Outdoor Dining Ideas

Dining al fresco doesn't mean you need to "rough it" or lower your decorating standards! Bring dining room style to your outdoor living space easily, with just a few extra considerations. We've got all the tips-from choosing your outdoor dining furniture to picking out the best lighting for your deck. Get inspired by the following design ideas for the ultimate backyard or year-round patio experience, whether you're adding an eating area to an outdoor kitchen or tucking a small bistro area into the corner of your patio.

Design Your Outdoor Space with Easy Kitchen Access

Place your patio dining space closest to the kitchen and make entertaining easy! Define the area with plants in gorgeous planters or a bold outdoor rug. When choosing your dining furniture, offer multiple seating options around the table, such as benches that can seat lots of kids at once and can be easily switched out for dining chairs.

Create a Cozy, Sheltered Outdoor Area

Outdoor furniture placement can be key. Use shade, curtains, umbrellas or canopies to your advantage and be sure to take sun orientation into account. Avoid placing your outdoor dining area in the section of your backyard that receives the sun at midday and early afternoon or it may become too hot, unless you're designing it in conjunction with shades. West-facing seating is ideal, allowing you to maximize light and warmth in the evening and advantageous if you've got a sunset view. Don't forget to make your al fresco space extra cozy with plenty of cushions and pillows!

Add an Outdoor Kitchen for Easy Entertaining

One way to make al fresco dining and entertaining easy is to build your own open air kitchen right on the patio! Stock your outdoor kitchen with a grill, an outdoor pizza oven and a cabinet with plenty of drawers for BBQ tools and dishware. Keep your eyes on the action outside while you prep and cook without having to run back into the house for supplies.

Beautify Your Backyard with String Lights

A simple and affordable way to decorate your patio dining space is with string lights. Good lighting is also important for safety and setting a festive mood. Nowadays there is a huge variety of stylish outdoor lighting options available, many powered by batteries or solar. For an open-air patio or deck, overhead string lights are a smart choice — they’re customizable, easy to install or hang, and they’re inexpensive. They're also a terrific way to section off your entertaining space, creating the illusion of an outdoor dining room.

Add Ambiance with Outdoor Lanterns

Outdoor lighting plays a key role in brightening up your outdoor dining space at night. For stylish, easily portable lighting, we love using a grouping of assorted lanterns and hurricane lights that can go from indoors to outside in a flash. Many decor styles are available, from those that use candles to battery-operated LEDs and eco-conscious solar lanterns that charge in the daylight. Create a pathway with a set of matching lanterns or mix up colors and styles and place them around your dining table! Installing lanterns along walkways and in the garden helps create a path for guests to see where they’re going and instantly adds charm to your outdoor dining experience.

Give a Glow-Up with Romantic Candlelight

Take your outdoor dining atmosphere to the next level with a selection of beautiful candles! Citronella candles are a terrific choice for keeping mosquitos and other bugs away while entertaining outdoors. For a longer-lasting experience and larger surfaces choose wide 3-wick candles. We also love taper candles for adding a touch of romantic low light to your dining table, along with scattered tealights and safer LED candles!

Use a Table Rod for Outdoor Lighting & Decor

With a simple table rod, you can create a fantastic outdoor dining scene that changes with your decorating whims! An adjustable table rod simply clamps to each end of your outdoor dining table and is fully customizable. It's perfect for string lights and lanterns, flowers and greenery, garlands, signage and other hanging decor. Your imagination is the limit!

Keep Your Dining Space Warm

When you’re entertaining it’s easy to lose track of time and not notice as night falls and temperatures drop. Keep your guests warm and comfy by designing your dining space near an outdoor fireplace, a tabletop fire pit or a stand-alone backyard fire pit. A gorgeous steel or concrete fire pit makes your outdoor space inviting in the evenings, providing a cozy place to gather on those cool nights. Surround it with Adirondacks or even bring your outdoor dining chairs over — and you've got a spot to tell ghost stories and toast marshmallows for s'mores!

Stay Cool Under an Umbrella or Canopy

Add style and protective shade to your backyard with a few outdoor umbrellas. With colorful canopies constructed from weather-resistant fabric, umbrellas are easy to clean and can be stored during the colder seasons. There are cantilever umbrellas, canopies with stands, and those that can be tilted against the sun. If you need several, try mixing and matching colors and patterns with your patio seating's cushions. Other options for keeping cool include an attractive pergola or a garden pod with a shaded or retractable roof that also can be heated in the colder months.

