Do you love making the most of Australia’s beautiful weather and dining outdoors? There are many ways in which you can transform your outdoor dining area into something both functional and fashionable.
With so many options out there, we’d thought we’d put together a handy list of outdoor alfresco ideas to help inspire you.
1. Rustic Look
As far as outdoor alfresco ideas go, the rustic look is among the most popular. Providing the perfect backdrop for most backyards and outdoor areas, a rustic design still offers plenty of customisability. From wooden slab tables and benches, to incorporating natural stone, there’s an outdoor dining rustic look for everyone.
2. Create a Corner Terrace
A corner terrace offers great aesthetics and practicality as an outdoor dining setting. Perfect for hosting a range of meals, you can enjoy all the benefits of outdoor dining while enjoying the protective nature of a corner terrace. There’s plenty of opportunity for customising your terrace as well with red brick walls for a rustic feel or marble stone for a more luxurious look.
3. Simplistic, Elegant Benches
If you want to really enjoy outdoor dining amongst a beautiful garden or leafy backyard, opt for a simple wooden table with a few matching chairs or even a bench. This intimate setting can be perfect for a romantic evening and also for hosting friends and acquaintances, making the most of outdoor entertaining. Plus, it’s affordable and completely construction/renovation free!
4. Window Kitchen Bar
This outdoor entertaining idea is dependent upon the structure and layout of your house, but is certainly stylish, efficient and practical! Installing a window in the wall that opens your kitchen out to the entertaining patio or pergola allows for easy access for outdoor entertaining. By putting a kitchen bar there as well, you’ll even find serving and hosting to be that much more efficient.
5. White Aesthetic
Many outdoor alfresco ideas lean into the natural aesthetic of a rustic design, but if you’re wanting a style that pops without being visually overwhelming, consider incorporating a white aesthetic. Beautiful, elegant and modern, this minimalist design can be incorporated in everything from white stone walls, to white painted wooden tables, and even a light toned floor.
6. Seaside Aesthetic
Another delightful idea for your outdoor dining setting is to opt for a coastal or seaside aesthetic. With light blue-toned tables, chairs or even benches and pillows, you can infuse a relaxing and comforting feel to your outdoor area. There’s plenty of opportunity for creative customisability as well with options to incorporate shell and other ocean accessories and ornaments to really engage the aesthetic.
7. Barbeque Centred
If you like nothing more than firing up the barbeque, consider centering your outdoor dining area around the barbeque itself. Of course, if you have an in-built grill complete with an outdoor kitchen, sink, and mini-fridge you’ll find this easier. Nonetheless, even stand-alone barbeques offer excellent central points around which to incorporate benches, tables, chairs and even outdoor furniture like couches.
8. Seamless Integration
With bi-fold doors and similar options becoming more and more affordable, it’s easier to incorporate a seamless outdoor entertaining area with the rest of your home. There’s something wonderful about having the ability to simply extend your indoor dining room into an integrated outdoor dining setting. Whether you opt to put up clear glass walls around the outdoor alfresco or leave it open to the elements is up to you. Either way it’s immensely practical and looks a treat too.
9. Green Alfresco
As far as outdoor alfresco ideas go, this one is among the most ‘outdoorsy’. Whether you’re a fan of hibiscus, ivy or even grape vines, incorporating live greenery up the walls and along the beams of your alfresco is an excellent and stylish way of truly incorporating the outdoors in your dining area.
10. Lighting
While most of our outdoor entertaining area ideas so far have focused on where you’re sitting and what’s surrounding you, it’s important to think beyond that as well. For enjoyable outdoor dining, you’ll need some form of adequate lighting. With minimal cost and effort, outdoor string lighting can be arrayed in all sorts of patterns to highlight the feature outdoor dining table or to focus on the surrounding plants and gardens. Just because it’s practical and necessary doesn’t mean you can’t make something really visually arresting.
11. Cosy Benches
If you’re not planning on hosting large or more formal outdoor gatherings, a nice cosy dining corner can be very appealing. Complete with a foam cushioned bench and wooden, stone or cement table, your corner dining area can be the perfect place for the family, an intimate dinner for couples or even for a party with a few close friends.
12. Wicker Furniture
If you’re not quite sure what sort of furniture to add to your outdoor dining setting, perhaps you should consider wicker. Wicker furniture comes in a range of styles and colours so whether you’re going for the classic, rustic look or a modern, minimalist aesthetic there are plenty of practical and beautiful options for you and just about any outdoor setting.
13. Wrought Iron
If neither rustic nor modern is your style, you might want to consider something equally classy yet bold and unique. Wrought iron metal chairs and tables ooze style and hospitality. While most wrought iron outdoor furniture is white–for that classic garden picnic look–there’s still scope for darker options as well. Incorporated into a garden or surrounded by pot plants and greenery, wrought iron dining areas are functional and visually inviting.
14. Garden Table
We’ve saved the most striking for last. This unique and one-of-a-kind outdoor dining table incorporates greenery, plants and flowers to jaw-dropping effect. By installing a cement or stone bench table with an inbuilt water trough and plant beds complete with soil, plants and flowers, you can take your outdoor dining experience to a whole new level! It’s an effective way to make a fantastic impression on family, friends and guests.
Need more ideas? Contact Euro Marble today!
Whether one of the above outdoor entertaining area ideas have inspired you or you’re looking for something a bit different, the friendly team right here at Euro Marble can help. We love all things home design, outdoor dining settings and–of course–marble and stone. Contact us today to find out more.
