Perhaps a silver lining to these endless months of the pandemic has been rediscovering the pleasures of spending more time living outdoors. No matter what season or what the weather conditions, we’ve all learned to adapt and prepare for time spent with family and friends on decks and porches. With that in mind, let me offer a few tips that might enhance your outdoor entertaining.
First a few suggestions to enhance your guests’ comfort:
This might be the year to invest in something more than a new sun umbrella for your table—though a fresh umbrella is always a simple and useful improvement. How about a Patio Awning or a Gazebo? The awning may be a better option if your garden space is limited. It could be attached to the house or free-standing. The gazebo will probably require a contractor and permit, but once completed you have a perfect space for entertaining and a lovely feature to enhance your garden.
Review your Lighting outdoors. Your guests may not be familiar with your deck, patio, or garden walks; installing subtle lighting at steps and along paths may save someone from spilling their drink or twisting an ankle. Additionally, you may want to add some soft lighting near seating areas. Keep in mind that your neighbors may not wish to have their driveway or garbage cans lit too. So, plan your lighting with consideration for the homes nearby.
Re-exam your Food Preparation and Serving Areas. If you enjoy cooking on the patio or deck, it may be time to consider upgrading that barbecue grill or even installing a wet bar or simple sink and mini-frig. Those changes, too, will require permits, plumbers, and electricians, but think about the time you spend cooking outdoors and the fun it is to share that time with your family and guests. How about end tables or a more versatile dining table? Is it easy for your guests to comfortably sit down with food and drinks? It’s a relatively minor pet peeve of mine, but it’s embarrassing to be a guest at a picnic or barbecue and not know where to put my plate, flatware, and glass after I’m done eating. A small cabinet with plastic tubs can be labeled so guests can rid themselves of dirty dishes. You may want to consider relocating or adding convenient recycle bins and waste containers nearby, but not too close on those warm summer nights when the bins are a bit too fragrant.
For some of us, Speakers for Outdoor Music are an important part of entertaining. Fortunately, today’s Bluetooth speaker options have cut the cord, so to speak, from haphazard extensions and additional equipment. Or consider installing weather-proof speakers in your outdoor entertainment area. Be careful, though, that you come up with a way to control which speakers are on and the volume, individually. You may not want all the speakers going all the time. Soft, background music while friends sit talking is lovely, but loud dance music may take the edge off the atmosphere in the conversation area. This is another time when you may want to think about the neighbors; your music may not be to their taste; and you don’t want to keep your neighbors awake at night, particularly if they weren’t invited to the party.
Deal with those pesky Insects. We’re all familiar with citronella candles and torches, but they can be unpleasant additions to the aromas of burgers and ribs on the grill. Consider buying a few pedestal fans; the oscillating type work best. Place them adjacent to the conversation and eating areas; set them to oscillate, and let them do their thing. The moving air discourages insects from drawing near (and other pesky critters too). Additionally, be sure that the dirty-dishes tub and waste containers are away from the fans and main areas where your guests gather; you want to avoid drawing the bugs and odors to near your guests.
Consider, too, your family and guests’ safety when entertaining outdoors:
Before we invite guests to our homes we’ve all learned to think about their health and safety. We may want Invitations to include guidance on health protocols since COVID is still an all-too-prominent part of daily life.
Masks: Do you want guests to wear masks, bring masks if they wish? Will you have masks available? Be sure your guests know what to expect.
Vaccinations: Clarify your expectations. If you do not know the status of your friends, you may want to state whether you want guests to come only if they’ve had all their vaccinations and a booster. Your guests will appreciate knowing the status of the folks they will be meeting.
Seating: Because you’ll want to avoid any embarrassment for your guests who may-or-may-not think about social distancing, you can do that for them. Arrange socially distanced seating: chairs, couches, ottomans, and floor pillows so they are reasonably spaced. You’re outdoors, but a cough, sneeze, or guffaw can still spread COVID bacteria. If you have fans, be sure they’re set to provide air flow that doesn’t send air into the faces of your guests.
Individual Service & Servers: Rather than buffet food and bowls of snacks set out for sharing, prepare individual trays or dishes “pre-loaded” with snacks, utensils, and any other serving pieces. It might be fun to decorate each guest’s tray. Avoid group-cooking around the grill. Encourage family and friends to find comfy, safely-distanced seats and bring the food to them.
Powder Room Planning: Face it, there’s always a bit of awkwardness around using the guest bathroom during a gathering. Be sure it will be obvious where the guest bathroom is located. Plan ahead to avoid a little line-up of guests waiting. Perhaps a flip-sign “Vacant/Occupied.” In the bathroom, be sure to provide lots of hand-sanitizer, disposable guest towels (they could be terry towels with a clearly-marked laundry basket), and extra masks. You may want to occasionally wipe down door handles and sink faucets with wipes.
Your extra effort will be obvious to your guests. They will appreciate your consideration of their health and enjoyment. And, they’ll happily accept your future invitations knowing you’ll keep their comfort and safety uppermost in your planning.
