10 Inspiring Ideas for Your Upcoming Soiree

How to Design a Party Friendly Backyard

How can you create a party-friendly patio space? Whether you're looking to host a small group or a crowd, an entertainment friendly setup involves a variety of factors. From a  well-planned layout that allows for versatility and ease-of-use to inspiring lighting, comfortable seating, and multifunctional accessories, we've got the tips you need to ensure a spectacular shindig.

These backyard setup ideas offer solutions that will work well whether you're relaxing with your family or hosting a large group of friends and neighbors.

1. Set up a multi-room outdoor space
   Dividing your backyard into multiple outdoor rooms provides ample space for entertaining and relaxing. You can accomplish this even in modestly sized yards, creating an area that feels expansive with multiple entertainment destinations. Design each to draw guests to a specific attraction, such as a kitchen, bar, dining terrace, cozy fire pit gathering area, and TV/entertainment space.
   
   
2. Open up to the outdoor experience with expansive doors
   Large folding doors or sliders you can completely open to your outdoor space effectively double your entertainment area and imbue a more spacious feel.
   
   
3. Provide shelter from the storm
   Inclement weather can kill the party vibe fast. Banish weather worries, adjusting to changes on the fly with an aluminum louvered pergola. Seal louvers for leakproof protection from the rain, engage shade protection when your guests need it most, or open up louvers to increase circulation, enjoying added sunlight and warmth beneath the comfort of your custom home pergola system.
   
   
4. Add warmth with a fire feature
   Nothing is cozier than a soft, wraparound sofa or cushy chairs surrounding a welcoming gas fire pit. Choose light, movable seating options for the easy relocation of furnishing to accommodate larger or smaller events.
   
   
5. Ensure comfort and ambiance
   The right patio and pergola accessories make all the difference. Adjustable pergola lighting and strip lighting around walkways and stairs create the perfect ambiance. Built-in patio heaters and fans ensure comfort, and motorized pergola screens keep pests at bay, creating an inviting, comfortable atmosphere that remains functional from season to season.
   
   
6. Squeeze in extra seating
   If you have extra space, consider squeezing additional built-in seating into your outdoor design. Adding permanent seating where guests tend to congregate, such as surrounding your outdoor kitchen, is a smart way to create a hangout space and take advantage of the shelter beneath your adjustable louvered pergola.
   
   
7. Maximize views
   For terrace seating, make the most of views with high top seating and tables. Your guests will love the unencumbered view while indulging in cocktails, hors doeuvres, and conversation.
   
   
8. Add multifunctional flair
   Cube-shaped accent stools and other movable, multifunctional furniture such as crates and poufs deliver easy access to seating, doubling as side tables and storage for gear depending on the event.  
   
   
9. Stock your space in advance
   Cut down on trips into and out of your home/kitchen by stocking your patio in advance. Setups with full outdoor kitchens, including ample counter space, a sink, built-in fridge, and warming oven, make this infinitely easier.
   
   
10. Consider kids
    If you are regularly hosting children, make sure your space is situated to allow unobstructed views of areas like stairs and water features, which could pose a danger, gating or fencing them as necessary. Consider adding a few kid-approved additions such as inflatable balls or bubbles. It only takes a few small flourishes to make a gathering child-friendly.

Don’t let your next backyard party run afoul. Create a versatile, enjoyable outdoor space with a custom aluminum pergola and the perfect accessories for entertaining. Contact Denver Pergola Systems to schedule a design consultation today.

This article was previously published at: https://denverpergolas.com/pergola-ideas/10-inspiring-ideas-for-your-upcoming-soiree/

Here’s Why You Hate Your Current Patio Shade: The Dreaded Umbrella

Is your patio shade dangerous? Unsuspecting homeowners who impulse buy patio umbrellas often do not realize how useless – and hazardous – they are in the Denver area microclimate. Umbrellas result in thousands of injuries each year, from serious injuries to minor wounds that often go unreported.

A Burst of Wind Can Turn a Patio Umbrella Into a Dangerous Projectile

Most people remain ignorant of umbrella dangers, failing to realize the problems of backyard patio umbrellas until a sudden gust of wind sends one flying. When they sail off into the sunset, the best-case scenario is chasing an umbrella through the neighborhood; the worst case, injury to unsuspecting children or elderly neighbors in the wrong place after an umbrella has been launched.
 

Umbrella Injuries Are No Laughing Matter

Patio, beach, and rain umbrella injuries occur more often than people realize. Statistics from the Consumer Product Safety Commission indicate over 32,000 umbrella-related injuries nationwide between 2009-2018. Though many of these injuries are minor, some are quite grisly. People have been impaled, lost eyes, suffered brain injuries, and died as a result of flying umbrellas. Because of the frequency and severity of umbrella injuries, studies surrounding their dangers are growing as industries, and national safety groups seek to prevent umbrella-related events.

