Feast on Natural Surroundings: Tips for Outdoor Dining Spaces

Interior design doesn’t have to stop inside. When planning your whole home remodel, bringing style and comfort to your outdoor space opens the door to a lifestyle that embraces your surroundings. Whether your environment is urban, rural or beachside, planning for outdoor living expands the possibilities for enjoying your space. Sharing a meal with friends and family outdoors is an experience that can bring lasting memories.

Here are some tips for making the most of your outdoor dining adventures:

• Decide on a focal point for your outdoor dining space. It could be the view of a valley or a coast, a backyard garden, a pool, or a glittering city scape. Your outdoor dining space should be designed to emphasize this focal point.
• Consider how you will most often use the space. Will you usually dine with close friends and family or do you plan to use the space for business entertaining? Do you plan to dine outdoors for more casual or more formal occasions? Are you a barbecue aficionado who can’t imagine outdoor dining without a grill? Choices like these will affect how often you use the space and how comfortable you feel with the design.
• The design outdoors should have some companionship with the design indoors. Good design finds the balance between interesting contrasts and visual unity.
• Will you be dining outdoors at night? If so, practical elements such as lighting and heating are essential. For daytime meals in hotter climates, providing for shade is also important.
• What’s underfoot? The flooring in your outdoor dining space should be planned based on your climate, the design of the rest of your home and the maintenance you want to commit to.
• Plan for entertaining in your outdoor space by incorporating music into the environment for added ambience.
• Create memorable experiences in your space with the finishing touches that make your space an individual expression of your personal style. Custom glass light fixtures, one-of-a-kind sculptures, carefully selected fabrics and textures bring the level of detail to a space that separates it from the ordinary.

Working with your own professional designer makes the task of planning your outdoor space more efficient and exciting! As the season beckons us to enjoy the great outdoors, why not start in your own backyard?