As we get ready for summer, it’s an excellent time to consider upgrading to luxury patio furniture brands sold by All American Outdoor Living. But if you have a sling-back chair that has seen better days, you can use this DIY guide to save you money and refresh your chairs.

1. Remove the old plastic end caps on the patio sling rail

First and foremost, you need to disassemble your patio sling chair to install the new sling fabric. Remove the plastic end caps (plastic covers over the sling rails) from both ends of the sling rails with a flat head screwdriver or pliers. When removing your old end caps, be careful because they are often dry, brittle, and easy to crack. Take care not to damage them (you’ll need to remove them from both ends of the sling rails). Matching plastic caps can be difficult to locate depending on the manufacturer and color of your frames.

2. Remove the old sling material and spreader bars

It can be challenging to get the slings out of the rails at times. If the old slings are very old and have spent a lot of time in the sun, the plastic splines will be very brittle and rigid and will possibly break in chunks when you attempt to slide the old sling out of the rail. You’ll find that the new slings and splines are a breeze to install, particularly when compared to removing the old ones.

Remove each side of the old sling by slitting the fabric in the center. Cutting the old patio sling down the middle with a kitchen knife or heavy-duty scissors is the best way to get rid of it. Unbolt both sling rails before continuing if you don’t want to break your old slings by cutting them in half. The spreader bars, which are metal bars placed between the sling posts, must also be removed.

The sling sometimes becomes wedged inside the sling rail. Break the sling free by moving it back inside the sling rail with both hands. The fabric and plastic sling rod have been wedged up to the top of the rail opening due to the body’s weight lying on the old patio sling fabric.

This occurrence, combined with dirt and debris, gives the sling fabric’s edge the appearance of being glued in place. Spray some watered-down dish soap along the entire length of the sling rail to help loosen the sling and cloth. Allow the soapy mixture to work its magic for a few minutes. It takes some time to soak into the rail and dissolve the dirt and oils attached to the cloth.

There’s no need to preserve the sling rod or spline made out of plastic. As part of the kit, your new patio chair slings should come with a new supple sling rod. It’s doubtful that you’ll be able to reuse your old sling spline because it’s too dry and brittle. Re-threading the spline into the sewn rod pocket of your new replacement slings might be challenging.

The rusty, filthy fabric can easily slip out the sling rail’s bottom end. Grasp the sling with your hands or pliers and pull it away from the sling rail. Someone can keep the patio sling chair in place while someone else removes the old fabric from the rail.

If the old patio sling fabric is stubborn and won’t come free from the sling rail, use a flat head screwdriver to pry it loose. With the flat end of the screwdriver, force the patio sling fabric into the sling rail.

3. Remove the bolts from the rails

The plastic rod or spline threaded through the rod pockets on your new patio sling is held in place by the sling rails, which also support the edges of the new patio sling fabric. Bolts can secure one or both of the sling rails to the patio sling chair frame’s main body. The bolts are threaded into the chair frame via the sling rail. Remove all bolts (usually 4-6) from the patio chair frame with the required method.

Spray the bolts with a penetrating oil if they’re proving difficult to extract (Liquid Wrench, NAPA 6300). The oil would loosen any rust or corrosion on the bolt. Allow at least an hour for the oil to soak before continuing. Bolts and other hardware should be saved for reinstallation. It’s a safe idea to repair the bolts if they’re bent or rusted.

The bolt should not be forced out of the frame. You run the risk of snapping the bolts and potentially stripping out the threaded inserts, requiring additional frame repairs.

4. Take measurements for the new sling

To measure for new slings, take the width measurement while the old slings are still on, and measure the two rails from outside channel to outside channel (click for example) to the nearest 1/4″. The length of the old sling may generally be removed. We seldom use the width calculation by just measuring old slings after they’ve been replaced because we’ve noticed that the old slings are usually stretched or broken, and if new slings are the same width as the removed sling, they’re too loose. When ordering slings, always specify the width first, followed by the weight (width” x length”).

4. Insert the Sling Spline or Plastic Sling Rod

The new splines must first be mounted in the new slings’ side hems that fit into the sling rails. Feed the spline from one end, and it should feed all the way through. The new replacement slings are usually shipped without the plastic sling rod or sling spline installed.

Insert the sling spline into each side of the sling. The sling spline will be longer than necessary; do not trim away the excess until later in the installation process. If you are having trouble inserting the sling spline, try sharpening the end in a pencil sharpener. Insert the pencil into the opposite end of the sling or the end you are pushing toward. The pencil or pen will be pushed out in the future by the sling spline and not caught on the inner hem.

6. Replace sling fabric and spline into the sling rails

Ensure the rails are in the same place as when they were removed before slipping the sling into the rail. Slide the fabric through the sling rails, keeping the tag at the top of the chair to separate the top from the sling’s bottom.

Place one side of the sling into one of the sling rails (but not both) — then remove the sling rail entirely from the chair frame after the sling is mounted on one side — then install the new sling into the other sling rail that is still on the chair frame. 

Last but not least, reattach the loose sling rail to the chair frame. By carefully gripping the ends of the fabric near the ends of the sling rail and gently tugging as you tighten the sling rail to the edge, you can progressively draw the material close to the ends of the sling rails.

