To celebrate the start of summer, many people enjoy hosting an outdoor BBQ with their neighbors and/or other close friends and family.
But while you might be ready to catch up with everyone and officially kick off summer, you may quickly realize your patio leaves much to be desired. While your lawn is in good shape and pool is sparkling clean, the patio is covered with old, ratty furniture.
Fear not, patio party host-to-be — you can easily transform your “blah” patio into one that’s inviting and a perfect spot to entertain your guests. Check out the following ideas:
Add Some Seating
Once you have an idea of how many people will be attending your summertime soiree, you’ll need to have enough seating. Your guests will need a place to perch, and experts suggest setting up a “chat corner” that includes a number of chairs and a small table that will hold drinks, along with some cushions that will encourage lounging and conversation.
Then, when it’s time to eat, the chairs can be pulled over to the patio table. Speaking of which, if your outdoor table has seen better days, bring it back to life by spray painting it a vibrant color. You can also use an old door— minus the hinges — place it on two sawhorses and cover it with a bright tablecloth, which can serve as a table for food or additional seating.
Bring the Drinks to the Patio
To keep your guests from entering your home repeatedly to get a cold beverage, bring the drinks outside. For instance, this Bar Cart from Jerome’s Furniture costs less than $100, looks great and holds plenty of wine glasses and chilled bottles of wine. Even better, you can use the top shelf to store a bucket of ice filled with more beverages and/or additional glasses.
You can also place at least one large cooler on the patio with an assortment of drinks. Just be sure to add water bottles, soda and juice for younger guests as well as those who prefer not to drink alcohol. If you’re hosting a huge crowd, clean out your wheelbarrow and fill it with ice to use as an extra cooler. And when the party’s over, simply dump out the melted ice onto the lawn.
Add Some Music with Outdoor Speakers
To keep the party mood fun and festive, playing music is always a great option. So that your guests can hear the tunes, spring for a pair of speakers that look just like granite rocks. For right around $100, these 8-inch speakers will deliver quality sound. Best of all, these durable speakers are weatherproof, making them perfect for the outdoors.
Spring for a New Grill
If you plan on grilling hamburgers, hot dogs, kebabs and/or steak at your outdoor party, you definitely need a grill that can accommodate plenty of food at once. At the same time, you might not have the money in your budget for a built-in grill.
No worries. The budget-friendly Coleman RoadTrip LXE Propane Grill from Dick’s Sporting Goods will only run you $150 and comes in a number of colors. Wheel it wherever you want on your patio, and since it’s designed to be transportable, get more bang for your grilling buck by taking it to an upcoming tailgate or picnic at the park.
Have a Great Time!
The great thing about getting your patio ready for a summer party is that once everything is set, you can kick back without a care in the world and enjoy being outside all summer. By being creative with your seating options and finding fun ways to bring the drinks and music outdoors, chances are your guests will have a great time and ask you to host another gathering or two.