I’m ready for hosting summer nights on the patio, so todays I’m sharing 4 simple tips to get your backyard entertaining spaces ready for guests!
As soon as summer hits, every time I entertain, I try to take it outdoors. There’s nothing more magical to me than a summer evening spent on the patio (or anywhere under the stars!) laughing with friends by candle or fire light.
When we finished our patios off a couple years ago they were totally functional, but adding some touches over the last couple years has helped make them so much more welcoming and ready for hosting.
There’s a few things you can do to help your guests feel comfortable outdoors into the night when you’re entertaining… and this post is all about those outdoor entertaining tips for summer evenings. Whether you have a modern deck, a cozy dining patio or are enjoying charcuterie in the garden… here is 4 Tips for cozying up your backyard entertaining spaces.
This post is provided in partnership with Dimplex and features their portable patio heater in our backyard entertaining spaces. You can see all my policies here- I would never endorse a product I don’t truly love.
LAYER LIGHTING
During the day, these backyard entertaining spaces don’t need lighting (hello, sun!), but in the evening… that all changes! Intentional lighting can help your patio feel both magical and functional. There’s three different types of lights you can add to your backyard entertaining space- hardwired, plug in and solar.
Hardwired lights are great if you’re building a patio space, renovating or if you can swap out one of your door sconces for something beautiful with a soft white bulb for a nice glow (not a harsh flood light!).
Plug in lights, whether an outdoor rated pendant light or classic string lights are so patio friendly. You can hook these up to a timer or a remote to make them a bit more convenient. We have our string lights hooked up to a remote that is inside our patio door, kind of like a light switch.
I love plug in lights for outdoor entertaining spaces because they’re not usually as bright as standard hardwired lights (hello mood lighting!) but also it is bright enough to be useful light. No bumping into plants and end tables on your way to the washroom.
Solar lights are a great type of lighting to layer in for a magical feel. Solar lights are cozy and inviting and I love that they come on without you thinking as the sun goes down. But make sure to layer these with other light sources- they’re not usually bright enough to be functional. You can get strings of patio lights with a solar cell or you can get small individual solar lights to sit table top.
ADD CANDLELIGHT
I couldn’t decide if this fit with lighting or just a whole category of it’s own but I feel pretty darn strongly about it. When I host friends outside, I like to light as many candles as possible.
I like lots of tealights in lanterns and citronella candles to help keep the bugs away. It’s like the flame of a fire- totally adds coziness and makes you want to hang out longer. I talk more about that in this boho summer tablescape post.
PLANTS
I always, always add plants. To every space, indoor and out. They add so much personality to the space and they move in the wind and it’s just inviting. Also- plants can be so great to provide privacy and even keep bugs away.
I keep a pot full of lavender on my deck to repel mosquitos. So many herbs with strong scents will do this as well. I keep a set of patio planters full of herbs on my dining patio for cutting.
KEEP THEM WARM
In the dead of summer this isn’t as important, but honestly… I want to stretch patio season as long as possible. As the sun goes down, our climate does get cool in the evenings. Having a practical way for guests to keep warm will help everyone want to stay visiting for longer.
Like everything, there’s a few ways to do this! I love to add throw blankets to every sitting area. They’re decorative but also totally functional. You could also use a fire pit or fire table for warmth and ambiance. I love a good fire pit, but it’s just not practical for every space OR you could use a patio heater.
In all of these backyard entertaining spaces, I’m featuring the Dimplex Outdoor Portable Infrared Propane Heater– it has wheels so I moved it around to all three of my patios and I’d love to know which you think it should stay on!
I love this heater because it’s beautifully modern and works so well with our black and white pallet for our backyard entertaining spaces. Plus… doesn’t need to be in the middle of the seating area to warm it. Since it’s infrared it is such a nice gentle heat and it heats up almost instantly. There’s a safety too so if it were to tip it would stop the fuel.
Big thank you to Dimplex for partnering on this post so I could share these tips with you!
I’m going to leave it at that because really… it should be simple! Add some cozy to your backyard entertaining areas with these 4 tips and then invite some friends over to enjoy those summer nights on the patio!
Want more information on these backyard entertaining spaces and patios themselves? Click on the space to get to their original reveal: upstairs deck with glass railing, outdoor dining patio, lower brick patio and modern retaining wall cover.
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