Whether you’re looking to increase the value of your garden, entertain guests, or simply want to spend more time in the outdoors, admiring the weather, one of the single best upgrades you can make to your backyard is to add a social or dining space. But what investments should you make to ensure that it fits the bill that you need it to? Here are our 4 best suggestions.
By Team Savant
Image: Tabitha Turner
Choosing the Right Space For It
Usually, the two options when laying the foundation of social garden space are between decking and patios. There are pros and cons to each of them that you should consider, but you also have to think about where you’re going to put it. The positioning of the social place should take into account how accessible it is, how exposed it is to the weather, as well as how much space you can use if you place it there. Take your time working out the perfect space for it.
Comfort Is Essential
After you have the foundation laid, then you need to make sure that you choose the right kind of garden furniture to fit the needs of a space. Do you want open seating around a central area? Or do you want to dine outside, necessitating a dining table? You have a lot of options when choosing garden furniture but what’s essential is that you choose furniture that can withstand exposure to the outdoors, including heat, wind, sunlight, and even a little moisture. This includes things like throws and cushions, which can come in water and dirt-resistant varieties.
Privacy and Shelter
One of the reasons that you want to build an outdoor social and dining space may well be that you want to spend more time outdoors under the sun. However, you should make sure that you always have the option to control how exposed you are. Barriers like cafe blinds can do a great job in letting you adjust how much shelter and shade you have in the space. What’s more, it can offer great privacy so that you and your guests don’t have to worry as much about eavesdroppers.
Light and Safety
Are you likely to enjoy spending time out in your garden til the sun goes down? If that’s the case, then you have to consider patio lighting for a few good reasons. First of all, the warmth of a nice light can add plenty to the comfy factor of the space. Most important, of course, is keeping the area safe. Aside from generally offering visibility with larger garden light fixtures, you should add small lights to areas like steps and pathway edges so that people can navigate the space without quite as much risk of tripping.
Transforming your garden from a patch of grass to a space that can host you, your family, and your friends can unlock real quality of life in your home. This choice above are just examples, you can surely find more ideas of your own.