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A Patio Can Become the Perfect Outdoor Room
by Jane Smallman
Refacing Cabinets Columnist
A well-designed patio is the perfect place for seasonal outdoor entertaining or relaxing. With the right furniture and accessories it can seem like your house has gained an extra room, albeit outside rather than inside. Here are a few tips to help you turn your patio into the ideal "outdoor room."
Size
A patio should be more than just a pathway between your house and garden. If you want to turn it into a proper outdoor room, you must allow sufficient space to accommodate the necessary furniture plus room for people to move around easily. If you’d like to set up a 3-foot-square table and four chairs, your patio should be at least 10x10 feet square.
Site
If you really want to use your patio as an outdoor room for dining and entertaining, make sure that it is not situated too far away from the house –particularly the kitchen, otherwise you might find all the fetching and carrying will put you off. Alternatively, if you want a simple outdoor space just for relaxing, you may choose to forgo the furniture in favor of a hammock and a few potted plants, in an outdoor area further away from the house.
Outdoor Furniture
In order to make your patio into a comfortable room in which to sit and eat, relax or entertain, you will need to invest in some suitable outdoor furniture.
When choosing your outdoor furniture take the following points into consideration:
- Style. Your choice of shape, fabric and color will dramatically affect the overall look of the patio.
- Size. Make sure that it is the right size for the patio– not too big or too small! You don’t want your outdoor room to be crowded or sparse.
- Durability. Do you want to bring in your furniture every time it rains? If not, choose a material that is hardwearing and water resistant, like plastic or wood.
About the author
Jane Smallman runs a mountain guiding business with her husband. Her early training was in hotel management and she has worked in the hotel industry in France, Holland, the US and the UK. Following this she worked in an administrative capacity for a number of not-for-profit organizations in the UK, including the International Planned Parenthood Federation and the Refugee Legal Centre. While doing this she earned a degree in Social Sciences through distance learning with the Open University. After graduation she progressed to the University of Sussex as a full-time student where she was awarded a Masters Degree in Social and Political Thought.
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