5 FUN WAYS TO SPICE UP YOUR ALFRESCO SPACE FOR SUMMER
Spring has sprung down under and summer is hot on its heels so now’s the time to get your alfresco space in ship shape for the sunny season. While BBQs and swimming pools are top of the wishlist for many Aussie backyards, there are so many different ways you can inject some fun into your outdoor spaces, creating areas that your family will love to use. Perhaps that means staking out a mini pitch for your soccer-mad kids, installing a pétanque court for fun family challenges or converting a regular shed into a ‘she shed’ for you to escape the chaos of the house.
The possibilities are endless but let’s get started with 5 fun ways to spice up your space…
1) SPRITZ SHED
If you’re a social animal who likes to entertain at home, a Spritz Shed might be just what you’re missing in your life! Who needs a place to store your whipper snipper when you could have your own cocktail bar in your backyard? #yesplease
You might remember the Spritz Shed we created at House 12. This old girl was big enough to add a party at the front and keep the business in the back (AKA storage, for those non-party/actual garden items). So, we put a wall down the middle to divide the practical from pretty and gained a whole new alfresco space.
If you’d prefer to create a quiet space for some ‘me time’, don’t overlook the humble garden shed for that purpose too. A shed really is the tiny room that keeps on giving.
2) HOT SUMMER NIGHTS
A fire pit is a fabulous inclusion to any yard and a super simple way spruce up your garden in no time at all. Getting a fire pit up and running at your place can be as simple as heading down to your local Bunnings or hardware store to purchase the pit, finding the perfect space to position it and adding some comfy chairs. Light it up and enjoy! When the pit’s not in use you can pack it away, making it a very flexible feature that takes up very little garden space.
If you want your fire pit to be a more permanent fixture in your yard, try creating a dedicated space with some crushed stone and build a gorgeous curved bench seat to define the zone. If you’re not using the fire pit all year round, it’s easy to switch it out for a coffee table too.
3) LIGHT IT UP LIKE DYNAMITE
Fairy lights are totally underrated in our book… and not just for Christmas! There’s something about these twinkling beauties that will make every evening feel special and celebratory when you hang them in your outdoor areas.
We love them draped over an outdoor dining room, cascading from a fence or tightly wrapped around trees, like the gorgeous team from Mr & Mrs Hill have done above.
4) SWING INTO SUMMER
There’s something about swinging chairs that just says “relax”. We’re massive fans of them inside and often use them in our kids’ bedroom designs to inject some playful, fun vibe. They’re great to hang outside too, for the same reason.
The biggest challenge will be choosing if you want a single seat, multiple chairs, a double ‘love seat’… or perhaps a hammock as well!
5) PIZZA PER FAVORE!
If you ask Sophie Bell, aka Peppa Hart, what she loves and misses about her alfresco entertaining area a House 10, she’d say “Hands down, the pizza oven. How did we ever live without one?”
Pizza making is such a great social activity for adults & kids alike. It encourages families to gather and create fresh food (and memories) over an activity that everyone loves.
Another good thing is that pizza ovens don’t just cook pizza. It’s pretty much like an outdoor oven so you can throw anything in - bread, fish, veggies – and they all come out with that delicious wood-fired taste.
ARE YOU READY TO CREATE THE ULTIMATE ALFRESCO AREA AT YOUR PLACE?
From mid-week family barbecues to summer parties, or simply lounging outdoors, there’s no denying that outdoor entertaining is synonymous with the Australian way of life. It’s a major reason why the rest of the world looks to us Aussies as leaders in the area of alfresco design and indoor/outdoor living.
In our 6-week online course, Three Birds Reno School, we’ll teach you everything you need to design and create your dream alfresco area. If you’re ready to say hello to sunken lounge areas, fire pits, motorised awnings, decks that never need staining, outdoor kitchens and the gas strut window with indoor/outdoor servery, this is the course for you!
Our final Reno School for 2022 starts on 26th September. Don’t miss out!