A Safer Alternative Patio Shade

Because the jet stream filters strong winds through the Colorado mountains and foothills quite frequently, patio umbrellas are a poor solution for sun and rain protection on your patio. Fortunately, alternatives exist that can manage all the perils of the area climate. StruXure adjustable louvered pergolas are one of the safest backyard shelter solutions on the market, built to survive:

●       High, gusty mountain winds
Constructed of high-tensile, fully-extruded aluminum, StruXure home pergolas are can easily manage Denver area weather. Structure aluminum pergolas provide the ultimate in weather protection, engineered to withstand hurricane-force winds, heavy snow loads, sleet, and hail, remaining safe and secure.

●       Pop-up thunderstorms & frequent hail
It is fast and easy to adjust the louvers on your custom aluminum pergola when pop-up thunderstorms chase away the sun. Once louvers are closed, you'll enjoy leak-free rain protection as the built-in gutters shuttle water away from your patio. With a lightweight but tough design, aluminum pergolas can even stand up to hail, retaining their beauty.

●       Harsh ultraviolet rays
Colorado’s high altitude sun can quickly destroy unprotected structures and furnishings. With an Akzo Nobel powder-coated finish, StruXure aluminum pergolas can stand up to the harshest outdoor conditions, lasting as long as your home and protecting furnishings housed beneath.

In addition to standing up to the rigors of the Denver area climate, StruXure custom aluminum pergolas also offer smart pergola operation, allowing you to adjust pergola louvers via your smartphone or tablet to respond to changing weather conditions. On the go? Incorporate built-in wind or rain sensors into your motorized pergola system for on-demand response.  

Ensure safe shelter in your backyard with an aluminum louvered pergola. Contact Denver Pergola System to learn more about adding functional, versatile, secure shelter to your patio space today.

This article was previously published at: http://denverpergolas.com/adjustable-residential-pergolas/heres-why-you-hate-your-current-patio-shade-the-dreaded-umbrella/

Outdoor Kitchen Features For Your Pergola

How can you make hosting backyard events more convenient and enjoyable? If you are adding a new outdoor kitchen or updating your current design, accessorizing your outdoor space with a few specialty features can take your kitchen to the next level. Kitchen appliances and accessories that simplify prep, speed cooking, and deliver tasty, flavorful food will make your next get-together more enjoyable and efficient, supporting lively conversations and giving you more time to interact with guests.

What Specialty Features Could Take Your Outdoor Kitchen to the Next Level?

Even if you don’t have the budget to incorporate all your favorites, running necessary electricity, gas, and water lines now, during your initial design or remodel, is best. This will ensure you’re setup for future installation when your budget permits, allowing you can achieve your dream outdoor kitchen design with these coveted features:

●       Wood-Fired Pizza Oven
Wood-fired pizza ovens top the must-have list of foodies and aspiring chefs, providing a place to produce delicious homemade pizzas and roast meats. Just be sure to check local building codes before purchase – rules may make an electric or gas-powered model more feasible. 

●       Two-sided Grill
Two-sided grills give you more space for cooking multiple dishes simultaneously. They also offer added control over cooking temperatures in each zone of the grill, allowing you to cook some foods fast and others slow. Many models also offer dual-fuel, gas, and charcoal operation, giving you additional cooking flexibility.

●       Ceramic Grills & Smokers
Ceramic grill/smoker combos combine the features of a grill, oven, and smoker into one space-efficient cooking unit.

●       Side Burner
Easily prepare stovetop dishes outdoors with a side burner, reducing trips back into the house.

●       Griddle
Fry eggs, bacon, pancakes, and breakfast potatoes in a snap on a built-in griddle, creating a new weekend breakfast tradition.

●       Warming Drawer
If you’re cooking for a crowd, keeping food to temperature until everything is ready to serve can be a challenge. However, with a warming drawer, it’s a snap. Simply store prepared food at the desired temperature (from 85-215 F) until all accompaniments are ready to go.

●       Outdoor Fridge
Eliminate indoor traffic with an outdoor fridge, keeping beverages and appetizers cold, fresh, and nearby on your patio.

●       Built-In Kegerator
If you’re a beer connoisseur, a kegerator is a must-have, allowing you to serve cold beer without chilling and storing dozens of beer bottles deck-side.

●       Ice Maker or Ice Trough
Outdoor icemakers eliminate the need for store-runs on party day. However, if your budget is small, a built-in ice trough will do the trick, providing a chic space to keep drinks cool.

Adjustable Pergola: The Cherry On Top of Your Dream Kitchen Design

No outdoor kitchen is party-ready without shelter. The ultimate tool to ensuring an enjoyable outdoor experience, StruXure aluminum louvered pergolas allow you to create the ideal setting for your event. With 170-degrees of rotational flexibility, pergola system louvers can be adjusted to manage any weather, opening to let in the sun’s warmth on a cool spring morning, providing shade on a hot summer day, or sealing to provide complete rain protection. Entertain year-round with fans and patio heaters for comfort, built-in lighting for evening events, and motorized screens to banish pests.

Achieve your dream outdoor kitchen design, creating a party-ready kitchen with the help of Denver Pergola Systems. Contact us to schedule a design consultation for a custom aluminum pergola system today.

This article was previously published at: http://denverpergolas.com/patio-ideas/outdoor-kitchen-features-for-your-pergola/