How to Get Your Outdoor Space Ready for Summer Entertaining

With summer days and long evenings on the horizon, now’s the perfect time to bring your outdoor space back to life. This is the season for relaxing, reconnecting, and making the most of the outdoors, and it doesn’t take a full renovation to create a space you’ll love spending time in.

By dedicating a weekend or two, to smaller updates, you can make a big impact: from a fresh coat of paint to the addition of a firepit or outdoor fireplace. Here’s our checklist to help get your backyard ready for summer entertaining.

1. Start with a quick assessment

Take stock of what worked well last summer — and what could be improved.

Consider:

• Comfort and flow: Is there enough seating, shelter, warmth, and lighting?
• Function: Do you cook, relax, or entertain outdoors most often?

When planning, think of your backyard as an extension of your home, an “outdoor room” that brings the comforts of indoors into nature. It’s all about creating a space that feels effortless and inviting.

2. Refresh your landscaping and surfaces

Start with a clean slate. Mow the lawns, trim hedges, weed garden beds, and clear away clutter. Then, give decks, fences, and outdoor furniture a quick refresh with new stain, oil, or paint (or maybe an upgrade).

“Never underestimate the impact of a freshly painted black fence or a newly oiled table.”

A quick water blast of paved areas and concrete surfaces can make them look new again. Once the base is fresh, add greenery; planters, herbs, or lush potted plants to soften the space and add vibrancy.

3. Create zones for entertaining

Divide your backyard into clear areas for dining, lounging, and cooking. This helps the space flow and makes entertaining feel effortless. Use outdoor rugs, planters, or lighting to define each area, and add texture through a mix of materials like concrete, timber, and stone.

Outdoor fireplaces naturally become the heart of these spaces, creating warmth, ambience, and a place for people to gather.

“Fireplaces heat the space and give the area a nice ambience at night, while the exterior kitchens offer form and function to help centralise the gathering.”
– Paul Gallagher, Mace Landscape Group

4. Add comfort with shade and shelter

Check your umbrellas, canopies, or louvres - clean, repair, or replace them if needed. Shade is essential for daytime entertaining, while warmth becomes the hero as the sun goes down.

For evening comfort, consider:

• Firepits or outdoor fireplaces: A simple yet transformative upgrade that can be installed within an existing space in a weekend.
• Heaters or blankets: Perfect for taking the chill off cooler nights.

A Trendz outdoor fireplace is one of the quickest ways to enhance ambience and extend your entertaining season, from late spring through to autumn. The precast design means installation is quick and straightforward, often completed within hours, not days.

5. Set the mood: lighting and ambience

Lighting can completely transform the feel of your backyard. Layer it with a mix of festoon lights, lanterns, and subtle uplighting around plants or architectural features. Make sure pathways and stairs are safely illuminated for guests.

“A few small jobs now mean you can switch into host mode easily — without scrambling when guests are on their way.”

6. Consider upgrading your cooking setup

Whether you love casual BBQs or prefer a full outdoor kitchen experience, your cooking setup sets the tone for how you entertain.

• Add a pizza oven or BBQ for easy al fresco dining.
• Upgrade to an outdoor kitchen for an elevated, integrated experience.
• Consider adding a drinks fridge to your outdoor kitchen
• Or enjoy cooking on a Trendz fireplace, with specially designed cooking accessories from; a pizza oven hood insert to a swinging cooking grill.

Even simple setups, a standalone BBQ or fireplace, can make outdoor cooking more enjoyable - turning everyday meals into something special.

7. Add the finishing touches

Bring your space together with cushions, rugs, and throws for instant colour, comfort and texture. Add thoughtful details like a mesh door for your fireplace for both safety and style.

If you’re thinking ahead, you could also plan for future upgrades like a spa or plunge pool to create a year-round retreat.

Get your space summer-ready

With a few simple updates, your backyard can become the go-to spot for warm evenings, long lunches, and everything in between. The right mix of heat, light, and design means you’ll be entertaining earlier in spring - and long into autumn.

An outdoor fireplace is the ultimate finishing touch, adding warmth, ambience, and a stunning focal point to your space, without the hassle of a lengthy build. Trendz precast fireplaces are designed for quick, professional installation and can be ready to use in as little as 30 minutes once on site.

If you choose the popular, plaster and paint finish, your fireplace can be lifted straight into place by Hiab, positioned directly onto the concrete slab you’ve prepared, and ready the same day. 

Explore the full range of Trendz fireplaces to find the style that best suits your outdoor space and get ready to make this summer your best one yet.