Summer calls for the outdoors, it’s the ideal time to spend time with your family and friends outside. Creating a welcoming and functional patio or porch does not have to be expensive, but there are some basic items you should invest in if you want to make the most of your outdoor space. Here are some extra features you could add to create a more a budget-friendly and more extravagant space, because we all need as much inspiration as we can get!

Below are the 7 Must-have items for a perfect patio

 

1.     Seating

The most important feature of a welcoming porch or patio is SEATING. If you don't have a place to sit and rest, the chances of you staying for an extended period of time are nil. Using multiple sofas in a row creates the illusion of an entire outdoor room, which would be ideal for entertaining.

Smaller conversation areas with single chairs are another option if space is limited.

 

2.     Lighting

If you want to use your patio outside of daylight hours, you will need to install supplemental lighting. Many people are put off by the idea of doing their own landscape lighting, but it doesn't have to be as difficult as you think. In fact, it can be as simple as using an outdoor extension cord to power string lights from an exterior outlet. Also, the number of solar options that do not require ANY electricity is growing day by day.  

 

3.     Dining Place

One of the few things that never fails in bringing people together is a good meal! A tasty dinner is a fantastic way to entertain guests, or spend a memorable summer afternoon with your family. If you have plenty of space, a rectangular table is your ideal choice, however if you have a small outdoor space, consider a small round table, or even a foldable one if you don't have enough space for it to be up all the time.

 

 

 

4.     Shade

The direct sunlight can be overwhelming and unpleasant in those summer months, which is why having shade is essential for any comfortable outdoor space. Install a sun umbrellas or even sun shade to create a shaded area, or even a pergola for a more permanent option.

 

 

5.     Heat

You want to make sure your outdoor space is comfortable in the evenings and during the cooler seasons. Propane stand heaters have been around for a while and are becoming more affordable.

 

 

 

6.     Green spaces

When designing a garden or terrace, you should include some natural elements. Plants, either directly in the ground or in stand-alone pots and planters, can add color and life to any space. Hedges or vertical gardens can also be used to separate areas from one another, and climbing vines can be trained to form an overhead cover, providing shade from the sun.

 

   

7.     Sound

When using your outdoor space, you may hear a lot of background noise, adding a sound feature is an excellent way to drown out the sounds of neighbors and traffic. By installing outdoor speakers, you can pipe any sounds or music into your outdoor space. And today's technology is incredible. Speakers can be wired or wireless, installed in the ground or mounted on your home, fence, or pergola, or completely hidden. Of course, speakers aren't the only way to hear music in your backyard, water fountains are another less obvious way to drown out background noise.