This season’s outdoor entertaining is all about making your front yard, backyard, and transitional spaces part of everyday living. Building on trends from last summer, homeowners may want to embrace the following ideas when hosting family and friends.

Ease of Transition

Creating a seamless transition from indoor to outdoor living not only maximizes a home’s living space but also provides a mental boost. Today, many designers and homeowners who are looking for ways to promote mental health and well-being are turning to biophilic design principles. This design is a concept used to increase one’s connectivity to nature through architecture. Consider arranging furniture as if the outdoor and indoor areas are one cohesive room and use place settings and glassware (as opposed to paper products) when entertaining.

Front Yard Entertaining

Several years ago, a writer for the Wall Street Journal asked “what was once a staple of American life is often skipped in modern homes. What happened to the [front] porch?” Today, the front porch, as well as the front yard, is making a comeback. While the backyard may be the darling of outdoor living, many homeowners are looking to their front porches and yards as a place to socialize and entertain. In order to create a warm and inviting area to entertain in the front of your home, consider adding casual seating, seasonal plants, outdoor lighting, and perhaps a water feature—which not only looks attractive but can help to drown out traffic noise.

Shelter & Protection

From exercise to work, many of our everyday routines now take place out of doors. And as outdoor activity increases, so does the need for shade, privacy, and protection from the elements. Many homeowners are looking to interior design for inspiration, including adding drapery panels to pergolas for privacy or creating a plant wall for shade. In addition, tiled accent walls can be used to create the illusion of an outdoor room and achieve the same aesthetic as they do indoors.

Incorporate Smart Technology in Entertaining

Over the last few years, there has been an increased interest in designing smarter homes. But smart home technology isn’t limited to just the interior—outdoor living spaces can benefit from smart technology as well. Create the ultimate backyard entertaining space by incorporating home automation systems with wireless speakers, outdoor video and/or television capability, and automated lighting systems.

Stay Cozy

As the cooler night temperatures of late summer and early autumn begin to set in, amenities such as fire pits, heat lamps, and fans can be added to help extend the life of your outdoor entertaining area. And don’t forget about fun accessories—such as throw pillows and blankets—to keep everyone cozy.

Please contact us today if you are considering adding an outdoor entertainment area to your current home or if you would like to incorporate one into a new build.