A patio can be a great place to host a nice tea gathering with your close friends or spend quality time with your favorite book. During the pandemic, the trend of substantial indoor meetings might have dwindled. However, you still have your patio to organize small gatherings without flunking the social distancing requirements. The summer heat may be scorching, but outdoor gatherings aren’t usually a problem once the sun has set.
Winters are a different case. Generally speaking, people prefer indoor gatherings during the winter season. But some of you might want to elongate your time spent on the patio. At the same time, you can’t take any health risks as the night can become suddenly too cold as the winter approaches. So, what changes can you make to your patio to use it in the winter too? Here are a few helpful and practical changes that you can make to your deck to make it a livable space for winter.
- Install a shade cover on your patio
As the summer approaches its end and the autumn starts showing its colors, it is the perfect time to install a shade cover on your patio. It can extend your stay on the patio by blocking cold winds. Even if you have the shade cover in the summer, it can protect the patio furniture from the extreme sun. In the winter, it can offer shelter against intense and sudden weather changes.
You might be thinking about where to purchase these shades and who to contact. The process is very straightforward. You can find distributors online according to your location. People living in Irvine, California, may search shade cover Irvine ca and select from the available options.
- Bring Patio heaters to add warmth outdoors
Patio heaters are another useful option to make the atmosphere warmer. You might have seen patio heaters in the bars and outdoor dining areas during winters. They are perfect for personal use at home too. They can give the necessary warmth when the nights outside become colder than the breezy nights of the summer season. They are not very large or small and perfect for heating up to 200 square feet of the area. Patio heaters are sturdy, too, as they often display a stainless steel design. Depending on the fuel type, you can choose from various patio heaters, including propane, tabletop, stand-alone, or electricity-powered ones.
- Bring waterproof furniture
If you want to stay longer on your patio after the summer season, you need to install furniture and accessories that are waterproof. During winter, there is fog which causes more due and perspiration to settle on things. Instead of wood, you can choose furniture made with powder-coated steel, polyresin wicker, teak, etc., that can withstand moisture better than cane or wood. To make the space cozy and appealing, use cushions and pillows to enhance the look, but make sure to bring them in if it starts raining.
- Install a hot tub
Swimming is not only for summer; you can relax your body muscles in a hot tub in the winter too. Hot tubs are trendy during the whole year, but they are particularly famous for winter. It gives your body the needed warmth, releases tension from your muscles and lets you relax under the beautiful winter sun. Enjoy solo or with your kids; it is the best place to be when the temperature drops. Soak in and release all your worries into the water.
- Keep outdoor blankets
One of the easiest and most practical ways to spend more time on your patio in the winter is by having a blanket with you. Get cozy on the patio couch and drape a blanket to keep warm if you get cold. The blanket should be waterproof. So. If you forget it outside, it does not get wet in the wintery night’s moisture. Some of the blankets you find in the market have both a fleece and a nylon side. So it is easy to wash and goes a long way.
- Make a cozy fireplace
What is better than enjoying marshmallows on wintery nights and sitting around the fireplace? Some people prefer a warm fireplace developed in the middle than a patio heater. It is a perfect spot to enjoy family time and a nice cup of coffee. You can go for a DIY fireplace using wood stocked together or a pit that you can find in the market. Both of these options can work well.
- Use yellow lights to add warmth to the ambiance
During summers, the days are long, and nights are relatively shorter. But during winters, the situation is 180 degrees opposite, the days are shorter, and the sun will set earlier. As the night creeps, it gets darker on your patio. So, if you intend to make your patio more welcoming and livable during winters, install yellow lights to add more warmth to your space. Yellow lights are brighter and create a warm effect, so you feel cozier. If you are fond of subtle lights instead of brighter ones, you can use the Christmas tree lights or twinkle lights to reflect your mood and liking. If you have a walking path in your garden, you can make excellent use of path lights too.
- Install an outdoor grill
Who does not like to relish the smoky and juicy flavor of  BBQ on a winter night? Your patio is the best place to install a grill where you can have a BBQ party. Having an outdoor kitchen also entices you to spend more time outside the four walls of your rooms. You can call your friends and family to enjoy the smoked chicken and ribs with you. While you make the perfect Barbeque, the grill will warm up the entire place too. So, why not kill two birds with a single arrow. Enjoy the warmth with a delicious meal.
Conclusion
Spending time outside in the winter may look daunting at the beginning if your patio is not developed for it. However, small changes in your outside space can make a lot of difference. Some changes like upgrading the lighting, creating a fire pit, or installing a patio heater can help warm up the environment, and you can enjoy the beauty of winter nights.