12 Ways to Stretch the Outdoor Entertaining Season
Fall is beginning, but these ideas will help you keep the fresh-air enjoyment going strong
A spark of excitement often seems to blow in on autumn winds. The brisk weather in many parts of the country rouses us out of summer’s languor, sharpens the senses and stirs us to make the most of the time left outside before Jack Frost arrives. The ideas here will help you linger just a little longer in your outdoor space, truly savoring the current season instead of lamenting summer’s retreat.
2. Add Space Heaters
For this ranch house outside Denver, KGA Studio Architects and the landscape architects at Elevate by Design collaborated to make sure the home and land would flow beautifully together. Space heaters tucked into the roof of the pergola seen here keep diners toasty, supplementing an open fireplace in a lounge area just beyond. The pergola’s roof is a louver too, meaning it can be closed for more comfort and protection on brisk autumn days.
No pergola ceiling to hold a space heater? Consider a stand-alone model that you can move around where it’s needed most.
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For this ranch house outside Denver, KGA Studio Architects and the landscape architects at Elevate by Design collaborated to make sure the home and land would flow beautifully together. Space heaters tucked into the roof of the pergola seen here keep diners toasty, supplementing an open fireplace in a lounge area just beyond. The pergola’s roof is a louver too, meaning it can be closed for more comfort and protection on brisk autumn days.
No pergola ceiling to hold a space heater? Consider a stand-alone model that you can move around where it’s needed most.
Read more about this project
3. Throw on a Blanket
Perhaps the simplest idea of all is laying blankets on lounge chairs, as on the New York patio here by ML Interior Designs, or draping smaller throws across dining chair backs. Get into the fall spirit with plush textures and rich colors — traditional autumn hues such as red, orange and yellow would of course add a suitable seasonal note, but deep tones such as plum and forest green can convey the spirit in a less expected way. Just make sure your blankets are machine washable, because stray falling leaves and nature’s other gifts have to land somewhere.
New to home remodeling? Learn the basics
Perhaps the simplest idea of all is laying blankets on lounge chairs, as on the New York patio here by ML Interior Designs, or draping smaller throws across dining chair backs. Get into the fall spirit with plush textures and rich colors — traditional autumn hues such as red, orange and yellow would of course add a suitable seasonal note, but deep tones such as plum and forest green can convey the spirit in a less expected way. Just make sure your blankets are machine washable, because stray falling leaves and nature’s other gifts have to land somewhere.
New to home remodeling? Learn the basics
4. Heat the Pool
The kids might happily splash around long after the shivers set in, but adding a heater to an existing swimming pool will keep those blue lips at bay. This project can range from fairly easy to highly complex and might involve a solar heater, an electrical heat pump or a gas heater. Consult a pro to see what’s best for your space and budget.
Note too how the Los Angeles home seen here, as redesigned by homeowner Sybille Zimmermann, has not just a heated pool but an indoor-outdoor room a few steps away, reducing the time needed to brave cold air in a wet swimsuit.
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The kids might happily splash around long after the shivers set in, but adding a heater to an existing swimming pool will keep those blue lips at bay. This project can range from fairly easy to highly complex and might involve a solar heater, an electrical heat pump or a gas heater. Consult a pro to see what’s best for your space and budget.
Note too how the Los Angeles home seen here, as redesigned by homeowner Sybille Zimmermann, has not just a heated pool but an indoor-outdoor room a few steps away, reducing the time needed to brave cold air in a wet swimsuit.
Read more about this project
Find a landscape designer on Houzz
5. Layer In Warm Lighting
Even if it doesn’t give off heat, warm lighting can entice everyone outdoors when the air is cool, thanks to its welcoming glow. This Minneapolis patio by Ispiri Design-Build has three kinds of lighting — all gentle enough to not overly disturb wildlife yet bright enough to tempt guests to dine or lounge outside. Dimmable pendant lights hanging from a pergola, tabletop candles with a decorative and protective cover and an inground fire pit with pillow-bedecked chairs combine to create a delightfully cozy setting.
