Ideas For Deck Entertaining
When you are planning to build or buy your house,
take into consideration the entertainment possibilities
of having a deck. A deck could be useful for all types
of social events, from light dinners to cocktail
parties. Because decks have columns and banisters, you
can decorate them up in the theme of the party. Some
creative ideas for entertaining out on your deck......
One deck event could be having a cocktail sundowner. Add
soft lighting by hanging white lights from the top of the
banister to turn on when it becomes dark. Remember to place
chairs and tables on the deck, with ashtrays and candles.
For the cocktails, choose a couple of recipes that are easy
to make.
An example of a good sundowner cocktail would be a Blue
Lagoon. This is a popular drink among cocktail bars and is
simple to make. Fill a glass with ice and pour over a shot
of vodka and blue Curacao liqueur. Pour the lemonade to the
top and add a cocktail cherry for garnish.
Although you are watching a sunset, try making a Tequila
Sunrise for a cocktail. For this drink you need a tall glass
filled with ice. Pour in two shots of tequila and top it up
with orange juice. Tilt the glass to the side a bit and pour
in about two dashes of grenadine syrup so it sinks to the
bottom. The grenadine will then filter itself to the top
creating shading from red to orange in the glass. You could
garnish the drink with a slice of orange and cherry on the
top of the glass.
Once the drinks are served, guests can socialise on the deck
and watch the sunset go down. If you are having a large
sundowner cocktail party, invest in some heaters so guests
can stay warm once it becomes dark.
On larger decks, you could entertain a barbecue. A table
could be placed on the wooden planks with chairs. This
prevents the table from wobbling as it would on the soil.
Decks also have the advantage of easy access into the house.
Instead of carrying plates, salt and pepper and glasses from
the garden to the kitchen, the access is just a few feet
away.
The barbecue cook could roast up some chops and sausage. For
vegetarians, create some vegetable skewers by pushing
different types of vegetables onto a long pointy stick.
Vegetables you could use include chopped peppers, onions,
marrow and pineapple. Place them on the barbecue and drizzle
with olive oil every now and then to prevent them from
drying out.
At different holidays the decks could be decorated according
to the theme. On Halloween, place pumpkins on the stairs and
drape white sheeting on the banister. You can tie bats made
from cutting out black paper on to the columns.
During Christmas you can stick cotton wool on the banister
to mimic snow if you don't already have the real deal. You
can weave Christmas lighting through the banister and place
decorations all up the banister.
If you are not having a party or there are no holidays to
celebrate, invest in a hammock to hang on the deck. You
could relax in the shade by swinging on a swing bench bolted
into the roof on the deck. There are plenty of seating
options specifically created for porches to choose from.
To have a deck around your house adds a feature. It is not
only pleasing to look at, but adds wonderful opportunities
for memories. How many first kisses have been stolen on the
porch and how many snuggles on a swinging bench? It is a
place in a home that everyone can enjoy whether you are
sitting in rocking chairs reading, or enjoying a beautiful
sunset.
Article Author -
Celeste Yates
Celeste writes for Deck
Pro, who specialize in garden decking, design, construction
and maintenance.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/
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