Five Tips For Entertaining Your Guests Outdoors

The Summer months are upon us and the weather is in our favour. Hence, it’s time to make the most of the outdoors. For many, the best Summer nights are spent outdoors in the company of their loved ones, their friends and family. 

To ensure that you’re making the most of your invaluable time together, we’ve put together a few refreshing techniques you can put into practice when it’s your turn to entertain. Your guests will be delighted! 

Fire Pit

Photo by T.J. Breshears on Unsplash

The presence of a fire pit in the garden has the power to make cool Summer evenings even more fantastic than they already are. The flickering flames of a fire pit emanate warmth in both a literal and figurative sense. Their inviting nature means that they exist as a focal point around which your guests will naturally gather and ideally, engage in enthralling conversation all night long. 

Fire pits are available in both gas and coal burning options, as well as a multitude of styles across the modern-rustic spectrum, ensuring that there is something to suit every garden aesthetic. Moreover, they take the form of a variety of shapes and sizes so no matter what the size of your outdoor space is, there is bound to be something on the market for you. 

Mobile Drinks Station

No need to head inside to top up your drink. A mobile drinks station can be positioned outdoors amongst the fun to avoid the need for guests to abandon exciting conversations in pursuit of a refill. 

We recommend setting the station up on a portable bar cart and stocking said cart with a full suite of handy items: glasses, drinks, an ice bucket, stirrers, drink garnishes, and anything else you desire. When you notice that supplies are running low, simply roll your bar cart indoors and replenish it as needed.

If you’re really looking to impress, serve one or two big batches of cocktails via a drinks dispenser! 

Create a Glow

Photo by Artur Kornakov on Unsplash

Although the days are longer during the Summer months, great lighting remains essential, and establishing a cozy glow is a fun opportunity to get creative.

Fortunately, the options are endless. Whether you opt for plug in, battery, or solar powered variety, fairy and string lights are a classic. They can be hung in a plethora of ways, beit it around trees, on hedges, or from your pergola. The end result is always an enchanting atmosphere. 

Lanterns are another great pick, and deservingly having their moment in the limelight. When lit and well-positioned, they can transform any setting into a beautifully ambient environment. We recommend filling your lanterns with flameless candles - they’re LED, battery operated, long-lasting, and unlike regular candles, won’t blow out when a breeze pays a visit - perfect for Summer and Winter nights alike. 

These simple touches add magic to your outdoor space, and your guests will certainly feel the effect.

Soft Furnishings 

Photo by Annie Spratt on Unsplash

The best outdoor set ups closely represent what you would find indoors. From beanbags to poufs to layered up cushions, the more comfortable, the better! 

Our favorite outdoor furnishing is a good old-fashioned rug. Rugs hold an abundance of character and make an aesthetically pleasing addition to any garden, patio, or even balcony. Before you know it, your outdoor space will be just as fashionable as it is functional.

Fortunately, rugs designed just for the outdoors exist, and in a range of colors and patterns at that. The fact that they’re designed to be outdoors and weatherproof ensures that they’ll be low-fuss and easy to maintain. 

We recommend coupling your chosen rug with a rug pad. The pad acts as a buffer between the terrain and your rug, ensuring your rug’s uniformity and even adding an increasingly cushioned effect. 

Outdoor Grill Station

Photo by Marek Mucha on Unsplash

Elevate your Summer BBQ experience with an al fresco grill station. Such contraptions offer you and your lucky guests an unparalleled outdoors dining experience. Whether you opt for a freestanding or inbuilt station, or choose to house it under a pergola or in the open air, when the weather is right, you’re sure to get good use out of it, deeming it a worthy investment. 

Plus, the concept is one that is buildable. Whilst for many, a barbecue alone is sufficient, it’s very possible to enhance the area further. For instance, you could set up a nearby bar, drinks fridge, and even a pizza oven. 

Summary 

If the goal is to establish an engaging environment for yourself and your guests, we're certain that adopting the above options, or even just one or two of them, will transform your outdoor space into one that effortless emits a warm and welcoming atmosphere. 

Your garden will be guest-ready and will significantly enhance the experience of anyone who visits you.