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Landscape Lighting That Doesn’t Wake the Birds
Even if it doesn’t give off heat, warm lighting can entice everyone outdoors when the air is cool, thanks to its welcoming glow. This Minneapolis patio by Ispiri Design-Build has three kinds of lighting — all gentle enough to not overly disturb wildlife yet bright enough to tempt guests to dine or lounge outside. Dimmable pendant lights hanging from a pergola, tabletop candles with a decorative and protective cover and an inground fire pit with pillow-bedecked chairs combine to create a delightfully cozy setting.
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Landscape Lighting That Doesn’t Wake the Birds
6. Build an Outdoor Hearth
A rustic stone hearth with a crackling fire is an especially alluring invitation to get cozy with some hot cocoa in the crisp air, but really any type of fireplace will do. Landscape architecture firm beautiful bones and purple stones made sure to give those lounging in this Gresham, Oregon, backyard a beautiful view even in the evening by uplighting the trees.
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A rustic stone hearth with a crackling fire is an especially alluring invitation to get cozy with some hot cocoa in the crisp air, but really any type of fireplace will do. Landscape architecture firm beautiful bones and purple stones made sure to give those lounging in this Gresham, Oregon, backyard a beautiful view even in the evening by uplighting the trees.
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7. Set Up a Sauna
Dry heat purportedly offers several health benefits, but on a cold winter’s day, just getting the chill out of your bones is more than enough reason to step into a sauna. Premade models are generally less expensive than custom-built options, though you’ll likely still need professional help for at least some of the installation. For the Colorado backyard seen here, the homeowners purchased the barrel sauna as a kit, and Lindgren Landscape built a concrete slab for it and added an electrical system.
Sauna: Ergo-Series Model E7, SaunaLife
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Dry heat purportedly offers several health benefits, but on a cold winter’s day, just getting the chill out of your bones is more than enough reason to step into a sauna. Premade models are generally less expensive than custom-built options, though you’ll likely still need professional help for at least some of the installation. For the Colorado backyard seen here, the homeowners purchased the barrel sauna as a kit, and Lindgren Landscape built a concrete slab for it and added an electrical system.
Sauna: Ergo-Series Model E7, SaunaLife
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8. Install a Hot Tub
If wet heat is more your thing — and you want to be able to take in the outdoor views as you soak — then a hot tub is the way to go. Sitting on a deck of its own, with a pergola and string lights completing the scene, the hot tub seen here — featured in a rural Hampshire, England, backyard — is semi-sunken and a stone’s throw away from a shipping container converted into a bar. Simon Orchard Garden Design handled the backyard remodel.
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See why you should hire a professional who uses Houzz Pro software
If wet heat is more your thing — and you want to be able to take in the outdoor views as you soak — then a hot tub is the way to go. Sitting on a deck of its own, with a pergola and string lights completing the scene, the hot tub seen here — featured in a rural Hampshire, England, backyard — is semi-sunken and a stone’s throw away from a shipping container converted into a bar. Simon Orchard Garden Design handled the backyard remodel.
Read more about this project
See why you should hire a professional who uses Houzz Pro software
9. Put In Motorized Panels
Want an indoor-outdoor space you can use year-round? Motorized vinyl panels that roll down, as set around the South Carolina porch seen here, are your friend. A team including architecture firm Design Elite used options that span almost from floor to ceiling here, for expansive views of Lake Keowee below. Closed tight, the panels keep out the cold even smack-dab in the middle of winter — and with a roaring fire going, the porch is as comfy as can be.
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10 Inviting Screened-In Porches Ready for Fall
Want an indoor-outdoor space you can use year-round? Motorized vinyl panels that roll down, as set around the South Carolina porch seen here, are your friend. A team including architecture firm Design Elite used options that span almost from floor to ceiling here, for expansive views of Lake Keowee below. Closed tight, the panels keep out the cold even smack-dab in the middle of winter — and with a roaring fire going, the porch is as comfy as can be.
