We love to be outside, especially during the summer and, being in Southern California, we can pretty much be outside all year long.
We have a big family and we LOVE to entertain, but being near the coast in Southern California, our house is on the smaller side. As a result, we frequently end up turning our patio into another “room” in our home to create more space.
Furniture for seating and dining is definitely important, but so is creating a mood. Elements that contribute to the ambiance and atmosphere are as important as where you’re going to plant your tush.
I think a Must Have for any back yard is some sort of shade structure, even if it just an umbrella… something to create a “ceiling” helps to promote a feeling of intimacy. For parties, we often a pop-up gazebo and hang a chandelier from it. It provides extra seating and makes it a place people naturally gravitate to.
(We think a nice fire pit is very important too…It provides great ambiance.)
Whether we’re having a simple BBQ or hosting a dinner, little white lights help to make any evening a bit more special. If toasting marshmallows on a summer evening is good, then toasting them under little white lights is even better! (And candles! You can never have too many candles…)
And lest you think all we do is hang out in out in our yard at night, we enjoy watching the birds in our yard during the daytime. We think that having a little something to make other visitors feel comfortable is important too, so we always have a bird feeder.
Now that I have shared what turns my backyard into my perfect summer oasis, I want to know what you’ve done to transform your backyard into your oasis… during the summer, or any time of year. One of my lucky readers will win a $25 Sears gift card!
That is a great pic of you two! I was thinking about you when I heard about the earthquake there in Southern Cali– not sure if you are near there. Now I need a patio make over!
Christmas lights are a MUST in my house! I literally keep them up ALL YEAR LONG!!!
I love the little white lights! I would never think to do this. Our outdoor area is a little funky, it needs some order in the house, thanks for the inspiration!
My covered back porch has a swing, rocking chairs, lots of little tables for drinks…and a ceiling fan! Goes non-stop during the summer months. It is the perfect place to sit and watch the morning sun rise over the hill behind us, or be shaded in the afternoon and summer with family and friends. We just built a log building, our “Summer” kitchen, with historically correct cooking fireplace. Table and chairs inside, people just gravitate to it, like a normal kitchen. Also have a wisteria arbor that provides a shady spot to linger in the garden, and is a great place to watch the birds fly around the gardens, that is furnished with wicker. All comfortable, and great places to socialize. I need to work on more lighting for night time though…love the effect with Christmas light, might use that in the arbor 🙂 donna