What should you think about when you’re planning your alfresco area?
Whether you are building new or updating your existing space, there is so much to consider for one of the most used areas in a home. We spoke to home design and construction expert Jess Scalise from The Home Chaperone, to get some advice for planning the ultimate entertaining alfresco.
The weather is warming up and we’re all coming out of hibernation and into the fresh air so now is the perfect time to spruce up your Alfresco and level up your entertaining game. Here are my top 6 ideas to tempt your guests outside, but be warned – they may want to hang around all summer long!
1. Always be BBQ ready with a gas point
We all love a BBQ on a balmy summer night but running out of gas mid-way through cooking the snags and having to run to the servo to change the bottle is every hosts nightmare. Take away the chore by adding a permanent gas point to your Alfresco, so once you connect your BBQ, you never have to think about it ever again.
2. Keep your cool by keeping the pesky flies away!
There is nothing more annoying than being harassed by a fly when you’re trying to kick back and relax but that’s a problem that can be solved with a little bit of planning.
Outdoor fans aren’t just great for keeping you cool in the heat of summer, they also keep the flies at bay. Just remember not to position a downlight above your fan (unless you love the strobe light party vibe all year round)
3. Put down your phone torch and plan ahead with task lighting
Downlights are an awesome way to get an even spread of task lighting especially if you’re cooking outside, but no one like’s feeling like they are under a stark spotlight, so consider upgrading to a dimmer switch so that you can turn the lights low once the food is cooked.
4. Set the mood
Lighting plays a big part in how a space feels too so get creative with fairy lights, up lights and festoons to set the mood. Don’t forget to add power points where you might need them, like up high for the fairy lights or down low for the garden lights.
5. Create the illusion of a larger alfresco
Most builders only include paving up to the support post which makes the Alfresco area look half a meter smaller. To create the illusion of extra space, extend the paving 1m past the roof line and VOILÀ! It will make the Alfresco area look 1.5m bigger on each side and it’s cheap as chips! It also gives you more room to move once the furniture goes in. (wink – and less garden or grass to water and mow. Hello low maintenance backyard!). Will you use this home hack?
6. Up your entertainment
If you love the outdoors just as much as you love entertainment, then you can combine the two together by putting in a TV point in your Alfresco. So you can relax in the breeze outside while catching the latest flicks or sport (Kris is a mad footy fan so watching the game while cooking the BBQ is his ultimate dream!).
