Home Alternative Green Energy

Just because the weather's turning colder doesn't mean you have to abandon your plans for enjoying the outdoor areas of your home. With a little planning and preparation, your outdoor areas can serve you well into the coldest months of the year, providing an excellent alternative for weekend and holiday entertaining.

Perhaps the largest deterrent to hosting an event or dinner outside once the weather turns chilly is the wind. A windless area can be comfortable even when the weather has turned frosty and snow is in the air. Consider some form of windbreak around your outdoor entertainment area, perhaps even planning earlier in the year with the installation of a trellis. Or, if you want something less permanent, retractable shades or curtains make for an attractive outdoor windbreak. You might even consider curtains made of natural material such as bamboo or rattan, which will give more of a woodsy feel to your patio though these would be curtains which you would need to store inside when not using them as the weather will not treat them kindly.

Once you've got the wind chill factor covered it's time to take into consideration the furniture which you and your guests will be spending hours resting upon. Most outdoor furniture is constructed of durable materials such as metal, plastic or concrete. Unfortunately these materials, while weatherproof, do not make for comfortable seating when the temperature is low. They retain the cold which quickly transfers to the occupant of the seat and makes for an uncomfortable long-term sitting position. Of course, in most cases it is unreasonable to expect that you would replace the durable furniture you use in the summertime just for the few winter parties you will host. So it is important to take stock of what alternatives you have at hand. One of the simplest solutions is to soften the hard cold seats with pillows or furniture cushions which will also serve as insulation for your guests. Don't forget the table as it will transfer the lower temperature to the plates and glasses placed upon it, in addition to your guests arms and elbows. A thick cotton tablecloth can help ease this problem.

Furniture covers also provide an alternative solution to hard and uncomfortable cold furniture. Whether or not you choose to use furniture covers to help increase your guests comfort. Remember that they are also something to consider to protect your patio furniture in the winter months. This is the time of year when, despite being less used, outdoor furniture suffers the most from environmental damage.

Proper lighting can give your guests a warm impression to ward off the chill of night. Fairy lights and candles lend a festive glow to any outdoor occasion - just make sure the fairy lights you purchase are rated for outdoor use. A bright overhead light in the evening time will keep your guests from making the association between the cold and the darkness.

Plants make any outdoor occasion more pleasurable especially on your patio or in your back garden. While one might not readily associate the wintertime with flourishing greenery, there are numerous plants that are well adapted to cold weather and many plants that grow from bulbs benefit from a wintertime planting. Evergreen trees are a perennial favorite and will keep their needles even under the harshest of snow storms or glares of summer.

Perhaps the best way to make your guests comfortable during your outdoor winter party is to provide warmth via a gas patio heater. Depending on the frequency of wintertime parties, gas patio heaters can either be bought or inexpensively rented from your local party supply store. Finding the right gas patio heater can make all the difference as, although you may not use it every time, you can never anticipate when an afternoon or evening will be particularly cold causing you to rethink your outdoor activities. With a heater on your patio you don't need to worry about sudden cold snaps ruining your plans.

An outdoor kitchen is a year-long benefit to your patio or back garden. Though some might consider the expense too much, the addition of an outdoor kitchen can transform an infrequently used part of your home into your favorite entertaining area. Many homeowners find their outdoor kitchen a welcome break from the monotony of being inside all day and night through the long winter months.