By: Kelley Walters

These five timeless ideas work because they’re both fun and functional

Outdoor entertaining spaces aren’t always equal when it comes to home value. Think about that house with the falling-down above-ground pool and no curb appeal. Homes that get outdoor entertaining right, though, have patios and backyards that blur inside and outside spaces.

Almost any house can adapt outdoor entertaining space ideas without blowing the budget. Here are five reasons why they work (and why you may want to add them to your home).

1. They function like indoor spaces
The more outdoor entertaining spaces mimic their indoor equivalents, the more functional they are. Plus, outdoor features have become desirable to most buyers and can have a strong influence on purchase decisions. The addition of an outdoor kitchen will recover an estimated 100% of the investment, according to the 2023 National Association of REALTORS® “Remodeling Impact Report: Outdoor Features.” On top of that, the joy score, measuring homeowners’ happiness with the results, was a 9 out of 10.

Recent developments have made outdoor kitchens usable almost all year regardless of location. Here are a couple of small ways to get more out of your outdoor kitchen:

• Protect the kitchen (and your family and friends) from rain and snow by adding a pergola, canopy, or retractable awning, which offers the flexibility to control exposure to sunlight and weather.
• Keep things warm and cozy with temperature controls via portable patio heaters, a fire pit, or a wood-burning fireplace. When it’s hot, rely on an overhead ceiling fan or a portable umbrella to keep it cool. 

5. They take ‘entertaining outdoors’ seriously
Precast-concrete geometric blocks protect privacy without blocking light or air in outdoor entertaining spaces. Plus, they’re super affordable and durable. Use them to screen a patio or carport, fence in your patio, or as a vertical element to make small yards feel larger. It’s a small project with big impact.

Angi offers other options including:

• Planting fast-growing shrubs like boxwood — Shrubs are flexible. You can plant them in the ground or in pots and vary the height to create visual interest.
• Adding screen panels made of materials like bamboo, metal, or wood — You can easily move them, and you won’t lose privacy as you would with plants.
• Decorating with trellises — They allow light in, and you can add climbing plants for beauty and natural privacy.

3. They find clever ways to provide shade
Low, sloping roofs help transition from indoors to outdoors by casting shade and protection from the elements.

If extending the roof isn’t an option for your home or budget (fair), you can still make some shade. Try a pergola planted with vines or a retractable awning. Or check out all the affordable, ready-to-hang shades and sails available.

4. They use lots of windows — and big ones
Large windows help merge inside and outside living. Even if you don’t have the ultimate in window bling like this atrium, you can increase the natural light in your home. Consider:

• Trading smaller windows and doors for big accordion, pocket, sliding, or swinging doors, or replacing a plain wall with a wall of glass doors.
• Adding a corner window, to create the effect of an atrium or courtyard.

5. They take ‘entertaining outdoors’ seriously
Most homeowners are expanding their entertainment horizons to include the back yard. You don’t have to take on a huge renovation to get results. Adding even small features like a grill, string lights, a fire pit, and a TV can give the gang a change of scene to enjoy an evening.

Do more of what your family and friends like. If backyard movies have been a hit in the summer, think about extending the outdoor fun into the fall. If you haven’t tried the trend, you can find equipment and instructions online to set up your DIY movie space without getting too fancy or blasting your neighbors.

Though a sport court isn’t exactly a high ROI project, being the fun house on the block certainly does a little something to a home’s appeal.

After all, an outdoor entertaining space should do just that: entertain. Here’s to more backyard fun!