How To Make Your Patio A Gathering Place This Summer

Summer is coming! And with warm weather knocking on our doors, we all want to be the ones our friends come to for a good ol’ BBQ party or evening cocktails.

The problem is, everyone who owns a patio is in the run for this unspoken magical prize, therefore, you have to make yours the ONLY place everyone wants to be. It needs to be like one of those Instagram places that everyone goes crazy about and no one ever truly knows how or where all the fuss started.

So, if you want your patio to stand out this summer, keep reading!

How to Make Your Patio THE Gathering Place This Summer?

Comfort!

Start by thinking of comfort. Comfort is key when transforming a place into somewhere everyone loves. Being outside and not having a place to sit can be a turn off. At the same time, being outside but not having shade is also not ideal.

Spruce Up Your Patio!

You can work with what you already have, just make it better. Think of yourself as one of those super cool exterior designers and consider where you would place a table or how you could spruce it up with a few added pieces.

Twinkle, Twinkle…

Another thing I personally love is cheap (but charming) fairy lights. They give a very familiar touch to your patio without making it vulgar. White ones are my favorite!

Just a Few Add-ins…

You don’t have to do a complete renovation to your already lovely patio, but there are a few things you can add that will make it just perfect! One of the first things I always recommend is adding timber cladding to the wall above your patio. It will give it a very modern, rustic feel and add a very cozy effect for you and your friends to enjoy.

Gather at the Table

Whether your patio is large or small, you must have a table so you can have friends over for dinner. A large table that fits at least 8 people is the way to go, but try to keep it simple and neutral. My advice is to go for rosewood or a mahogany tone so that you can then play around with a few bursts of color somewhere else.

Make It a Jungle!

One of my favorite types of patio is when wood meets green. You have the tones I mentioned earlier mixing with lots of plants everywhere. Hang them or leave them on the floor, there’s no rule for how to do it, and they’ll always look beautiful. The simpler the plant, the easier it’ll be for you to take care of it, but it’ll add so much more to your patio.

Fifty Shades of Blue?

Another color that goes beautifully with brown and green is blue. If you decide to buy or already own patio furniture, include some blues on it. You can add throw blankets that are a deep blue or pillows to make it even cozier. The goal is to create a space where everyone can relax with a glass of wine in their hand, and the color blue inspires calming and relaxing feelings.

You can go full-on and even get a swing for your patio, or you can also do less on a lower budget, but still make it the place to be this summer. Just remember that pale tones work best and the timber cladding on your wall will make it extra special! If you feel like relaxing outdoors instead of inside, you’ll know you’ve done a good job!

Rebecca is a translator by day, and a traveler mostly at night. She is an expert on living with jet lag – and packing in tiny suitcases. You can read more of her exploits at RoughDraft