The days get shorter, the nights get longer and the temperature drops, but that doesn’t mean we have to say goodbye to dining outdoors. In fact, the whole experience can be made magical for both you and your guests. We already know how important it is to be outdoors, and how much it can do for both our physical and mental health, so let’s make the most of it and go al fresco this winter.
With a suitable outdoor dining set-up, your outside space can be transformed into a winter wonderland for a season full of entertaining with friends and family. Not only will you be able to make the most of the space all year round, but you’ll have a beautiful outdoor sanctuary to escape to – even in the blustery weather.
Eating and drinking outdoors during this time of the year can make for a magical experience. Here we’ll look at how you can create the perfect outdoor setting and embrace al fresco dining for all your winter festivities.
Creating your perfect outdoor dining space
A solid surface
When designing your outdoor space, practicality is key. A durable and easy-to-clean kitchen worktop should be your first port of call, as it’ll be the space where you prepare the-full-works hot chocolates with marshmallows and whipped cream, brew your own mulled wine and pour delicious glasses of creamy Baileys. Whatever your festive tipple or delicious delicacy, your work surface will certainly need to withstand not only harsh weather conditions but also the unavoidable spillages that come with hosting.
A high-quality and durable Caesarstone worktop will ensure you have a sound base that will last for many Christmases to come. Our outdoor worktops benefit from a non-porous, durable, scratch, stain, mould and mildew resistant surface that’s also easy to clean. They also come with a lifetime warranty, giving you peace of mind that whatever the weather, your al fresco dining area will stand the test of time.
Whether you’ve decided on a fully equipped garden kitchen or a distinguished outdoor dining area, you’ll need a solid and reliable worktop at the heart of it. You might be drawn to the classic style of white marble or a nourishing neutral to suit all spaces, or perhaps you’re after a worktop with an earthier essence to complement your surrounding area.
With our wide range of porcelain outdoor surfaces, available in a variety of different styles and colours, there’s no doubt you’ll find one that suits your outdoor kitchen or al fresco dining space. 501 Snowdrift is a stunning porcelain surface from our Supernatural Collection, and its delicate grey veining permeates the pure white base to give you that wintery feeling all year round. If you prefer a darker aesthetic, 512 Transcenda is a veined grey ultra rough worktop with bold marbling and veining, punctuated by white highlights and softened by nuanced undertones. Or, you might crave the dramatic black base of 510 Impermia, its fine lined surface resembling lightning cracking across a midnight sky.
Staying warm
Of course, staying warm is one of the crucial elements of enjoying your time outside and thankfully, we have a few solutions to ensure you’re comfortable for every drink, bite and laugh outside.
To really make the most out of the outdoor dining experience, you’ll want to ensure you and your guests are sheltered. So, as well as offering your guests a hot drink to keep both their hands and hearts nice and toasty, consider a pergola for your outdoor dining. Gathering under a pergola is a cosy solution to keeping you dry as well as warm. If you’ve got the space, investing in an outdoor heater will also work wonders when keeping your visitors warm on those cool nights. Whether you opt for a firepit, chimenea, gas heater or electric heater, you’ll be prepped for the chilled evening of entertainment ahead.
A lick of paint
A fresh coat of paint can always help rejuvenate a space, but this doesn't have to be arduous. You have so many options when it comes to colours, you could give the space a new colour or just a fresh coat of the current colour - this is a really simple way to revitalise your kitchen and cover marks, scuffs, fades and spills, making it feel like new again.
Alternatively, if you want a quicker way of adding colour to your kitchen, you could opt for a singular accent wall, whether that be in the form of a block colour of paint, a green wall full of plants or a wall or area full of curious garden finds, or you could just add a few pops of colour here and there. There are so many options to choose from to really liven up your culinary space.
Cool creams and brilliant blues can give your outdoor kitchen a clean, fresh, wintery touch, whilst gorgeous greens and beautiful browns can ensure a warmer more natural finish. Refreshing your space with colour can make the room feel bigger and more inviting, ensuring everyone will want to spend Christmas at your house this year.
A touch of winter
You can’t have a winter update without a few festive touches; the use of natural materials such as wood and foliage is ideal for a more rustic winter decor that can also be used throughout the year or changed with the seasons.
Cinnamon-scented candles, tall twigs tucked into vases and bowls of pinecones can bring an elegant, Christmassy presence to your kitchen, while sprigs of holly sprinkled around your outdoor kitchen or dining space can introduce dashes of the classic green and red. The light of the candles on the red holly berries and the brown wooden hues can bring a welcome warmth to whiter palettes. Little extras like these, together with a solid surface and a lick of paint, can hugely upgrade your outdoor kitchen space with minimum effort and spending, just in time for the festive season with the family.
Caesarstone’s outdoor surfaces
Whilst all our worktops are non-porous, durable, scratch, stain, mould and mildew resistant, our range of outdoor surfaces have been tested to ensure they withstand the intense weather conditions of the UK. Not to mention, all of our surfaces have a lifetime warranty, meaning you can admire the glory of the winter sun as it reflects off the breathtaking surfaces worry-free.
Whether you like the dark grey veining on 504 Lumena’s pearl-white backdrop, 507 Marbannova’s silky warm white based lined with gold, taupe and grey, or 516 Locura that blends dark greys with warm browns and white organic veins, there is something for everyone in our outdoor range.
Request a sample of your favourite Caesarstone colour to get a feel of how it will look in your outdoor space.
