacy isn’t feasible, you can still build a charming and secluded space by utilizing a wooden frame.
Attach a weather-resistant fabric to the frame, forming curtains, and furnish the area with comfortable outdoor furniture, attractive lanterns, or any other items that make you feel at home and at ease.
Perhaps you could even consider organizing a regular movie night for your neighbourhood, which serves as a fantastic way to bond with your community! Hang a sheet on the wall, create a basic frame using branches or 2x4s, and you’ll have an ideal place for entertainment.
Create A Cozy Setting In Your Backyard With A Hammock
If you enjoy relaxing, then a hammock would be perfect for you. These attractive, cozy, and intriguing relaxation spots provide a unique touch to your backyard. Look for one that is extremely comfortable and compatible with the trees in your yard.
If you don’t have large enough trees, consider finding a hammock stand or making one yourself. And arrange your cozy outdoor area with blankets, lanterns, tables, and other elements that make the space welcoming and pleasant.
Use A Pergola As A Haven
Pergolas offer a versatile addition to your outdoor dining experience, elevating your yard into a chic space for entertaining. By situating a pergola away from your home, you can fashion an exclusive area where you and your guests can gather and unwind.
Whether serving up cocktails during a sunset soiree or lounging on cozy sofas following leisurely alfresco meals, a pergola extends your social space with flair. For a modern touch, leaving the pergola unadorned creates a striking architectural element within your garden.
On the other hand, cultivating a fragrant jasmine climber over your pergola can enhance your summer evening ambiance, allowing you and your guests to bask in the soothing aromas.
Build An Enchanting Kitchen Space With Mixed Materials
Embrace the idea of an outdoor kitchen without compromising modern aesthetics with this exceptional mixed materials design. Boasting a blend of different textures, sleek lines, contemporary brick, and exquisite wood, your open-air cooking space will be chic and distinctively unique.
Incorporate a minimalist bar-style dining area or opt for a full table and chairs ensemble to suit your entertainment preferences. Moreover, the possibilities for cooking in this outdoor kitchen are virtually limitless. Follow the example set by a smoker and grill pairing or indulge in a wood-fired pizza oven, an exterior stove, a fridge, or any other appliance your culinary heart desires.
Explore These Bench Patio Furniture Ideas
Enhance your outdoor relaxation experience by incorporating a built-in bench in your backyard or veranda. A sleek L-shaped bench can come with a contemporary trellis, providing support and seclusion to those seated. Opt for benches with storage lids to conveniently store toys and outdoor gear.
To elevate the aesthetic, encompass the built-in bench with twinkling fairy or festoon lights, transforming it into an enchanting nighttime centrepiece. Drape miniature LED lights over the rear of a freshly painted bench to bestow an immediate touch of allure.
Construct A Private Space
If a privacy fence appeals to you for creating a more secluded backyard sanctuary, consider an unconventional and eye-catching alternative, such as a composite fence. These fences are widely available, boast an array of distinctive designs, and can effortlessly elevate the aesthetic charm of virtually any outdoor area.
Encapsulating your garden with a lush wall of plants is an excellent way to foster a cozy and private ambiance. Bamboo, in particular, is a fantastic choice for its adaptability and rapid growth rate, capable of forming a verdant barrier in a wide range of space sizes.
For those with smaller outdoor spaces, a courtyard can serve as the central highlight, while it can transform into a hidden retreat in larger areas. Typically encircled by taller walls, courtyards inherently provide a sense of seclusion and intimacy for gatherings. It’s essential to choose a wall material, be it stucco, brick, or wood, that harmonizes with your home’s style. To soften the appearance of the walls and prevent them from seeming overly stark, integrate some gentle plantings into the design.
How Do You Choose A Garden Light?
As you embark on your outdoor lighting design chore, identify the garden areas you wish to brighten and their purpose. For instance, consider adding a touch of sparkle to an eye-catching tree to enhance the ambiance, or opt for practical lighting along your walkways.
When selecting your garden lights, contemplate the ideal power source. Battery and solar lights are excellent alternatives for locations lacking power access.
Battery lights are ideal for seamlessly integrating greenery and flower beds throughout your outdoor space. Solar lights offer even more convenience, requiring only a sunny placement to brighten your garden each night. However, if outdoor power is available, go out with rich festoons draped around your garden for a bold statement.
How Bright Should Outdoor Lights Be?
The intensity of garden lights ultimately comes down to individual preference. However, one’s purpose for installing them – be it decorative, functional, or security reasons – can significantly impact the choice of brightness.
For a perfect example, when the primary reason for having garden lights is to enhance security, brighter lights could be necessary compared to instances where the primary purpose is beautifying the outdoor dining space for warm summer nights. The lumen value dictates the level of brightness – a higher lumen corresponds to a brighter light, which becomes critical when considering goals like discouraging intruders or illuminating walkways.
Start Building Your Backyard Oasis for Entertainment
Creating a functional and aesthetically pleasing outdoor space in your backyard can feel like adding an entirely new room or two to your house. By incorporating seating areas, firepits, kitchens, and other elements, a simple patch of grass can be transformed into an extraordinary living area.
The design of your perfect backyard for entertaining will be significantly influenced by your budget, so begin by planning the space and desired layout. Consider the primary function of the area and how it will be utilized most often. Contemplate garden lighting ideas and the overall design. And once complete, you will have a beautifully designed space to enjoy spending time with your loved ones.
Colin Macmillan is a seasoned entrepreneur and the CEO of Riverwood Landscape, a leading landscaping company based in Canada. He has been at the helm of the company since leaving high school, demonstrating his strong leadership skills and business acumen.
Colin’s expertise lies in various aspects of landscaping, including lawn care, interlocking, sod installation, and commercial maintenance. His hands-on approach and dedication to the craft have been instrumental in building Riverwood Landscape into a reputable brand.
One of his most notable achievements is the creation of a successful landscape franchise that services multiple locations. This accomplishment underscores his strategic thinking and ability to scale operations effectively.
Colin has also had the privilege of working with Guelph Hospital for landscaping and maintenance, a testament to the trust and reliability that his company has earned over the years.
His professional mission is to offer the best services and experiences for customers, a goal that he tirelessly pursues. Colin’s commitment to excellence and customer satisfaction continues to drive the growth and success of Riverwood Landscape.
