Tips To Make Your Patio Work For You All Year

By Joe Toasty

One of the most popular social areas of a home is the patio, but many find that they only use it during the warm months. For many people, they only get a few months a year to enjoy the warmth of the sun on their home patio. But you can actually enjoy your gathering and the company of your guests when you make use of the patio during the slightly colder months.

One thing that you will have to work on is cutting out the wind. Even though a breeze is nice during the summer months, a breeze in the winter is likely to make people freeze. Adding blinds or shades in place can help with this. There are many different kinds available which means you can go for the bamboo, wood, or the fabric so that the wind is blocked.

The next thing you want to concentrate on is the lighting. You want to make sure that the area is using energy to the best of its ability. Using incandescent lights is a great way to warm up the air and providing all of the light you could possibly need. You can mix it up a little by adding smaller light fixtures and portable heating lamps to create the exact look that you have always wanted to have for your patio.

Of course, where you sit and what you sit on, while out on the patio matters as well. If you are on a metal bench, you may find yourself extremely uncomfortable. That metal bench can easily and quickly such your body heat out of you, which is not something you want on a cold winter day. Using wood chairs with comfortable seat cushions is probably the best idea.

Of course, a good social occasion should have more than conversation - it should involve food. And an outdoor fire pit is a great way to cook your food and smoke it properly, while also warming up the patio. These can range from braziers to dedicated 'Asian Smokers'. The aim here is to produce some heat while you're cooking dinner, and an outdoor fire pit will do that with charcoal.

Of course, if you're not into grilling (and a lot of foodies aren't), there's still good cause for an outdoor fireplace. These can be rollaway items on casters, or masonry built right into your patio. There are plenty of options, and most can fit with any home d?cor. Do check out the local ordnances for fire safety, and make sure that it has a proper chimney.

Then again, maybe the outdoor fireplace or fire pit is something that is a little too much for your budget. If that is the case, you will want to use patio heaters, such as floor heaters, to make sure that you are getting the warmth you need. Make sure that you are using the right electrical outlets for them though.

You want to make sure that you are doing everything you can to get the most out of your patio, even during the colder months. By making use of these suggestions you will be able to have a lot of fun and maybe even add a little resell value to your home. - 29956

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