5 Tips for Entertaining Guests on Your New Patio

Patios offer endless opportunities for entertaining friends, family and neighbours; however, many homeowners shy away from hosting outdoor events during the summer as they can become unbearably hot under the direct exposure of the sun. Our various types of patio awnings offer relief from the sunshine without anyone having to head into the house. To help you enjoy your new space, our outdoor recreation specialists offer these five tips for entertaining guests on your new patio.

1. Decorate

Outdoor events are more special when the outdoor tables, awning and other spaces are decorated for the occasion. Hang some stranded lights, paper lanterns or other festive décor to get people in the mood for a party. Place some fresh flowers and candles on the tables for ambiance.

2. Cook Outside

Take advantage of the new patio by cooking outside. Barbecue grills with all the accoutrements, such as side burners and rotisseries, are a fast and simple way to feed a crowd a satisfying and aromatic meal.

3. Music

Play some music on an MP3 or compact disc player. Your guests will enjoy dancing on the newly created surface and gable roof awning that you have at your home.

4. Serve Drinks

Serve tasty and simple drinks for people of all ages to enjoy. Sweetened tea, lemonade, fruit juice, soda and mixed drinks are all appropriate for an outdoor gathering on the newly built outdoor entertainment area. Consider setting up a mixed drink station or even a bar to produce customised concoctions.

5. Seating

Be sure to have plenty of seating for the guests to relax and feel comfortable. Our patios make it easy to arrange all types of chairs and accompanying tables for any type of outdoor gathering.

Entertaining at home is often a time and money saver. You can create the atmosphere that you desire any time you want. By having guests at your home to enjoy your new outdoor living space, everyone will feel as relaxed and comfortable as you do.

Make Your Patio a Paradise: 3 Easy Steps

If you're a homeowner, a patio is essential.  In addition to costing less than a deck, it provides you with a comfortable, social outdoor environment for entertaining friends, family and new acquaintances.

The only thing about patios is that they have the tendency to look bland without the proper furnishings.  If you have a patio and you're not happy with how it looks, or you just haven't decorated it yet, don't worry.  We're going to tell you how to make it irresistible.  After taking our advice, every time it's beautiful out you're going to think of your patio. 

Implement these 3 steps to enhance the appearance of your home, confidently entertain guests, and provide a source of outside comfort.

Step 1: Furnish it, Piece by Piece

So your patio's built.  The only this is ... it's bare.  Or just out of touch with its surroundings – in other words, decorated poorly. 

If the latter, clear your patio completely.  That includes chairs, tables, fire pits, wet bars ... everything possible.  Don't get rid of these though.  You still might be able to use them down the road. 

What you're doing by clearing off your patio is getting a sense of how it looks as is.  Without any decoration, how does it compliment your house and yard?  After you get a good sense of how the things around your patio compliment each other, go out and start looking for your patio's cornerstone pieces – a large table and chairs. 

After you have these, look for other furniture accessories – benches, swings, ottomans, end tables, outdoor rugs, etc. 

After this, move to non-furniture accessories – fire pits, grills and smaller things like candles, candle holders and other decorations.

Here's an important thing to remember: after each addition, take a step back and make sure each piece contributes to the patio you've envisioned.  If it doesn't ... well, that's why you keep receipts. 

Don't get discouraged.  Keep browsing until you find the perfect piece.  After all, this is your home and how it looks should offer you constant pleasure.

Step 2: Nurture Its Surroundings

The patio itself is not the only thing that makes it great.  Its greatness is also largely determined by what surrounds it.  The yard, garden, flowers, trellises, bird feeders, bird baths, bushes and more. 

After furnishing your patio, go to the farthest corner of your lawn and clear your mind.  Hum your favorite mantra if that helps give you clarity.  When you're clear-minded, picture things that could accentuate the look of your patio.  Think of all material things that thrive outdoors and imagine how they'd look beside your patio.  Would they add to its appeal or detract from it? 

If you're having trouble coming up with ideas, go to your favorite book store and pick up some home and garden magazines.  Almost always, these have pictures of decks and patios and the things that surround them.

Step 3: Add a Flat, Gable, or Combination Roof

A roof is what completes a patio.  And the great thing is, there are many styles to choose from. 

After you pick the style you like, there's another thing to consider before getting into the details like sheet thickness, gutter type, colour and spotlight options.  You must decide if you want freestanding or attached roof over your stone, wood, or steel patio.

Usually, if the base of the patio connects to the house, many people will opt to attach the patio roof to the house as well.  However, different circumstances call for different measures.  It's up to you to make the best decision.  If you're unsure, go back to those magazines.  Try to find one that focuses on patios and roofing options.  Or, if you have no luck there, go directly to a roofer.