How to Make the Most Of & Enjoy your Small Winter Patio

If you’re trying to spruce up your patio for the winter, you could do worse than starting out by replacing your patio furniture. Not only is patio furniture the first thing people are going to notice when they walk out onto your patio, it’s also going to determine how comfortable they are sitting down outdoors, especially in the winter. Pick patio furniture with soft fluffy cushions that can help hold heat rather than flat, smooth surfaces. (via Mansion Global)
When it comes to upgrading your patio space for the winter, you don’t have to go with major transformations to convert the space into a toasty holiday hideaway. Wall art is the perfect way to decorate your patio for winter because this kind of decor can be easily stored in the spring when you’re ready to redecorate. If you’re feeling crafty, you can even create some winter wall art of your own to display. (via My Texas House)

20 Cozy Ways to Update Your Winter Patio

1. Outdoor Sun Porches

2. Add Throw Pillows and Blankets

Installing patio curtains can make your winter patio look classier, but they serve a practical purpose too. They look great draped with an elegant tieback, but once you lower your patio curtains, your guests will have a little alcove that is protected from the chilly winter wind. Patio curtains are also a great way to get privacy on patios that are a little more exposed. Go with semi-sheer light curtains for an airy look, or go for thicker linen curtains to give your patio decor more weight. (via Homesteading)

3. Warm Up With an Outdoor Heater

Enjoying an ambient and dry patio during winter is achievable. With the use of outdoor fireplaces, outdoor space heaters, throw pillows and blankets, enclosed patios, and wind breaking walls, you will be able to enjoy yourself in a wonderful winter patio instead of involuntarily being indoors throughout the cold season.

4. Install an Outdoor Fireplace

5. Enclosed Patio

This is one trick that has worked for a lot of homeowners who find it difficult to enjoy their patios during the chilly winter days and nights. With the screens, the patio is shaded from excess breeze which gets chilly by the day. Depending on your budget or preference, you can go for plastic or glass walls that allow you to enjoy clear views of your environment while shielding yourself from the cold outside. It also helps to keep your patio dry.
Making your winter patio more attractive doesn’t mean you have to renovate the entire space. Just putting out some striking winter accents can help pull the whole space together. A tea tray of beautiful ceramic mugs for tea and coffee, some natural elements like pine cones, or a display of candles can help make your winter patio look like a magazine cover. You don’t have to come up with anything elaborate, a few accents here and there are perfect for adding visual interest and extra layers to your patio design.

6. Install Lighting for a Cheerful Winter Patio

A bar is a great way to add sophistication to your enclosed patio space, and it’s the perfect place for entertaining holiday guests. Patio bars don’t just have to be for alcoholic drinks either – they’re the perfect place for you to store supplies for s’mores and hot chocolate in the winter. Pair a patio bar with a cozy fire pit and you’ve got a magical winter gathering space to rival the most comfortable bars in town. (via Family Handyman) Source: 10 Inspiring Outdoor Bar Ideas — The Family Handyman

7. Add a Bar to Your Winter Patio

Nothing can put a damper on your patio gathering like winter precipitation. To keep your guests out of the sleet and snow, construct an awning or overhang for your patio to offer everybody some relief from the weather. Install some protection for the sides too so that your guests can stay out of the wind. Adding a roof also gives your patio some additional structure that you can use to hang lanterns or other winter accessories. (via DK Construction Roof)
Installing new lighting around your patio can be a tedious job, but the results are well worth any do-it-yourself elbow grease you put into the project. Especially in the winter, when natural sunlight is weak, ambient patio lighting can make your small patio look much warmer and more inviting. There are many different types of lighting that you can use too, so whether you want to give your patio some holiday cheer with multicolored Christmas lights or you want to install traditional string bulbs, there’s sure to be a lighting style to match your patio decor. (via Jessica Welling Interiors)

8. Bring Some Greenery onto Your Winter Patio

9. Update Your Winter Patio Furniture

Photo sources: 1, 2, 3, 4, & 5.

