There’s few things better than dining in your own backyard during the summer. Outdoor, or alfresco, dining is a simple pleasure and meant to be enjoyed with friends and family. Whether you’re designing or refreshing your outdoor dining area, you want it to attract your dinner guests. Here is some inspiration to design and create a welcoming outdoor dining area, perfect for alfresco entertaining.
A Fire is Key
Fires naturally draw and welcome people with their enticing light and warmth. That’s why any welcoming outdoor dining area should include a fire. A fireplace, pit, or table will all create a lure for your guests. A propane fire pit can be especially convenient, providing an alfresco fire experience but with an outdoor gas line it makes ignition and extinction as easy as a push of a button.
Spacing Your Alfresco Dining Area
Backyards come in all shapes and sizes. When designing your outdoor dining area, consider the amount of space and its layout. You don’t want to fill your backyard or the specific dining area with too large of a table or too much furniture that navigating the space becomes difficult. Alfresco means “in the open air” and you want to provide enough air for your guests to move around and get to their seats. That space will also be important when deciding where to place your fireplace, pit, or table, an essential part of your outdoor area. The area should be open enough to be free of tripping hazards so that guests and family can keep a safe distance from the fire.
Keeping Your Alfresco Space Open
Just like in an indoor dining space, your table will be a central element in designing your outdoor dining area. Be sure to pick a table that is both the right size and shape for the space you’re designing. If you have the area, consider a larger table perfect for bigger gatherings. If the space is smaller, get a more intimate table that seats four, or even a high top that seats two for a truly intimate space.
Choosing the Right Alfresco Dining Space
The most welcoming outdoor dining space is one closest to your home. A large sliding door or wide swinging French doors will allow you to tie your home’s interior and exterior together, welcoming people into your outdoor dining area. This will more easily draw guests outside. It will also be more convenient for them when they need to take a momentary trip inside to use the washroom. Keeping the dining area close to your kitchen will also be more convenient for you as certain food needs to be brought from the kitchen to the alfresco table or BBQ. Alternatively, you can design a full outdoor kitchen space. This will create a full alfresco experience with both the meal’s preparation and dining taking place outside.
Lighting Sets the Alfresco Mood
Lighting is an essential part of your outdoor dining area. As the sun sets, you want the space to remain lit and welcoming. Hanging string lights or a soft central light will provide excellent evening ambiance with light that keeps visibility but won’t obscure the stars of the alfresco night sky. However, rather than lights, we recommend having a fire to create central mood lighting. A propane fire pit or outdoor fireplace will provide convenient warmth and light to fend off the cooler evening.
A Fire Table is Perfect for a Smaller Outdoor Area
It’s possible you won’t have enough space to have both a fire and a table. That’s why a fire table can be the perfect solution for a welcoming alfresco dining area. It provides both the warming light of a fire and the dining surface necessary for an alfresco dinner. Napoleon’s St. Tropez and Hampton Patioflame tables come in larger, rectangular, and smaller square sizes. The Patioflame Kensington Round is an elegant solution for a smaller, more focused outdoor dining area. Alternatively, if you want to forgo a table, a fire pit, wood or propane, makes the perfect alfresco focus.
Appropriate Cover Welcomes People in any Weather
Design your outdoor area to have some cover. This could include a parasol, pergola, gazebo with curtains, or other partial cover. These will provide shade for those bright and hot days. These covers will also keep your alfresco dinners from being rained out. In fact, with some cover, you can even enjoy the refreshing experience of an outdoor dinner in light rain!
Stops Insects from Bugging Your Guests
An unfortunate cost of the outdoors is some of those pesky insects that don’t stop bugging us. You don’t want your alfresco dinner ruined by some unwanted guests, especially if your invited guests are afraid of bugs. Burn a citronella candle or torch to deter insects from approaching. A wood fireplace or pit can also naturally deter mosquitoes and other bugs who dislike the smoke. You can also safely burn some herbs such as sage or rosemary in the fire to create a more repellent smoke.
Music Welcomes Everyone to an Outdoor Dining Area
Humans are naturally drawn to music. Set up a speaker or full sound system in your outdoor dining area to welcome your guests to the alfresco experience. Music is also great for setting a certain ambiance, whether it’s calm, relaxing, energetic, or just happy. Pairing that music with fire table will create the perfect alfresco atmosphere.
Sharing is the Joy of Alfresco Dining
With these outdoor dining essentials, you’ll be creating that welcoming alfresco area with a fire that draws everyone together. Comfort and ambiance are critical for an enjoyable experience, but the best part is getting to share the outdoor moments with your friends and family. For the full alfresco experience, consider an outdoor kitchen. If you’re ready to start designing your alfresco space, visit one of Classic Fireplace’s showrooms in the GTA to get inspired.
