For those who appreciate creating a meaningful, intimate dining experience, it’s likely your interior design includes a dining room. Often recognised as being the ‘beating heart’ of a house, this is a perfect space to entertain guests, celebrate holidays, and provide an experience that can go up against any five-star restaurant.
But there are complications that can arise – specifically, when the weather is just too good to dine indoors. For those who have a patio, the summer is often a perfect time to eat outdoors and enjoy your garden space, but this doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice the intimate, luxurious dining experience that is achieved with your dining room. On the contrary, your patio can be just as intimate a dining space – you just have to carefully curate your setting to create the right atmosphere.
Starting With the Ambience
As if you were designing a room inside your house, the lighting should come first. Hanging string lights overhead can be a good idea from a practical standpoint, but if you want to incite a luxurious, restaurant-esque atmosphere, we’d recommend sterling silver candlesticks that are placed from one end of the table to the other.
Choosing the Right Furniture
For the furniture itself, opt for a small, round table that can emphasise the intimate setting you’re going for. Weather-resistant materials will be important here, as well as cushioned chairs that will provide added comfort and ensure the outdoor setting doesn’t result in a downgrade in cosiness.
Incorporating Soft Textiles
Another problem that you will have to get around is the fact that a patio – no matter how beautiful – can be quite a hard space from a visual standpoint. That is to say, the style is quite sharp and clinical, which can contradict with the intimate, comfortable atmosphere you’re trying to incite.
To deal with this, we’d recommend incorporating soft textiles such as outdoor rugs, layered cushions, and cozy throws that can be beneficial from a style point of view, as well as practicality when the evenings get a little cooler.
Using Natural Elements
Using natural elements can also be helpful in achieving this. If you incorporate potted plants or hanging planters around the patio space, you can brighten up the atmosphere and provide some much needed colour to add some balance. You can even include planters with fragrant herbs such as basil or rosemary, which will work to engage the senses of your guests and elevate the dining experience with natural fragrance.
Opting For Luxury
If permitted, the last thing we think you should consider is adding a small fire pit to the patio both for warmth and ambiance.
Just as a fireplace in a dining room can add a touch of sophistication and class, a firepit can similarly provide the perfect finishing touch for your intimate, outdoor dining setting – while again, being a good practical addition for when the evenings get cool.
Conclusion
These are just a few ideas to create an intimate outdoor dining space that rivals your indoor dining room, so play around with them, instill a touch of your own personality, and have some fun coming up with the design!
