Winter doesn’t have to put an end to entertaining outdoors. With long starry nights and balmy days, the cooler months of the year are ideal for hosting outdoor festivities. Whether you want to entertain friends in your own backyard or relax in one of your favourite alfresco settings, you can create a warm and welcoming entertaining space anywhere, by simply following these tips.
1. Keep guests warm
To prevent your guests from shivering with cold, it’s essential you provide them with heating. Consider the size of your entertaining area; if it’s a small, closed in space such as a patio, you may only need one air heater to keep everybody warm. For larger, open-air spaces, a brazier can radiate sufficient heat, while simultaneously creating a pleasant and inviting ambience. If you’re entertaining in some kind of an outdoor structure, electrical heaters can be attached to overhead beams and roofing, providing guests with the means to stay warm despite being outside. For a source of heat that can also provide you with delicious food, consider investing in a wood fire pizza oven.
2. Get the right furniture
Extending your living space into the outdoors for entertainment purposes during winter calls for durable furniture, especially if you live in an area prone to rain and strong winds during the colder months of the year. Furniture especially designed to withstand the elements can take the stress out of entertaining in winter. For guaranteed durability, furniture suppliers like Super Amart use weather-resistant materials such as timber and stainless steel in the construction of their outdoor furniture range.
3. Create a wind barrier
The wind chill factor is often what makes entertaining outdoors in winter so difficult. By creating some kind of a barrier, you can still enjoy the pleasantly cool temperature of a winter’s day while avoiding cold gusts of wind. Sheets of clear plastic can protect you and your guests from the elements without impairing your view of the outside world. Simply attach them to a solid structure with rope or zip ties, ensuring they are securely tied down so as to prevent them from blowing away mid-party. For a more luxurious approach to a windbreak, you could use opaque blinds or erect a canvas tent to create a delightfully bohemian outdoor setting.
4. Comfort food
Nothing warms the soul on a cold winter’s day quite like a hearty meal. When entertaining, treat your guests to some of your favourite winter recipes for an added touch of cold weather comfort. In addition to the kinds of snacks traditionally associated with alfresco dining, such as hamburgers and salad, try serving guests some spicy chicken soup and a flask of hot chocolate. If you’re keeping warm with a fire, why not use it to roast some marshmallows?
Rather than retreating inside during the cooler months of the year, entertaining outdoors presents the perfect opportunity to make the most of the cold weather.
Do you have any tips on entertaining outdoors in winter? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
This is an S2 Post.
Leave a Reply