Outdoor Entertaining Essentials Our Designers Love

A functional and beautiful outdoor entertaining space is often one of the top priorities for our clients. Whether they want to maximize a small space or have a large yard they aren’t sure how to fill, we get tons of requests from homeowners for a well-designed outdoor entertaining area. 

From landscaping to layout, we consider it all when creating these designs for our clients. That includes appliances, decor, furniture, and other items that will enhance the aesthetic of the space and make outdoor entertaining easy.  

If you’re interested in sprucing up your outdoor space, you’ve come to the right place. Keep reading to discover and shop our outdoor entertaining must-haves. 

From your front porch to your backyard, we can help you visualize smart design updates to all aspects of your home exterior. We’ll recommend paint colors, building materials, outdoor furniture, and more that will fit perfectly with your desired aesthetic. Learn more about our virtual exterior design services. 

Our designers only use and recommend products that we know, love, or would use on our own properties. When you buy through our links, we may earn a commission, at no cost to you.

String lights

String lights are both functional and fun. They of course help illuminate the area they’re hung in, but they also add a whimsical feel to the space. In the design above, we hung them from the awning that covers the dining area. These string lights have a vintage-inspired design, which complements the aesthetic of the two wall lanterns beneath them. 

The string lights, along with the patterned rug and woven chairs, give this zone a casual-but-cozy vibe. We imagine the homeowners hosting plenty of happy hours in this space. 

P.S. Want more lighting inspiration? Check out our top outdoor lighting ideas here.

Fire pits

A fire pit is a great feature to have in your yard because it invites people to gather around and relax. A fire pit can also act as an attractive focal point, as demonstrated in the design above. We used permeable pavers beneath the pit instead of the grass used in the rest of the yard to create definition and provide some additional support. Two large planters also help define the area.

We surrounded this fire feature with teak chairs with plush cushions to make the space extra cozy.

Here’s another fire pit option our designers love using. The concrete bowl is elegant and a bit industrial, and the chairs are minimalist in design but offer maximum comfort. They also match the furniture used on the covered patio.

As you can see from this design, fire pits don’t take up much space, so you can incorporate one into your yard and still have plenty of room for other elements, like a pool or more seating. Or, you can leave an open space as we did for this homeowner where you can play lawn games or kids can run around.

Rugs

Rugs add a level of coziness to any space and are an affordable way to infuse some personality into an area. 

This multi-colored patterned rug is one our absolute favorites (we love it so much we used it twice in the design above!). It’s handwoven with fibers made from recycled plastic bottles, weather resistant, and reversible. It also works well in a wide variety of spaces and complements all sorts of design styles.

In addition to the rug, this design features several other outdoor entertaining must-haves we’ll cover later in this post.

P.S. Shop our designers’ favorite outdoor rugs and mats here.

Outdoor kitchen & dining space

Food is a big part of entertaining, and if you plan to host a lot of parties outdoors, it makes sense to invest in an outdoor kitchen. The one featured in this design has a grill, storage, counter space, and a kamado. Right next to the kitchen, we placed a circular table and black rattan chairs, creating a space for guests to enjoy their meal.

Here’s another outdoor kitchen/dining combination we love. The kitchen features a grill and stovetop with warm wood and a stone accent wall, plus black light fixtures above.

Because al fresco dinner parties require a spacious dining table that can accommodate all your guests, we also included one in this design. The one above can comfortably seat six with aluminum frame chairs with weather- and stain-resistant cushions. A large umbrella overtop provides plenty of shade, and the patterned rug beneath the table differentiates the dining space from the rest of the spacious yard.

Comfortable seating

Having ample comfortable seating is crucial if you want your guests to stick around. If your yard is large enough, we recommend creating several seating areas, as in the design above. The main seating area surrounds the fire pit and has a great view of the pool. It features a teak sofa with plush cushions and matching chairs. There’s also a set of wicker lounge chairs beneath an umbrella, as well as a dining table with chairs to the right of the pool.

Outdoor shower 

If you host a lot of pool parties, consider incorporating an outdoor shower into your exterior design. This way, your guests can easily rinse off before taking a dip without using your indoor shower.

The design above features an outdoor shower on one side of the homeowner’s pool house. The light stone and warm wood accents elevate the area, while the concrete bench and wall hooks provide a place to hang towels and place toiletries. Finally, the light fixture above ensures the shower can be used day or night.

P.S. See more pool house and lounge area ideas here. 

Shade solution

If you’re going to host guests outdoors, you need to provide them with some protection from the elements. If you have the space, building a shade structure like a pergola is an excellent option. Or, if your yard is on the smaller side, an umbrella or two will do the trick.

In the design above, we suggested putting a black umbrella over two lounge chairs that face the pool. One benefit of an umbrella versus a pergola or another large structure is that they can easily be moved around your yard to accommodate loungers wherever they are.

P.S. Learn more about and shop all our favorite shade structures here.

Our outdoor entertaining must-haves

There’s a lot to consider when designing your dream outdoor entertaining space. The layout of the area, the landscaping, and the items you fill it with are all important to keep in mind.

You can create a cozy space with comfortable seating and lots of planters or add a plunge pool and outdoor kitchen so you can entertain friends all day long. Whatever type of vibe you’re going for, your outdoor entertaining area should include some of the items we covered in this post. We hope we’ve provided you with plenty of inspiration for your exterior design project.

Whether you want a more modern façade, a stylish outdoor entertaining area, a fresh color palette, or something else entirely, we can help you achieve your exterior design goals. With our photorealistic rendering, you’ll be able to visualize your desired updates and see how they’ll all look together. Begin your exterior design project today.

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