7. Reinstall the bolts

Attach the sling rails to the chair frame with the newly mounted sling. Line up the holes and tighten all of the bolts with your fingers. Do not tighten the bolts all the way. You want to work your way around the chair and tighten each bolt a little bit at a time so the bolts tighten into the sling rails at the same rate. Do not fully tighten the bolts at this time. 

Pull the sling until it is even with both sling rails, starting at the bottom of the chair. Tighten just the two bottom bolts until the sling is flush with BOTH sling rails. This action will hold the sling’s bottom in place and secure.

8. Stretch the sling material

Stretch the fabric upward to remove any wrinkles left in the bend of the seat. To stretch and pull the material through the sling rails, use a pair of pliers. Take care not to tear the fabric by of your sling chaise lounge by pulling too hard.

Since the fabric tends to slip back down the sling rail, it may be beneficial to use a pair of clamps to keep it in place. If you don’t have clamps, having someone to assist you with this move might be beneficial. Place your back against the chair. Stretch the sling upward to the edge of the sling rail with pliers until both the fabric and the sling rail are even. Using clamps or having someone keep the sling in place while you tighten the remaining bolts is a good idea at this stage. The sling should now be snug and wrinkle-free.

9. Reinstall the spreader bars

Installing a new sling and reassembling a chair is not difficult, but reinstalling the spreader bars can be challenging at times.

The spreader bar aims to hold the sling fabric taut. Spreader bars must be reinstalled if your chair came with them. Turn your chair sideways, taking care not to scratch the handles. Try bending the spreader bar just enough over your knee to allow it to fit into position. If you cannot turn the spreader bar, a spreader tool will be needed to spread the slings rails apart, allowing room for the spreader bar.

To avoid wrinkles in the fabric where the sling rails bend more sharply, the slings must also be extended in length. Pull at the sling ends nearest to the sling rail with the vise grips clamped on the thread (loosen the sling rail from the frame). Take extra caution here, as ripping the fabric is very easy if you pull too hard. Even the manufacturer has been known to tear the new sling during this phase, forcing them to discard it and try again with a new sling, so be extremely cautious. A few wrinkles won’t damage the fabric or its work, but a ripped sling can be incredibly inconvenient.

10. Trim excess spline and reinstall the end caps

Cut all excess sling spline with scissors, utility knife, or cutting, pliers, then gently tap end caps back onto sling rails with a rubber mallet. 

Voila! You have successfully replaced your patio chair slings in time for the warm months ahead.

2020 was a heck of a year. It is a year that forced many people to stay at home for lengths previously unheard of in our modern times. It caused many of us to reconsider our interior and exterior spaces at home to maximize comfort and utility in the face of this nationwide lockdown. People across the United States learned how to work from their homes’ comfort and maximize their outdoor space for convenience and entertainment. 2020 saw an incredible surge in home improvements, renovations, and outdoor expansions. 

Both last year and now in 2021, our collective patios, gardens, porches, and yards (both front and back) have come to serve an even greater purpose than they did before. These spaces have functioned as our places of refuge, our at-home gymnasiums, and even our offices where we work from home. 

While it is hard to stay positive in the face of the global pandemic caused by the COVID-19 virus, there are some dark clouds with a silver lining. These events have forced us to pursue lifestyles that are more sustainable, practical, and humble. It has taught us the value and importance of our physical and mental health and genuinely balancing work and play from home.

While it is exciting that vaccines are beginning to roll out in 2021, judging by the current state of things, our outdoor spaces will likely continue to be our primary spaces for work, family socialization, and relaxation. This article will discuss some popular new trends for those still looking to improve or expand their outdoor living space.

Creating an Outdoor Space for Year-Round Use

Considering how accustomed we have become to life at home, it is not a stretch to imagine that the majority of people will be continuing to utilize their outdoor area in the coming year. To make the most of your outdoor space, it is essential to weatherproof your furniture and equipment to be usable all year long. You can take several steps or gadgets you can invest in to make your space functional regardless of the time of year or weather conditions.

As you may have heard in the news, medical supplies and protective gear have been in short supply since the beginning of the pandemic. We have also seen shortages of certain foodstuffs and manufactured goods. Possibly the strangest (yet logical) of the many supply shortages that we faced during the fight against COVID-19 was the nationwide outdoor heater shortage. 

As the virus raged on into summer and then into fall, many of us realized our holiday gatherings would be on hiatus if we didn’t figure out how to keep a large open space warm in the dead of winter. These units are becoming available again just as we begin to leave the winter season, but the smart homeowner will invest these preemptively for the colder months ahead.

Expect more significant investment in products that make our patios, balconies, and backyards more livable in extreme temperatures. Heat lamps and fire pits are a great option to snuggle up to. There are so many types of fire pits that you can easily find a style that works well for your outdoors. Several strategically placed outdoor rugs can do a ton of heavy lifting when reducing the chill from the ground. As for the hotter months, we love retractable shade fixtures, such as umbrellas and shade sails, to repel the afternoon sun. Drop-down screens can be installed to enclose patio spaces and help fend off insects. Fans are also a huge help, whether it’s bringing an indoor fan outside for a breeze or installing a ceiling fan outdoors.

