environmental designer home-furniture: Splendid Summer Patio Dining

When the warm weather arrives and you move your dinner parties outside, having an outdoor oasis is every entertainer’s dream. While you might think a successful dinner party requires sophisticated settings and mulit-course meals, just the opposite is true. All that’s required to create an enjoyable evening is appealing food, good company, and a welcoming setting.

While I leave the recipes and guest list up to you, I can certainly help with the hospitable setting. I recently enjoyed working on a client’s cottage patio, designing the perfect space for a summer full of fun dinner parties.

First thing first – you need a good floor. When we began, my client’s patio was covered in kitchen porcelain tiles which were slippery, ugly and impractical for our weather. I turned to EON Deck and Patio Tiles from The Home Depot. They are super simple to lay-down and click together easily in a variety of patterns. They are such an easy solution to update any space, large or small. They can cover up existing mistakes or be the new ground under your feet. These tiles completely transformed my client’s space and gave it a clean and inviting place to begin the makeover design plan.

Fresh paint works wonders to update any space. The existing paint here was distracting and dated so we applied fresh paint. Exterior paint from Para has longevity and instantly brightened up the area. Go the extra mile and paint all the trim work too – that additional effort will complete the fresh new look and feel.

With your space in good shape, it’s time to add in the key components. To have a great dinner party, you need a great table to gather around. This table is a find from The Home Depot which seats six, has a sleek design and is comfortable for long conversations. This set has stunning appeal and fit the space perfectly. The chairs even stack for easy winter storage, and have removable bottom cushions.

Every great table needs a great umbrella. An umbrella not only has the obvious task of providing shade, it also helps define your outdoor dining room. I found these colourful lanterns from PC Home at the Real Canadian Superstore; hung on the umbrella pillars, they provide warm mood lighting, and even a touch of romance. Tip: Be sure to add a hook and a stopper to the location of where you want the lanterns to hang under the umbrella, otherwise they will move around as the wind catches them.

Adding to the mood lighting, are the battery operated lanterns from The Home Depot. These are strategically set around the perimeter of the deck, where no one will trip over them, and they define the patio area. These lanterns have the bonus of built-in timers without having to sacrifice style.

Onto the china…don’t get overly fussy with china. An eclectic mix feels more laid-back and it is a great conversational starter. Outdoor dishware has come a long way – you can now find stunning colours and patterns that are as nice, or nicer, than your indoor set. Mixing collections together is a fun and easy way to create interest at any table. And don’t fuss with table clothes or placemats – use chargers instead. The PC Home collection has a great selection of chargers and outdoor dishware that can either be mixed and match or pieced together for a fun table-scape that will get the dinner conversation flowing.

No outdoor party would be complete with out a BBQ. The homeowners love to cook so we chose this stunning gas grill from Weber which is ideal for entertaining. It has a multitude of features like Flavourizer bars to eliminate flare-ups, and a fuel gauge so you never run-out mid dinner party.

For all dinner parties, I am a fan of a stocked bar cart. Not only is a cart convenient for holding supplies, it is a splendid accessory in setting the mood for a notable diner party. Pile glasses on your cart, store the plates and silverware, and use it as much needed outdoor counter space and a self serving zone. Wheel it back to the kitchen if you run low on supplies, or, in the case of this cart, carry the top tray into the kitchen to refresh if you don’t need the whole unit. The bar cart is an essential for a good party hostess.

For the finishing touch on your patio oasis, including plants in different elevated planters completes the overall feel and sets the mood for many meals and conversations spent with family and friends during the glorious outdoor season.

EKK the before . . . what a change!