Our Top Outdoor Entertaining Areas Ideas
Transforming your garden into a space you’ll love and want to spend more time in requires more than just functional considerations. Garden transformations need to combine both practicality and beautiful aesthetics to create a space you love and this is where garden entertainment comes in.
Creating outdoor entertaining areas that are ideal for entertainment, whether this is family barbeques, al fresco dining experiences, or garden parties, can be such a fun experience and offer lasting results. An entertaining garden is one that you are going to spend more time in and a well-crafted design is the key.
At M&M Driveways, we believe that your garden should be a space you’re proud of and offer plenty of opportunities for fun under the sun, no matter your requirements or budget. In this guide, we are sharing our top entertaining garden tips to aid your transformation and help you make the best design decisions for your landscape.
Planning Your Outdoor Entertaining Areas
A successful garden transformation is nothing without a well-crafted plan and this is your first step when making your garden more interesting.
Before any digging, planting and landscaping can take place you first need to develop a plan. Your plan will outline what you want to add to your garden, as well as assess the current landscape and how this will impact your vision.
Professional landscapers and garden designers will work with you to develop a bespoke plan for your landscape, encompassing both your goals for an entertaining garden with the requirements of the landscape. The garden’s layout is a huge part of this and will influence what kind of what can be done to transform it into an entertaining space.
When it comes to planning any landscaping work, take some time to assess and record the shape, size and overall layout of your landscape. This will not only inform what kind of landscaping work can take place, but also how you can design your new entertaining garden.
By assessing the size and shape of your garden, you can collaborate with designers to construct specific zones and entertainment hubs across the landscape ensuring that all your needs can be met, despite any specifications.
Choosing the Right Paving and Landscaping Materials
When it comes to transforming your outdoor space, a combination of soft and hardscaping is likely to be required, which includes paving and patio development. The materials you choose for your garden have a significant impact on the overall aesthetics and functionality, determining whether it is a space fit for entertaining.
To enhance your garden and make outdoor entertaining areas, it needs to be an accessible space and paving is a great solution. Adding paving to the garden allows people to comfortably travel through the landscape, as well as highlighting specific entertainment zones such as outdoor dining areas or barbeque spaces.
At M&M Driveways, we offer a wide range of high-quality paving and landscaping options to suit all environments and will work with you to develop the perfect fit for your space.
Natural Stone
For a timeless and sophisticated appearance, choose natural stone driveways and paving. This material is highly durable and available in various colours and textures for complete customisation, making it ideal for both traditional and modern homes.
Granite
Granite is a highly versatile paving option and is one of the most affordable, making it a popular choice across the region. With different finishes and patterns available, granite paths and driveways can be customised to suit your specific requirements and enhance any property type.
Porcelain
This is an incredibly luxurious addition to any outdoor space, offering timeless style and lasting durability. Porcelain paving is made to last and has a sleek aesthetic appeal that can enhance th enjoyment of your garden for years to come.
Block Paving
Block paving is a classic option for outdoor spaces and has a rustic charm. Block paving is a highly durable material and is easy to maintain because of this, making it ideal for busy family gardens.
Incorporate Focal Points
Landscaping can be a great service to make more outdoor entertaining areas and create areas of interest throughout the space. There are various features that you can incorporate into your garden design to create areas of interest, such as flower beds and hardscaping features.
With the right paving materials, you can create a waving pathway that leads people to a stunning pond, complete with local wildlife and native flowers. Adorn your new pathway with raised flower beds, full of thriving and vibrant flora.
Not only does this add an instant pop of colour to your landscape, but with the right species you can attract a range of insects, such as bees and butterflies, to turn the garden into a living landscape.
Entertaining features can be used as decorative across your new or existing landscaping, highlighting specific areas of interest and creating a sense of wonder throughout the garden with careful planning. Creating new focal points is a way to keep people engaged with your garden and encourage a sense of adventure.
Garden Furniture For Outdoor Entertaining Areas
Once you have planned out the specific outdoor entertainment areas and zones in your garden, such as an al fresco dining area or garden rooms, you can use outdoor furniture to bring it all together.
