Patio designs Manhassett NY, Long Island NY - Entertain Families
Designing a patio for a large family adds a few challenges that small-space designs don’t have, including how to keep an outdoor living space from resembling a parking lot. To inspire you, here are five patio designs that ensure many years of enjoyable moments for large families on Long Island, NY.
Related: Related: 3 NATURAL STONE PATIO IDEAS FOR YOUR LONG ISLAND, NY, LANDSCAPE
Separation of Activities, With Cohesiveness
Whether you’re entertaining 10 or 50 people, you want to have some segregation of activities: boisterous kids near the pool and lawn, adult conversation by the fireplace, and so on. The trick is to make the entire space feel integrated so that no one ever feels isolated. Clever use of vertical elements like seating walls can divide spaces yet offer clear sight lines, guide traffic flow, and provide variety in seating arrangements so that conversations will keep going long into the evening. Seating walls also eliminate the need to provide enough chairs and tables for every guest, which can quickly overwhelm even a large patio and turn it into an unwelcoming obstacle course.
Multiple Levels
A sloped yard is a golden opportunity to introduce multi-level outdoor living. This can be a huge hit with everyone because it creates a lot of visually interesting spaces, some of which are larger to accommodate the bulk of the guest list, and some of which are smaller for intimate discussions with just a few people. Carve a conversation area out of a hillside—a circular area with terraced seating around a fire pit could be a welcoming place for all family members. Make sure to reserve a comfortable and easily accessible flat area adjacent to the home to accommodate elderly or disabled family members.
A Large Central Kitchen and Dining Area
Everyone loves to congregate in the kitchen—and that is true when the kitchen is outdoors as well. To give people plenty of elbow room while cooking and socializing, you could have your outdoor kitchen big enough to accommodate the right number of cooks for your family, and ensure there’s ample seating immediately around the kitchen for people who like to be in on the action. This can be bar seating, a dining table, or even a curved seating wall. A family-style kitchen features lots of counter space, oversized appliances, and plenty of storage that will minimize traffic from the outdoor kitchen to the house. And when it comes to dining, it’s not realistic to be able to seat everyone at a patio table; smaller patio nooks can be utilized as overflow dining spaces. When designing the perfect outdoor kitchen/dining area, remember to include shade. Unless you want the party to migrate indoors when the sun becomes too much to bear, outdoor shade is necessary. An elegant solution comes in the form of pergolas, gazebos, or pavilions.
Music in Every Space
By its nature, a large family gathering is noisy. Music creates a wonderful atmosphere, but you want to avoid blaring music over the noise of laughter and conversation. A well-designed outdoor sound system creates various listening zones so that everyone in the backyard can hear the music, but without deafening volume.
Game Area/Game Courts
If you have the space, consider installing a multi-sport game court that will keep people entertained for hours.
Related: INCLUDING GAME COURTS IN YOUR BACKYARD DESIGNS IN MANHASSET, NY
