Dinner al fresco

When the warm weather starts, the barbeque grill also starts working and it will be in full swing by the summer season, when we can laze around the swimming pool. Eating outdoors is more than barbequing a few burgers and sausages. There are wonderful accessories and garden furniture to transform the patio or deck into an extra room where you can also have long weekend breakfast and picnic lunches with your family and elegant dinners with friends, apart from grilling.

You’ll have to think first of the furniture and where you would place it. It should be close to the house and the kitchen door. You might have and outdoors grill, cooler and cooking area, but you’ll probably keep bowls, cups, plates and cutlery indoors. Your outdoors room should be sheltered from the wind, and far from bad smelling areas –waste bins, compost heaps. Pergolas, parasols and canopies can provide shade when needed. Lights are important if your dinner will go into the late evening.

Furniture

The style should complement your garden and home. A classical hardwood dinning set is perfect for a country home, while the ultra modern would suit a town house patio. You can consider extra features like a swimming pool hut or a garden gazebo if the garden is large.

Think also about materials. Some furniture can be left outdoors all year long –probably you would have to keep cushions and covers indoors during the cold weather- without maintenance and some will need a new coat of paint every year. Some furniture needs to be moved indoors during the winter, so where to store it and how to move it is a matter to consider when you fall in love with that beautiful look. For small gardens, consider a folding set, easy to keep in the garage or garden shed.

A barbecue or grill is definitely a must have for outdoor living, whether charcoal or gas, that is your choice. The trick is to choose the right size for your grilling needs and place it far from where children and pets can come to harm.

Getting the style

You have the essentials, but there are other items to add your own style. Dress the table with funky linen, tableware and place settings. You could consider vases of fresh flowers, though some people prefer not to mix the aromas of flowers and food.

Lighting can improve the evening dinner experience. Consider citronella candles or flares or find and alternative, so unexpected guests don’t get to ruin your dinner.

A patio warmer is not an essential item, but it can extend your outdoor dining into the autumn or give extra warmth in some chilly spring or summer evenings. Again, think of children and pets before deciding which model.