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Outdoor entertaining is quite an all-encompassing phrase… it means different things to different people. For some it’s a grand party on the west veranda complete with live music, catered hors d’oeuvres and free-flowing champagne. For others, it’s a simple group of friends listening to the music of sizzling burgers on the grill, cold beer in hand, and spending hours catching up on the latest life events.
No matter what outdoor entertainment level you’re on, it’s a good idea to consider new outdoor entertainment concepts to get you out of your “normal.” Here at Patio Heat and Shade we spend all our time focusing on how to get the most out of your outdoor space, and outdoor entertainment is high on our list of the best things in life.
To step things up a notch, we asked the best patio experts in the business (our own team who know just about everything there is to know about getting the most out of outdoor living) to gather up some of the best outdoor entertaining ideas around. Let’s take a look:
The next step-up from having your little grill in the corner of the patio is to make a dedicated cooking space with everything you need to comfortably cook outdoors (that usually means s-p-a-c-e). These PGS S36T Pacifica Commercial Grills are purpose-built for shared community outdoor spaces (think apartments or community centers) where these grilling beasts (complete with 720 sq. in. of cooking surface) boast battery powered electric ignition, ceramic briquettes, and a built-in one hour gas flow timer!
There are a few ways to add warmth to your patio space, but none stirs nostalgic or romantic feelings like a live fire. Whether wood-burning, natural gas or LP gas, a fire pit is a natural draw to your guests who will revel in the hours spent gazing into the flickering flames.
Patio misters are a Godsend… they release very tiny droplets of water into the air. When these droplets (almost immediately) evaporate, the evaporation process pulls energy from the warm air to complete its work, lowering the temperature of the surrounding air by as much as 30 degrees. It’s a fantastic way to keep everybody cool when you’ve got an active bunch of kids who can’t sit still for 5 minutes (good luck trying to keep them in the shade). The Fogco 6S70116 stainless-steel misting kit has everything you need to get up-and-going in no time, ready to take on the worst heat of the summer.
Evaporative coolers are an indoor version of a mister… water is dropped behind a large fan, and as the water falls it evaporates, causing the air temperature to lower. This cooler air is then blown out by the fan, cooling the room (or the area in front of the fan if you have it outdoors). We find the Cajun Kooling CK4500-S portable evaporative cooler does a fantastic job at this and is in the sweet spot on the price vs. performance rating. As with misting solutions, evaporative coolers work best in the areas of the country that naturally enjoy low humidity levels.
For many of us, it’s all about the gathering of friends and family… and what better place to do so than around the dining table? Sharing a meal together has been a long-loved tradition in many families, and doing so outdoors just adds a special element to the experience. Keep your loved ones warm in cooler times by adding an LP gas freestanding patio heater to create a 360° blanket of warmth. Hotter days require some serious air movement, and our outdoor ceiling fans are just the ticket to keep the cool breezes and good times flowing.
As the sun runs away and hides behind the western horizon like a kid who just took an unapproved cookie, illuminate your dining or conversation area by clicking on the LED lighting built-in to your SimplyShade SSAD45SL-10SQ00-A5404 square cantilever umbrella. Not only does this type of lighting hide in plain sight (being built-in to the spines of the umbrella canopy), but their brilliant, even illumination will keep the party going long into the night.
The primary point of an umbrella is to provide shade to you during the hottest parts of the day, and a well-built product (like the ones we offer here on our site) will also offer advanced tilting functions to help keep even more of the harmful sunrays off your subtle skin. The SimplyShade SSAD45-10SQ00-5404 Bali square cantilever patio umbrella uses a special 4-position pistol grip trigger tilt to keep your precious shade as long as possible.
The whole point of entertaining is being together, sharing stories and enjoying the reactions of your guests. Nobody wants to look at their guests through a pole in the middle of their umbrella -- select a cantilever umbrella like the SimplyShade SSAG25R-00D-D3474 octagon cantilever umbrella and chat on all day long. Add the right base (and perhaps the Selene, Serenata or Vega umbrella lights) and you’re good-to-go.
You’d think that you would have to have a deck built onto your house for entertaining… but you’d be wrong. This floating platform idea can be placed almost anywhere that you have an open grass space, creating an instant entertainment space. Add a large umbrella, like the Jardinico JCP3010 octagon sidepost umbrella to keep your guests comfy as the shadows lengthen into night.
Making full use of the premium Sunbrella fabric (providing UPF rating of 50+ and backed by a 10-year warranty), the SimplyShade SSUM92-1100-A56095 octagon push button tilt umbrella brings the best of quality along with exciting color options (like the Astoria Sunset Strip shown here). When you’re looking for the best quality residential umbrella, look no further than this sunset beauty.
You know as well as we do how easily kids can get burnt while they’re playing in the shallow end of the pool all day long, not paying any attention to the harmful rays of the sun. Protect your little ones by installing a SimplyShade SSUM92-1109-A56080 Catalina octagon push button tilt umbrella on the steps in the shallow end and may the splashing never end!
Even better, we love the use of a shade sail to keep your guests cool without that pesky post getting in the way of all the fun! The Custom Shade Sails CSS12T-SS premium commercial grade triangle shade sail will not only protect your guests and shade strategic pool areas, but look amazing in available colors that are bright as you’d like.
You know what’s even better than watching the game with a cold brew in your hand? Watching it OUTDOORS! The Furrion FDUF55CBR 55” outdoor TV provides an amazing 4K picture in full shade, perfect for this veranda setting! Even better, pair this beast with the Furrion fsbnn3msr-bl Aurora 39.4 inch outdoor soundbar with built-in subwoofer and it’ll feel like you’re in the stadium!
Many of us guys have a fantasy of relaxing on back deck, feet on the coffee table watching Monday Night Football while in the great outdoors. The HUGE 120” screen on the Elite Screens Inc OMS120H-ELECTRIC yard master projection screen could show every one of your games in amazing 4k UHD quality… but let’s be real. That projection screen will show Peppa Pig, Pound Puppies and Frozen about 20 hours a day, so good luck on the whole game thing.
Picture it; it’s nearly 10pm and your best friends are relaxing in the pool, watching a classic Alfred Hitchcock flick that is, amazingly, still scary after half a century. The Elite Screens Inc OMS120HM Yard Master manual projector screen is doing all the heavy lifting showing up to full 4k Ultra HD resolution from your projector (note, this won’t work right with ultra/short-throw projectors).
Stepping up your outdoor entertainment game is a little easier when you consider the possibilities our patio experts have brought forth for you today. Adding comfort items like patio misters, evaporative coolers and ceiling fans can make a huge difference for your guests in the dog days of summer, while adding outdoor kitchen space will benefit your family all year long. Proper shading (be it from umbrellas or shade sails) can significantly extend your outdoor fun time and adding outdoor audio/visual equipment can bring your indoor fun to the great outdoors.
Our customers trust Patio Heat and Shade with their outdoor comfort and entertainment needs, and we’re happy to help! If you run into a snag on defining your next outdoor entertainment upgrade, give us a call and speak with one of the best outdoor experts in the land… we promise to treat you like family.