A good Alfresco can be a lot of things to a homeowner; a place where you can be alone with your thoughts, a place where you can enjoy a lazy afternoon nap, or someplace to go to and take a load off – especially after a hard day’s work.

If you’ve got the space for an outdoor room but haven’t really had one installed, you’re sorely missing out. If you do have a patio and are looking to breathe new life into your alfresco design, then read on and follow these tips on what you can do with to keep your backyard fresh.

OUTSIDE DINING AREA

If you have a huge family, or are just one who loves entertaining guests from your home, having a secondary dining area on your patio can be a great breath of fresh air for family picnics and barbecues or dinner parties for your friends. You’d want ample seating and tables, but be careful not to cramp your seats together – you’re trying to enjoy the wide open spaces of the outdoors, after all.

OUTDOOR OFFICE DESK

The great thing about telecommuting is that it’s allowed for more flexible work arrangements. Being able to work from anywhere with a connection has been a boon to many a cubicle warrior, and for those of us who enjoy working in peace from the comforts of our home, having a conducive working environment can be as important as a good office space whether it be indoor or out. As a break from your confining work cubicle however, an outdoor office desk will do wonders for your alfresco – not to mention your productivity at home.

READING NOOK

For bookworms who have a taste for the outdoors, a cozy alfresco is certainly one of the more relaxing places to read a good book. As opposed to a home office work desk where you’re looking to keep vertical (sometimes even standing up in the case of a standing desk), a laid-back reading nook usually consists of a good patio recliner or lounge set.

LIGHTING

As with any part of your home, the best lighting option often comes in the form of built-in fixtures. This should also be one of the your biggest concerns in planning out your Alfresco design. Try to visualize the end result you wish from your patio, and make sure you coordinate this vision with your contractors.

If you’re one who loves entertaining guests on your patio deck, you’ll want to have a well-lit outdoor room. String up some lights all over your place to lend a more festive tone to your event. If you’re going for a more somber or intimate atmosphere though, you could also consider lighting up candles all over the place. Of course, most Perth alfrescos also tend to have a cool breeze blowing through them (which is what prompts most homeowners to get an outdoor room anyway), so you can also weigh the benefits of traditional candles versus battery-operated ones.