Use Decorative Walls to Define the Space

Give your outdoor dining area the illusion of a room with a textured wall or curtain! A brick, stone or wood-patterned wall adds interest to the area and can be decorated with outdoor art or plants in stylish planters. Go for a tropical resort look and use linen or sheer cotton curtains to give a space an air of romance and privacy.

Beautify with Outdoor Plants

Putting plants in your outdoor space adds color and contrast to a plain backyard—especially if you opt for colorful or patterned planters or pots! Decorating with large-leafed plants near doors or flowering plants near windows overlooking gardens can help to create a seamless connection between indoor and outdoor space. Add sensory and useful interest to the dining area by planting an herb garden, allowing guests to pick their own sprigs of fresh herbs for drinks! If you’re limited on space, you can build a vertical wall garden to add color and texture to your outdoor dining area.

How to Choose the Best Outdoor Dining Furniture

Let's face it, everything tastes better outside! Enjoy family meals and entertaining on your backyard patio or deck by choosing the best outdoor dining furniture to suit your taste and your needs. Whether you're into midcentury modern, retro all-weather wicker, boho or contemporary design styles, you're sure to find the furniture you love. Figure out the table size you need and how many people you plan to seat. Modern outdoor dining sets are available in everything from two-person bistro styles to dining tables that can extend to seat eight people or more. If you're not sure that you want a matching set, focus first on the table and then figure out the seating. Outdoor dining chairs are available in a variety of styles, from armchairs and stools to long benches. Feel free to mix chairs with benches! Be sure to add cushions and pillows for an al fresco dining experience that's as comfortable as those indoors.

Create Impressive Tablescapes

Depending on the occasion, you can get as formal or as casual with your outdoor table settings as you want. If you plan to dine outdoors often, it's worth it to acquire a set of reusable outdoor tableware. Dishes and glasses made of melamine or other durable material are perfect, as you don't want to accidentally break glass or ceramic on a hard-to-clean surface or by a pool. For tabletop decor, anything goes! We love natural looks for outside, like linen napkins, seagrass placemats and coasters, wood serving pieces and stoneware. Add a couple attractive vases with stems and florals, and candles for evening gatherings, and you're all set!

Host a Crowd with a Full-Sized Outdoor Dining Table

If you plan on having more than six people over regularly, consider a full-sized outdoor dining table! With more and more people entertaining outdoors nowadays, you'll find dining room-sized tables, even those that extend and come with an extra leaf. Benches are a great solution for a longer table, especially for kids' gatherings and casual parties. You can easily switch them out for more formal outdoor dining chairs for smaller get-togethers.

Build a Bistro Just for Two

For a smaller patio, balcony or a cozy backyard corner, consider a small, two-person bistro dining set. This can be an additional space away from the larger outdoor dining area or can serve as your main dining spot. If you have a small yard and a dining set will get in the way of other activities, consider a portable bistro set! Find one with folding chairs and table that you can enjoy when you like and fold up to store the rest of the time.

Enjoy a Floor Seating Experience

For an impromptu gathering, or simply a way to switch up the typical outdoor dining area, try lining up an outdoor coffee table or a row of cocktail tables, and forgo dining chairs for large outdoor cushions. Set up the entire party on a weather-resistant outdoor rug for easy cleanup, add a few pillows and throws and enjoy a unique, picnic-style experience!

Entertain Outdoors Year-Round

Don’t limit your al fresco dining gatherings to summer – fall and winter are the holiday seasons, and that means party time year-round. Whatever the weather, get your outdoor party ideas together and consider a patio heater and a canopy, tent or gazebo to make dining outside comfortable. For mild regions, dine around a stylish fire pit!

Prioritize Comfortable Seating

To make your outdoor dining area extra inviting, provide seating that's a pleasure to use. Add comfortable chair cushions to your dining chairs and additional throw pillows for back support. Pillows are generally a must-have to make wooden or metal chairs comfortable and add color and style to your outdoor space. For cooler days and evenings, bring out a couple of soft throw blankets. Also, poufs and ottomans are a perfect way to add extra seating that doubles as fun decor!