Recently, my husband and I had the pleasure of hosting a BBQ for our friends in our outdoor living space. Our outdoor room makes the outdoor experience more pleasurable. It was a beautiful sunny day with a cool breeze. Rather than transitioning from the interior of the home to the exterior, we simply all headed straight outside. We recently remodeled our outdoor room with new outdoor drapes, throw pillows, an outdoor rug, and a throw blanket. A few freshly potted plants and our magnificent blooming bougainvillea. The day before we had all of our trees trimmed, so the view from our backyard was breathtaking.

Many people are constructing an outdoor living space to fulfill a desire to nest at home.  My husband and I enjoy the time that we spend outside, and it is wonderful to be able to share this experience with our friends. Everyone arrived around 2 in the afternoon; we all sat around our cocktail table talking, laughing, munching on appetizers, and drinking wine, water and beer.  We heard stories of trips to the England and Scotland, visits with our college kids home for a break, and the fabulous time a bunch of the girls had at Stagecoach Music Fest this year.

Relaxing in quality patio furniture—durable, cushioned club chairs, sofas and love seats nestled between throw pillows and protected from too much sun under the pergola—allowed all of us to enjoy hours of friendship, sharing good times. Music streaming from outdoor speakers created the perfect ambiance for our outdoor entertaining.

We heated up the grill for ribs, chicken, and corn on the cob. Our friends brought side dishes to add to the menu.  We ate as the sun was going down and the breeze was getting cooler, then we lit our copper top gas fire pit to be able to enjoy more time in our outdoor room.

Summer treats, hot cherry pie with vanilla ice cream, and pineapple upside down cake with yummy frosting completed our alfresco dining experience.

No one wanted to move since it was so comfortable and enjoyable just spending time together enjoying the fresh air and nature around us. But we all had to wake up early to work the next day so everyone headed home after 8.

Reconnecting with nature in an outdoor space around a fire pit encourages companionable socializing and rejuvenates our souls.  I know that I am ready for another week of work after spending yesterday in our outdoor living space.  There is a wealth of options available for everyone to create their own individual outdoor room in creative and imaginative ways. Just take elements that work so well inside and recreate them outside.

Don’t let the summer slip by: receive hours of enjoyment with family and friends in your outdoor haven. For ideas on hosting an outdoor BBQ, leave a comment below and I will be happy to give you suggestions.