It’s that time of year when the need to clear your porch off and get it ready for the summer gatherings you have planned. After the winter and spring months your patio may be a mess though, and it is hard to know where to begin when planning on redesigning and sprucing up your outdoor space. A few quick and easy ideas may be of some help to you as you prepare your outside area of entertaining and enjoying warm, comfortable nights.

One of the most important aspects of your outdoor space will be lighting. Of course, barbecues begin when the sun is still up, but they are sure to stretch into the dusk and evening hours as your guests and family relax and enjoy each other’s’ company. Stringing lights to provide your outdoor space with adequate lighting is a must. Don’t rely on your backyard floodlights either, this lighting will be too harsh for entertaining. The soft glow of strung up lights or patio lanterns is sure to set the mood.

The next most important aspect of your patio is going to be making sure that you have a sitting area for your guests and your family. The amount of seating will depend largely on the size of your space so consider what you have to work with and plan accordingly. Don’t forget to be sure and provide some type of table that the seating is congregated around so that guests have a place to set their food and drinks as well. You could even double the table as storage and get a table that’s top is removable and allows for storage within it.

Finally, no patio area would be complete without planters to set the mood outside. Get creative and come up with ways to make decorative planters. If you already have a bunch of pots ready to go, purchase some paint in some fun colors and paint the planters yourself. Or you could come up with something a bit different and repurpose an old battered antique such as an tire you might have laying around, or and old wooden basket.

Once your patio is clean and decorated enjoy having your friends and family over on warm summer nights outside. With the right seating, lighting, and decoration your space will feel relaxed and ready to go.