During the holidays, having guests can be a little chaotic. It’s a great idea to break the mold and expand your living area to your beautiful patio outside. Instead of leaving it sadly covered in snow, waiting for the warm temperatures, you can bring your patio to life. Here’s how to make the best use of your patio during the holiday season in Yorktown and Croton, NY areas.
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Fire Tables
On days and nights with tolerable cold (we’re not talking blizzards here!), it’s easy to cozy up around a fire table with blankets and comfy chairs. The height of the table can be arranged for either casual group entertaining, middle height perfect for an outdoor feast, or even bar height. In addition, fire tables have plenty of space for lots of plates and glasses so the whole group can get warm and enjoy! Best of all, fire tables don’t use wood or coals and are liberated from smoke by using natural gas or propane. Easy to operate, fire tables are always a big hit!
Fire Pits
Much like the fire table but way more rustic, fire pits offer an experience similar to camping but not far from the comfort of home. Having a fire on a cold day will gather people to huddle together and enjoy the primal warmth. Build the fire pit in a place that’s secluded away from exposure to wind. Fire pits can be simply constructed for a wood fire, or have specialized propane or natural gas systems. Take a fire pit to a new level of elegance by building with masonry stones which will also hold the heat in longer.
When building seating for a fire pit, consider high-back masonry seat walls which efficiently hold heat around the fire and create beautiful permanent seating. The seat walls will also shield the fire from wind. Add plenty of good cushions and pillows and the fire pit is transformed to the same level of comfort as your living room.
Fireplaces
Fireplaces offer even more when it comes to warming up an outdoor living area. While cooking is impossible with a fire table and light roasting is about as much as you can do with a fire pit, you can easily make cooking additions to any outdoor fireplace. Wood-fired pizza straight from your winterized outdoor patio could transform even the frostiest nights of your holiday season. Propane and natural gas are still options for fireplaces as well.
Unlike the surrounding arrangements of fire tables and fire pits, outdoor fireplaces only disperse heat in one direction. Make sure you decide how large you want the opening to be to allow as many people as you like to revel in the warmth.
Gazebos
Shelter is a must on cold winter nights. Despite having open walls on all sides, gazebos actually trap a lot of heat with their roofs. Placing a fireplace adjacent to the gazebo along a wall (or in the center, in a larger gazebo) will offer an incredible amount of comfort. Even when the snow melts, gazebos are perfect places to gather. Wood-fired pizzas straight from your winterized gazebo? Now we’re talking.
Patio Heating Systems
If you’re still in the planning phase of building your patio, consider installing a driveway heating system to provide effortless snow removal and ensure a safe surface for friends and family to enjoy your new outdoor living area. Combined with a gazebo and a fireplace, now you’ve got a beautiful extension of your home and you’re ready to entertain all winter!
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