Create the Ultimate Outdoor Entertainment Area
A Guide to the Best Backyard Entertaining Space
Whether it’s a casual barbeque or an elegant dinner party, the best outdoor gatherings offer an inviting ambiance, a flexible space for mingling, and a feast for all the senses. But, before you can be the host or hostess with the mostest, it’s essential to plan your outdoor area so it’s versatile for everyday use and entertaining guests. When designing your space, we consider a few key factors to help you achieve your goals. From functionality to aesthetics, we’ll walk you through all the checkpoints to help you create your ultimate outdoor entertainment area.
1. Functionality
First, how do you plan to use your backyard? The ideal outdoor entertainment area will be multifunctional and versatile. Factors such as age, activity preference, size of your area, and entertaining frequency will all come into play.
Activity Zones
Consider the various activities you might do within your space. If you have children, you’ll likely want a multipurpose play area, and possibly a swimming pool or sports court. How many people will you need to accommodate? Do you host a monthly book club, company parties, or dinners for your extended family? If so, you’ll want several gathering areas.
1. Cooking & Dining
Do you plan to exercise your inner barbeque chef or do you enjoy alfresco dining? Perhaps you’d like an outdoor pizza oven or a fridge or beer spout for entertaining. An outdoor kitchen and/or dining area is a luxury that could solve numerous functionality needs. With today’s customizable cook station solutions, it’s easy to create the ideal setup tailored to your preferred color scheme, layout, and usability.
2. Gathering
Creating a circle of connection around a coffee table or fire invites conversation within your outdoor entertainment area. Incorporating a fire element assists with the transition through the seasons and its light sparks happiness, ignites the senses, and elicits the warmth of relationship building.
3. Playing
It’s a scientific fact that being exposed to nature as children—specifically green spaces—results in better mental health as adults. Whether it’s for the kids or the adults, every outdoor entertainment area needs a play space. From backyard yoga or soccer practice to a dog run or badminton court, a versatile green space is a desirable element of many landscapes. This flexible area can be quickly converted from a canine obstacle course to the ideal setting for rented garden party tables.
There’s much debate over natural grass or the increasing popularity of synthetic turf. This decision depends largely on your priorities, lifestyle, and initial investment budget.
- Opt for grass for its natural aesthetics, environmental benefits, and cooler environment, especially if you have dogs or children. The downside of grass is, of course, added maintenance, but luckily, you can enlist in our estate management services and we’ll take the work out of keeping your lawn lush and green.
- Choose synthetic turf if you prefer low maintenance, durability, consistent appearance, and water conservation. A useful selection for a putting green or no-mud zone, this option also requires a higher upfront investment. Cons include fossil fuel manufacturing and a hot summer surface for bare feet or paws if installed in sunny areas.
Play areas can also devote a dedicated space for a pool, playground, or sports court. Be sure to inform your designer—they can guide you through material selection, size, and all the practicalities.
4. Relaxing
Gathering spaces by night can double as a personal sanctuary by day, so think about ways you might like to use your outdoor entertaining area for solitude or family relaxation. Incorporating comfortable lounges and outdoor sofas can be great for guests or for a cozy reading nook. Adding a pool can offer exercise, a refreshing respite after a long week, or an expanded party space on hot summer days.
Size and Capacity
What is the average number of guests you’ll need to accommodate? Take into account how many people you’ll regularly entertain when planning permanent furnishings and seating areas. Also, plan for enough open spaces for mingling, dancing, or sporting activities.
Traffic Flow
Guide your guests safely and effortlessly between each zone. Pathways and walkways can lead visitors on a journey through the landscape and point them toward the next focal point. Utilizing curves and lines or contrast in materials can also elicit a sensory excursion along the way.
Accessibility
Be sure to keep the safety and accessibility of all your guests of different ages and abilities in mind when planning your space.
2. Aesthetics and Design
- Style: From contemporary to mid-century modern or Highland Park historic to Hill Country estate, our designers will help you create an outdoor entertainment space that complements your home’s architecture and personal style preference.
- Focal Points: A focal point beckons an onlooker and denotes where the eye should begin its journey. It can create visual interest and amplify the overall aesthetics of an outdoor space. In the world of landscape design, it could be a vibrant garden sculpture, a stand-out tree, a fire or water feature, or even a piece of furniture. It anchors the entire landscape design and directs the flow of the arrangement, to achieve cohesive balance.
- Landscaping: From garden design and seasonal color installation to pools and pergolas or complete outdoor rooms, our teams seamlessly align to design, build, and maintain your outdoor entertainment area.
- Furnishings and Decor: Personalize your space with unique furnishings, outdoor rugs, pillows, cushions, and decor to make the reflect your taste. Your landscape designer can help you curate, source, and install your selections.
3. Ambiance
Every party needs the right ambiance, so treat your guests to a full sensory experience. Textiles of various colors and fabrics can add a tactile element to your space. Architectural plants or sculptures can become visual focal points when lit properly. Heighten the perceptual encounter with fragrant blooms, herbs, or the scents of grilling to add a pleasing aroma.
- Lighting: The style, color, and temperature of landscape lighting can enhance the functionality and aesthetics of a space to create the right ambiance. From relaxing and romantic to decadent and dramatic, outdoor lighting should evoke an innate emotion that surrounds you with feeling.
- Sound: A soothing water feature can diminish environmental noise and create a relaxing, natural ambiance. For music lovers, consider adding an integrated sound system. Today’s technology is weather-resistant and blends almost invisibly into your landscape.
4. Comfort
- Seating & Surfaces: Offer a selection of cozy seating options and back support chairs, benches or poufs, or modular furniture. Don’t forget surfaces to set drinks or food to avoid the awkward drink/plate juggling.
- Shade and Shelter: Prepare for inclement weather or keep guests cool with an integrated roof, awning, pergola, arbor, or umbrella.
- Temperature Control: Add outdoor fans, infrared heaters, or fire to keep your visitors comfortable.
- Pest Control: Keep the bugs at bay and away from your guests with the latest mosquito technology and consider fogging just before your event.
Allow Bonick to Design Your Space
For over 40 years, our teams at Bonick have been creating award-winning outdoor spaces with meticulous craftsmanship and impeccable detail. From new builds to renovations, we love working with our clients to develop personal sanctuaries and outdoor entertainment areas with special touches unique to each of them. Contact us today to create the outdoor space of your dreams.
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