Alfresco dining is not a new concept but there is no denying that it has increased in popularity over the years, especially with the recent pandemic.
Dining outdoors while enjoying the fresh and soaking up the sunshine can elevate the dining experience in many ways. As a result, a lot of people are now taking this concept into their homes to enjoy alfresco dining in their own backyards.
While for some people the idea of dining outdoors on a chilly evening or during the colder months of the year might seem crazy, the truth is, with the right setup alfresco dining can be enjoyed year-round. Installing a natural gas wall heater, together with some cosy blankets will ensure that you can enjoy all of the benefits of dining outdoors throughout the year.
Backyard dining truly can become a regular thing instead of an irregular occurrence, with just a little bit of planning and creativity when it comes to setting up your space.
Let’s take a closer look at some tips and tricks to help you transform your backyard space into the perfect alfresco dining space.
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Open-Air With Contained Ideas
As with any home improvement project, make sure you take a deep breath before getting started. The fresh air is great to get a clear head, which is truly essential when planning your backyard dining area. As there will typically be limited space to work with, along with a limited budget and a variety of individual variables to consider, you must do what you can to keep things contained.
There is nothing wrong with having big, creative ideas about your backyard space, but those ideas must conform to certain guidelines. Keeping this in mind during the planning process will ensure that you are realistic with your goals and that stay within budget.
Evolve What You Already Have
If you are working with a strict budget when transforming your backyard, step one should always be to do what you can to reuse and repurpose what you already have. Whatever you can keep, or at least repurpose in some way, will save you money and allow you to stretch your budget a little further.
If you have some focal points in your outdoor space that you already enjoy, think about how you can evolve them or have them flow with the new design. You may end up having a great alfresco spot already, it may just need a creative eye and flair.
Build It And They Will Come
A firepit is a place where people share stories, songs, celebrations, tears, and everything else in between. Almost a universal beacon of gathering and community, having a fireplace or fire pit in your alfresco dining space will immediately increase its social appeal, as well as the added heat for colder months.
You don’t have to spend a lot of money to have a great spot for a fire, as the only thing that really matters is the people sitting around it. As long as you stay within local regulations, and keep things safe and comfortable, a fire can be built for very little but deliver endless benefits.
Privacy Is Not Pretentious
When planning your alfresco layout, make sure to think about the privacy of your guests, even if privacy is typically not a major concern for you. There are many ways to introduce privacy for your backyard area, whether it be natural or man-made.
Trees and hedges are a great way to set a privacy screen around your property, while also adding to the natural feel of the space. If that isn’t an option, a privacy fence can be built without breaking the bank, especially if you do some of the work yourself.
Weather-Pending, Or Whatever Weather?
In addition to privacy, you must also consider what happens when the weather decides to turn on a nice day. If you want to be able to eat alfresco without checking the weekly weather forecast, there are options for overhangs and roofs to keep people dry.
Even something as simple as a standing umbrella can be a game-changer, but it truly depends on what you want to withstand while enjoying your culinary creations
Create The Perfect Alfresco Dining Space In Your Backyard
There is no rule book when it comes to creating an outdoor area suitable for home dining. Everyone’s tastes are a little bit different, as is every potential alfresco eating area, meaning there really is no one-size-fits-all solution. The main point of transforming your backyard is to enjoy the outdoors with your family and friends while also being able to sit down to a delicious meal together.
This should always remain the top priority when planning your new alfresco dining space and if this remains the focus, you can be sure you will soon have that perfect alfresco dining oasis you have been dreaming of.