Read more about this project
10 Inviting Screened-In Porches Ready for Fall
10. Install a Solid Ceiling
A pavilion or other structure with a solid roof acts as a wind, rain and snow buffer and provides a base for space heaters, as seen on this Austin, Texas, patio by Dick Clark + Associates. (The roof here is durable steel.) This space, which sits over a carport, has two other features that boost its usability in fall: a backdrop of slatted wood, which helps mitigate the elements, and a location right near the home’s entry, making indoor-outdoor living feel like less of a hurdle in chilly weather.
Read more about this project
A pavilion or other structure with a solid roof acts as a wind, rain and snow buffer and provides a base for space heaters, as seen on this Austin, Texas, patio by Dick Clark + Associates. (The roof here is durable steel.) This space, which sits over a carport, has two other features that boost its usability in fall: a backdrop of slatted wood, which helps mitigate the elements, and a location right near the home’s entry, making indoor-outdoor living feel like less of a hurdle in chilly weather.
Read more about this project
11. Create a Courtyard
This obviously isn’t the easiest project, and it’s best done when the home is being built. But a courtyard extends outdoor entertaining wonderfully into the shoulder seasons, because the home’s walls provide some protection from the elements and can even help hold in warmth. The courtyard seen here, which Klopf Architecture and landscape design firm Thuilot Associates updated, sits between the home and garage of a 1959 Eichler in the San Francisco Bay Area. While it’s permanently open to the sky, you might consider a retractable or louvered roof for even more weather protection.
Read more about this project
This obviously isn’t the easiest project, and it’s best done when the home is being built. But a courtyard extends outdoor entertaining wonderfully into the shoulder seasons, because the home’s walls provide some protection from the elements and can even help hold in warmth. The courtyard seen here, which Klopf Architecture and landscape design firm Thuilot Associates updated, sits between the home and garage of a 1959 Eichler in the San Francisco Bay Area. While it’s permanently open to the sky, you might consider a retractable or louvered roof for even more weather protection.
Read more about this project
12. Don’t Forget Decor
Dressing your outdoor space in fall finery sends the message that it’s open for entertaining. For this Virginia patio by landscape design-build firm Outdoor Dreams, a smattering of pumpkins on the floor and autumn produce stacked on the counter add a festive note. The patio’s location under a deck affords some weather protection, and pull-down shades (see the black tube with cord at the photo’s top left) help keep out drafts and hold heat in when closed.
The cushioned chairs here happen to be autumnally on point, but you could choose bare metal or wood seating and add removable cushions, changing the colors to suit the season.
Read more about this project
Your turn: How have you outfitted your yard or patio for cool-season comfort? Share in the Comments.
More on Houzz
Read more landscape stories
Browse outdoor photos for ideas
Find home design and remodeling professionals
Dressing your outdoor space in fall finery sends the message that it’s open for entertaining. For this Virginia patio by landscape design-build firm Outdoor Dreams, a smattering of pumpkins on the floor and autumn produce stacked on the counter add a festive note. The patio’s location under a deck affords some weather protection, and pull-down shades (see the black tube with cord at the photo’s top left) help keep out drafts and hold heat in when closed.
The cushioned chairs here happen to be autumnally on point, but you could choose bare metal or wood seating and add removable cushions, changing the colors to suit the season.
Read more about this project
Your turn: How have you outfitted your yard or patio for cool-season comfort? Share in the Comments.
More on Houzz
Read more landscape stories
Browse outdoor photos for ideas
Find home design and remodeling professionals
Less labor-intensive than a fireplace, a custom or premade fire pit still can captivate and draw folks outside in nippy weather. Greenhaven Landscapes chose a classic bowl shape for this fire feature on a Glencoe, Illinois, patio, but you can find countless styles and shapes for a range of budgets, and even portable models. Just do be aware of wildfire safety guidelines and air hazard restrictions in your area — going for a smokeless fire pit may be a wise choice.
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5 Patios With Fire Features That Are Smoke-Free