We like to be outside. The fresh air, the warm sunshine, and the smell of the flowers in Millis, MA, makes us feel good. It’s no wonder that more and more homeowners are coming to see the yard as a ready extension of the home. If you’re looking for a way to both get the most use out of your yard, and complete your landscape with a space that allows full enjoyment of the outdoors, it’s time to think about an outdoor dining space.
Bring the Indoors, Outdoors
You are certain to spend time in the fresh air if your landscape contains spaces that are both aesthetically pleasing and functional. An outdoor dining space is a perfect way to make sure that time is spent comfortably and stylishly outdoors. To make an outdoor space an extension of your home’s interior, your outdoor dining space should have all the comforts of your indoor dining room. This means that your outdoor dining space should include carefully chosen furniture, ample seating, lighting, and protection from the elements. With the help of your Wenzel landscape professional, you can create an outdoor dining space that will have everybody enjoying the outdoors.
Style and Taste
An outdoor dining space should be both an extension of your home and an extension of you—your unique taste and style. Whether you like traditional brick, rustic natural stone, modern concrete, or elegant stacked stone, your outdoor dining area should express your distinct style while functioning as a fully usable, weatherproofed space. Walls are a great way to not only create a distinct style, but to create privacy, intimacy, and division from the rest of the yard. Covering, such as a pergola, can be used to separate the space, but can also provide shade. For those who want a more open-style dining area, simple paver or brick flooring can mark the bounds of the space without hindering the view or the flow of fresh air. For something a little less formal than a traditional dining area, consider a permanent bar and stools instead of a table. A u-shaped bar, in close proximity to a grill, is the perfect design for an all-inclusive conversation.
Utilize the View
If you are lucky enough to have a landscape with an extraordinary view: a body of water, vast sky, beautiful flower beds, or some other feature of the yard, why not showcase it by creating an outdoor dining space made to enjoy it? Your landscape professional can locate and design your outdoor dining space with the view in mind. Perhaps there is a view you would rather not showcase. For example, a neighbor’s home can be hidden from view with a wall, for a more intimate and private outdoor dining area.
Made to Entertain
If you are big on entertaining, or just have a large and vibrant family, an outdoor dining area is a great place to get everybody together. Ample seating, or even a built-in wall seating, is an important feature of any outdoor space. Another important feature of an outdoor dining area is access to all the dining essentials. An adjacent outdoor kitchen, equipped with a built-in grill and ample counter space, is a must for convenient outdoor entertaining. Plus, nothing whets the appetite more than the smell of food being prepared on the grill. If an outdoor kitchen is not an option, consider having your outdoor dining area built in close proximity to your household kitchen in order to more easily make the necessary trips to the refrigerator or stove.
Image courtesy of Unilock.