Outdoor living areas are a fantastic way to maximise your space while taking advantage of the beauty Mother Nature affords us. Our temperate Australian climate lets us enjoy the outdoors year round, so stop hiding inside! Here are three tips for a fabulous backyard party experience and entertaining outdoors.

Create Ambience
Lighting is one of the easiest and most fun ways to create the mood for your party. Fairy lights or paper lanterns can be strung in the trees or along deck railings for an ethereal feeling. Tiki torches around a patio add a festive touch and paper luminaries are a great way to illuminate walkways so people aren’t tripping over themselves.

Keep it Simple
You want to spend your time chatting with guests, not assembling fussy hors d’oeuvres. Select a simple menu that allows you to do most of the prep ahead of time or choose one item that you cook well and make that the theme of the event. People tend to remember their overall experiences at a party rather than the specifics of what they were offered to eat.

Offer Lots of Seating
If people are uncomfortable, they won’t want to linger. Offer a variety of seating options to complement your patio furniture. Get creative, using blankets and pillows to create a picnic atmosphere or a Moroccan style vibe. Camp chairs are lightweight and versatile and if you are short on seating, ask a few friends to bring some along.

The Clean Up – The best part about NexGEN composite or aluminium decking is that you can simply hose off all the mess. Dropped food, spilt drinks, dirty footprints are no problem.

You want to live in your home, not be shackled with constant housework on your patio or deck. Contact us for maintenance-free decking options so you can focus your time on what matters – your family and friends.