10. Get a Comfy Rug for Your Winter Patio

11. A Hot Tub is a Winter Patio Necessity

If your guests don’t have anything to do on your patio in the winter, chances are you’re not going to get them to stay outside for long. Set up some outdoor games like this DIY chess set from A Life Unfolding to give visitors something to do when they’re hanging out on the patio. It’s a good idea to add some storage to your patio too so you have a place to store any games you collect when you’re not using them. (via A Life Unfolding)
If you have an enclosed patio, you may have enough protection to support a winter herb garden. Many types of perennial herbs can tolerate winter temperatures well. Herbs lend your patio an alluring, earthy fragrance and can be mixed and matched for visual interest. This can keep your patio looking put-together while also giving you a source of fresh herbs for your winter stews.
(via Planted Well)

12. Set Up Some Winter Patio Games

You might be worried about how you can make the most of your outdoor sun porches during the winter. Have you thought about erecting a wind break wall? With this type of wall, while you are still able to view your surroundings, it will shield you and your guests and loved ones from direct cool breezes while at the same time transforming the overall look of your outdoor porch. If metal is used for the windbreak, it should be perforated so that strong winds can pass through without damaging it.
Other than adding a heater or fire pit, another way to keep your winter patio from getting too cold for guests is to add a hot tub. A hot tub can help keep houseguests toasty even if it’s snowing outside, and it’s a great way to encourage people to use your winter patio even when the temperatures start to drop. Include some multicolored lights to give your patio hot tub even more holiday ambiance for the winter. Nothing is more heavenly than stepping into a heated pool on a cold winter’s day. (via Paradise Spas Outdoors)

13. Tie Garland for a Festive Winter Patio

If you want your guests to use your patio in the winter, it’s good to plan to keep them entertained while they’re outside. Making sure there are plenty of snuggly blankets, bean bags, pillows, and other soft objects to lounge around on can help people stay warm even in cooler conditions. Using a projection screen allows you to show movies or even just run a Netflix marathon outdoors for your houseguests. Make sure to place any ambient lighting where it won’t shine directly on the screen. (via Daily Dream Decor)
Winter is associated with the holidays, and nothing lends a classy holiday look quite like evergreen garlands. Fix these branches around on the railings of your patio to help give your outdoor space a festive air. If you’re looking for a fast way to update the look of your winter patio without installing anything too permanent, some garlands are the perfect way to add some extra pizazz to your space. You can even use a glitter spray on the branches to add some extra holiday flair. (via Home BNC)

14. Upgrade Your Winter Patio Wall Art for the Season

There is nothing as comforting and soothing as having blankets to keep you and your guests warm as you enjoy a cool evening on your small patio. Throw pillows also create the same effect as everyone can hold onto a throw pillow to keep warmer. The overall decor also gets a boost when you add the throw pillows to the decor, especially if the upholstery in the patio is pale.

15. Install Winter Patio Curtains

With the lack of flowers and foliage outdoors during the winter, patios that are decorated in neutral or natural tones run the risk of looking washed out and bleak. Indulging in some rich jewel tones and luxurious fabrics can help your patio design pop and it’s a nice alternative to the same red and green decor you’re likely to see elsewhere. Add in some metallic and natural wood elements to help round out the patio’s look and add a vintage touch. (via HGTV)

16. Set Out Some Winter Patio Accents

Whether your desire is to hang out with your loved ones in the cool evenings or daytime, let the following winter patio ideas help you make the most of your outdoor space and enjoy it as much as you should.

17. Plant an Herb Garden on Your Winter Patio

18. Build a Roof Structure for Your Winter Patio

If installing a fireplace is not your thing, then you can become more creative with the addition of an outdoor heater. Most of the heaters come as propane-powered. Most of these heaters are propane-powered and are compact enough to fit easily even on the smallest of patios without crowding guests. So, while you sit with your loved ones, sipping hot cocoa and cracking jokes, the outdoor heater keeps everyone warm as long as you choose to stay out there.
In order to enjoy that quiet evening you have planned on a cold winter night, it is necessary that you have an optimum heating system to keep you warm all through the night. You can opt for permanent but large fireplaces or you can settle for portable and moveable fireplaces. If you choose to, you can even add a grill and table to get your patio fully prepared for the winter.

19. Try Adding Some Bold Colors to Your Winter Patio

The post How to Make the Most Of & Enjoy your Small Winter Patio appeared first on Homedit.
You don’t have to run away from your patio or outdoor home, just because it is wintertime. There are lots of ways through which you can have a functional and aesthetically pleasing patio in the cold months of winter.

20. Splurge on a Winter Patio Cinema

The floor of your patio can become miserably cold during the winter, especially if your flooring is made of a conductive material like brick or stone. Help make your winter patio more comfortable by adding a soft floor rug to the patio so that people can walk around barefoot from indoors without their feet getting cold. This will make your enclosed winter patio a lot more welcoming, especially if you walk out onto the patio barefoot with your morning coffee. (via Rug and Home)
Even though it’s winter, that doesn’t mean you can’t use plants on your outdoor patio to help keep things green and lively. Evergreens are the perfect plants to use on your patio since they stay green all year round no matter what the outdoor temperatures are. Since evergreens are dormant in the winter, you won’t have to spend a lot of extra energy pruning or watering them until the spring. (via Gardening Etc.)