Best Landscape Design Elements for Entertaining

While some people put time and effort into their gardens and landscape design to enjoy a picturesque garden, others want a space that’s far more functional. A garden doesn’t have to be just pretty; it can also be an extension of your home’s interior where you spend time with loved ones.

The hardest part about creating an outdoor area for entertaining is coming up with a winning landscape design. If you need a helping hand, any of these elements can be worth incorporating into your sketches.

Hardscape Elements

The more hardscape elements you have in your backyard, the less gardening you will have to do. Hardscapes incorporate features like pathways, retaining walls, benches, water features, and even swimming pools.

If you prefer a more ‘lock up and leave’ style property for minimal maintenance, you may choose to include a combination of many of these elements into your landscape design.

Partitioning & Shelter

When you plan on spending a lot of time outside, protection from the elements is crucial. Most homeowners aim to create a space that will be just as comfortable in warm weather as it would be in cold weather.

You may be able to create such a space with the use of partitioning and shelter. Privacy screens, pergolas, and simple structures can provide both shelter and privacy while giving your entertainment area a dedicated space on your property.

A Focal Point

Unless you’re a landscaping expert, you may not know how to create an outdoor space that stands out from the rest of your yard while also blending in seamlessly with it at the same time. That can be achieved if you incorporate a focal point into your design, then build on it with other elements.

For example, you might install a spa pool, then create a deck around it, a pathway, plants, and lighting. The spa pool becomes the focal point, and the surrounding elements work in harmony with it while also being aesthetically pleasing on their own.

Lighting

Entertainment areas can be used during the day to enjoy the summer sun, but they can also be the perfect place for socialising at night. However, no one wants to enjoy the company of their loved ones in complete darkness.

Some of the final touches on an entertainment space can be well-placed lighting. Lights can be incorporated into hardscape elements like decks and steps, or they can be installed onto surfaces. You might even like the ambience and whimsy of fairy lights, which can be solar-powered for convenience.

Cooking Station

When you invite friends and family over for dinner, you likely don’t want to be stuck inside over a hot stove while your friends have fun outside without you. Cook in the company of friends by installing a cooking station outdoors.

You might invest heavily in this feature by purchasing a high-quality outdoor kitchen. Alternatively, you can opt for the budget-friendly option of a barbecue. Even a fire pit can be useful for toasting marshmallows once the dinner dishes have been cleared away.

Most homeowners aspire to have at least one small space outside for socialisation. If yours is not looking at its best, any of these landscape design elements may be how you transform it for the sake of your social life.