Trying to extend patio season? You’re not the only one. The good news is, with a few adjustments for the season, making your outdoor space comfortable even in that autumn chill is very feasible, and it’ll look great too.
Try out a patio-friendly fire pit, for example, to roast marshmallows and give everyone something to gather around. And if you’re still trying to harness that fresh fall air in your home, magnetic screens for doors are game changers. Here are a few of our favorite fall hacks and decorations to keep cozy all season long.
Blankets & Throws
The temperatures are dropping, so bring on cozy season. Fall is all about bundling up to take advantage of those final weeks you can truly be comfortable outside. Having a few fall-themed blankets and throws on hand is a key to enjoying the season. Not only can you wrap yourself up in them and hang out indoors or out, but you can also use them as decor around the house. Anything with leaves, orange and brown plaids that scream Thanksgiving, or a thick knit throw blanket will add to the ambiance. Are they a decoration or are they a fall necessity? I’d have to argue both.
Magnetic Screens for Doors
The arrival of fall does not mean the screens need to come off just yet, and if you have a hack like magnetic screens for doors, you can delay even longer and enjoy the fresh air in your home. Magnetic screens for doors are easy to put on and remove, so you don’t have to jump the gun to avoid the dreaded hassle of getting the screens off when it’s freezing out. These magnetic screens for doors aren’t bound to a door frame, instead connecting to the top and sides of your doors for easy installation and removal. The screen then has a row of magnets that split it in half down the middle, allowing it to part so you can walk in and out easily. The best part? You can do it hands-free. No more struggling to balance a tray of s’mores ingredients as you try to pull open a sliding screen; with a magnetic screen for your door, you can breeze right through.
The hands-free nature of the magnetic screen for your door makes it the perfect fall decor to extend the patio season. If you want to keep hosting friends outside, make it effortless by installing a magnetic screen and take it down easily when it’s time to come inside for the season.
Outdoor Lighting
With fall comes early sunsets and more time spent awake after sundown, so adding some outdoor lights can go a long way. This doesn’t have to be a major installation project; in fact, if you’re looking for fall decor, the best way to light up your outdoor space is to get some functional decorative lights. String lights are sure to create a beautifully illuminated outdoor space; winding them around tree trunks or stringing them over your sitting space will add a warm glow to your fall evening. If you don’t have trees or easy spots to place your string lights, you can easily add a few poles to the corners of your sitting space and connect them by strings of lights, or you can place string lights around a fall foliage wreath or any other decorative fall item that will hold them.
DIY lanterns are also sure to get you some compliments; place small lights (like battery-operated “candles”) in mason jars for a cute and crafty decorative light source. And of course, there are many decorative fall lights you can purchase that get the theme right, like artificial jack-o-lanterns that eliminate the issue of rotting pumpkins. No matter what you choose, the outdoor lights will add to the cozy vibe of fall decor.
Tables & Tableware
In autumn, tables are really just a vessel for your fall decor. Dress up your table with fall-themed table cloths, tableware, and colors of fall foliage. Break out the maroon or deep orange plates and bowls and the maroon cloth napkins. Add pumpkin and harvest-themed centerpieces and floral arrangements, or go for a more Halloween-style decor with spider webs and ghosts on your table cloth and skulls for your napkin rings. All over your space, whether it’s indoor or outdoor, end tables or dining tables, use the surfaces as a host for the perfect fall decor.
Patio Fire Pit
Another sure way to extend the patio season is to add a fire pit to your outdoor space. Not only is this a practical way to keep warm while you’re outside on those crisp autumn nights, but it’s also simply an excuse to gather. Hanging out by the fire is a great summer pastime that can be even better in the fall, when everybody’s bundling in blankets and sweaters and you actually need the fire for warmth. Patio fire pits are the no-fuss, no-mess alternative to a bonfire; it allows you to have the social and gathering experience of the fire without having to get away from your house to find, use, or make a fire pit. They’re more controlled, too, so you know the flames won’t get out of hand. And at the end of the day, what makes better fall decor than the warm glow of a fire?
Outdoor Rug
An outdoor rug is another fall hangout hack. Not only does it add to the decor by bringing more colors or patterns to the space, it also can help keep people warm as you gather on chilly fall days by protecting feet from the cold outdoor surfaces. However, it’s important to make sure you pick an indoor/outdoor rug; if it’s just made for indoors, the rug could mold and cause damage to your deck. But rugs that are specifically made to be placed indoors or outdoors won’t cause damage, only comfort, so add another element to your patio space this fall with an outdoor rug.
The Bottom Line
Fall decor is all about comfort, coziness, and convenience. Stay on theme with fall colors, make sure to light up your space in creative ways, use all your tables as vessels for decoration, and keep your patio parties convenient with a magnetic screen for your door. You can never go wrong with pumpkins, the classic orange-brown-maroon fall color palette, and even a few skeletons or spiders to welcome the spooky season. And at the end of the day, have fun with it. Make your decor a weekend project to enjoy with your family. After all, there’s only a few more weeks left to enjoy the outdoors!
