When Summer rolls in, it’s time to have some people over to the back yard to enjoy the nice weather. Between pool parties, cook outs and just taking it easy and having a few drinks, you want your back porch to be a really popping place. Thankfully, we’ve got tons of tips on how to do just that. Let’s look at how you can make your back porch the best summer fun destination in town.
Making Your Back Porch Fun
Concrete Patio
If you’re in need of a new porch to make your backyard parties that much better, consider getting a concrete patio paved in. These are great for a number of reasons. For one, they don’t require the same maintenance and upkeep as wooden porches. For another thing, they’re much more durable and will add a lot to the value of your home.
On the flip side, the process of installing a concrete patio can be expensive, as well as time-consuming. That said, the end result is a great patio that will make your backyard more attractive and an even better destination for your friends to come visit.
Patio Covering
Consider getting your porch or patio covered and screened-in. While this might seem like an expensive ordeal, it’s a great option if you live somewhere with plentiful bugs and intense sunlight. A covered patio is more comfortable to spend the afternoon reclining in, and allows your guests to avoid the bugs and the hot sun.
You can also install a large outdoor ceiling fan on a patio enclosure if you run power to it and make it sturdy enough. This makes your patio even more welcoming and comfortable. We recommend leaving an un-covered portion of your back patio, however, so you can grill out without having to be in the grass or far from your guests.
Outdoor Furniture
Finding the right outdoor furniture is important, but it gets much easier if you’ve got a patio covering. Often, you’ve got to compromise comfort for durability, when the furniture is going to be exposed to the elements. However, if your patio is covered, you can opt for more comfortable, if somewhat less durable, outdoor furniture.
A nice swing, a cushioned bench, a glass-top table: these all make great, tasteful choices for your outdoor furniture. Another nice touch is a large outdoor rug to make the concrete floor of your patio feel more welcoming, especially to those in bare feet!
Picking a Theme
When you’re picking out colors and furniture, make sure you’ve got a theme you’re going with. If most of your outdoor patio has exposed wood grain and looks rustic, maybe a soft, modern-looking center table isn’t the best idea? Pick out a thematic through-line you’d like your patio to have, much the same way you do when decorating the rooms inside your home.
Consider your outdoor patio essentially an extension of the rooms of your home. Just because it’s outside doesn’t mean it can’t look as great and put-together as the rest of your home! While considering this, you can also hang some wall art on the exterior wall facing your patio in order to make it feel more like a simple extension of your home, not an exterior afterthought.
Conversations First
Make sure you arrange your outdoor furniture in a way that is most conductive to hosting guests. And what do you do with guests? You have conversations! Set up your seating around a centerpiece, like a fire pit or nice center table, and make sure that everyone has a good view of everyone else. This helps the space convey its purpose: hosting your friends and enjoying the outdoors while still enjoying the comforts of your home.