Outdoor furniture can be used to create an inviting space that you can welcome friends and family to at any time. From large dining tables, complete with matching chairs to fit the whole family, to outdoor sofas and soft furnishings for an intimate relaxation space there are so many options to suit your requirements.
When it comes to adorning your outdoor entertainment zones with furniture, take some time to consider the feelings you want to evoke in this space and how you can set the tone. Decorative features, such as colourful dining sets or fluffy cushions can be used to create areas of interest and make the space feel welcoming to all.
As well as considering the aesthetic appeal of garden furniture, you need to ensure you are choosing durable solutions that can endure the elements. An outdoor dining table made from aluminium, teak or synthetic wicker, for example, will be a better option to withstand the Great British weather than cheaper alternatives.
If you are going to invest in soft furnishings, make sure you have a suitable storage space to protect them at the end of the day and during the colder months when your garden is not being used.
Set The Tone With Outdoor Lighting
Garden lighting is an excellent tool for ambience and can be a way to bring a sense of play to the garden.
Lighting can be used to highlight the entertaining areas in your garden, such as warm lanterns around seating zones or twinkle lights as the background to your outdoor dining area. It can also be used to showcase your unique garden features when the sun goes down, such as pathway lights to highlight your new porcelain paving or uplighting on garden sculptures or water features.
It is a good idea to have some kind of lighting in the garden for accessibility and security, but this does not mean it has to be boring. Playing with different types, sizes and tones of lighting can be a fun way to illuminate your outdoor space and ensure the entertainment can last well into the night.
Greenery And Plants For Natural Interest
A beautifully designed garden is one that incorporates the natural landscape and enhances the beauty around it. This is why no garden is complete without a good selection of plants, flowers and other greenery.
As we have already mentioned, flowers can be an excellent addition to otherwise dull areas in the garden by providing a pop of colour but this isn’t your only option. Other plants, such as shrubbery and trees, can also be used across the garden to highlight specific features.
A combination of plant types and species is the best option to ensure your garden remains entertaining throughout the year. Using both perennial and annual plants will keep some colour in the garden through all seasons, as well as make the space more interesting to look at.
Careful planning is required to ensure you have a successful garden – one that continues to thrive throughout the season and looks great. Preparatory work such as soil balancing and lawn care may be required before you can add plants to the landscape for a cohesive, attractive look.
Add Entertaining Features
Entertaining features are a quick way to make your outdoor space more engaging and create a party zone out of your landscape. There are various examples of entertaining features that you can include in your garden, no matter the size or your budget.
A great entertainment feature for all landscapes is a fire pit. Whether you opt for a rustic, open fire or something more modern there are options to suit all gardens and these zones instantly become a hub for entertaining. Complete the fire pit with comfortable seating, where you can chat with loved ones and watch the flickering of the flames late into the evening.
Similarly, outdoor kitchens and barbeques will quickly become entertainment zones and attract all kinds of people to your garden. Outdoor kitchens are an incredibly stylish and modern feature to include in your garden transformation, allowing for outdoor dining on any occasion.
Finally, if you have children or big kids in the family then consider adding garden games to your outdoor space. Games like bocce ball, croquet, or a giant Jenga set can keep your guests entertained and add a playful element to your gatherings.
Conclusion
By following these tips, you can transform your garden into outdoor entertaining areas that are a beautiful, functional, and inviting space that your family and friends will love.
As we enter the summer season and the days become longer, now is the perfect time to transform your outdoor space and create a garden you love to be in. Being outdoors can be highly beneficial for people of all ages and creating an entertaining garden is a way to encourage more time spent in the fresh air, experiencing the simple joys of nature.
At M&M Driveways, we have helped many people transform their gardens and home exteriors into stunning environments they love to be in. If you need support or additional advice regarding landscaping, we can help.
Contact Us
If you are looking to transform your outdoor entertaining areas into a fun and entertaining environment, then you have come to the right place. M&M Driveways offers landscaping and paving services to transform all outdoor environments and are ready to help you.
Contact us today to learn more and see how our landscaping services can bring your vision to life.