Green Thumb Gardeners

Gardening as a hobby has become dramatically more prevalent during this time of lockdown. People took to gardening to pass the time, save money on produce, and brighten their outdoor space with living plants. Gardens are an excellent investment and require less upkeep than you might think. They are fantastic to have year-round and can serve as a great educational tool for parents with children at home. 

Make sure to grow to produce in season, and you will be eating fresh and healthy all year round. Plant beets, broccoli, cabbage, kale, and other hardy veggies as soon as the soil is workable. Once you’re sure the last of winter’s frost is over, your options widen. Lettuce, radishes, carrots, and string beans are all easy to grow outside of winter. By spring, it’s time to turn over those veggie boxes with our favorites: melons, tomatoes, cucumbers, and squash for some of the best outdoor meals you’ve ever made.

Composting and Self-Sustaining Gardens: Composting is a hot topic right now, and the availability of community composting programs awareness and participation has increased. Composting helps reduce landfill waste and helps decrease the amount of trash sent to landfills by 80 percent. Composting creates a “superfood” for your garden and can help your plants sustain themselves. The best part of composting is that it’s free and efficient.  People and communities that compost will rise as sustainability become a greater priority across the globe.

Some scientists believe that a collective increase in at-home gardening across the globe will have small yet noticeable benefits to the environment. Gardens can play a small role within the greater scope of the climate but counted together, every outdoor space in the urban environment can cumulatively make significant strides. That means property owners and renters can make environmentally responsible choices in the process of conceiving and constructing their gardens.

Some of his best tips for cultivating a sustainable garden include setting up a drip irrigation system with a rain sensor to water your plants, avoiding using toxic materials and chemicals to help your plants grow, covering bare soil with green mulch, opting for a diversity of plant species, and going with perennials over annuals when possible. Sustain wildlife and maintain a habitat-friendly garden for birds and pollinators.

Residential Gardens for City Folk: Creating a dynamic outdoor space doesn’t have to be limited by your lack of square footage — it just requires a bit more forethought. Gardening on balconies can do wonders for our mental health, as well as give us a new (and manageable) hobby in 2021. Taking advantage of outside walls is a beautiful way to inject color into space with more plants—or even a nature-inspired mural. Editing is the key in all good design, and allowing one or two areas to be unused can make a small city garden appear larger. Strategize where to place pops of color to make the most of your small but mighty space.

When selecting plants for city growth, try to incorporate native plants into your garden. Native plants are best because they provide benefits for regional birds and insects. They are often more suited to the local soils and temperatures than ornamental plants you can order online.

Party in the Front

While the backyard has been a fabulous place to relax, unwind, find peace of mind, discover a new hobby, we’re now looking to our front yards to be a warm and inviting space to entertain friends, family, and neighbors as we slowly return to normalcy. There’s still a long road ahead before we can welcome all our loved ones inside for dinner parties and happy hours, and the front yard is a beautiful place to set a long table, socially distance, and converse with long lost nearby neighbors.

This season is an excellent chance to upgrade or invest in some nice furniture for the front, such as a porch swing or a table set. A collection of socially distanced chairs and tables make for a great start to a community gathering. Make sure to factor in outdoor lighting so that everyone is well lit into the evening. String lights are a magical element you can implement here.

Seamlessly Transition from Indoors to Outside

If you fancy yourself as a design or gardening enthusiast, then you have likely heard of the term “biophilic design.” This concept is used to increase one’s connectivity to nature through architecture. As most of us have been doing almost everything at home for over a year, creating a natural flow between indoors and out will not only maximize your home’s space but will also give you a much-needed mental break.

To achieve the feeling of a seamless transition from the inside of your home to the outside, arrange the furniture as if the outside and indoor areas were the same room. By treating both spaces as one room, you take the outside in and make the entire space more usable. Another way to create a marriage between indoors and out is to use the same flooring and fabrics in both locations. Outdoor fabrics are phenomenal for a comfortable indoor living; plus, they protect from messy pets and kids.

The millennial generation is the largest American generation, with over 80 million people spread across the United States. While this group often takes flak from the Boomer generation for moving at a different pace than they did, current statistics show that this trend is shifting. The eldest of the millennial horde are finally reaching a place in age and financial security to consider buying a home. For most millennials under 40, this is or will be their first time purchasing a home.

The generation before millennials could purchase a home with a high school diploma and minimum wage job. On the other hand, most millennials see homeownership as a pipedream, despite being significantly more educated than their predecessors. As it now stands, millennials currently out-earn any other generation. This higher education and more significant wealth accumulation channel this generation’s spending power into investing in homes and making them comfortable, including expanding patio backyards.

This surge in home purchases, combined with a global pandemic that forces people to spend more time at home than ever, has caused a massive increase in demand for home decor and furnishings for inside and outdoors. This article will explore what home decor trends are most popular amongst the millennial homebuying crowd in 2021.

The Industry is Growing with the Demand

Demand for outdoor furniture in the United States, such as grills and accessories, is expected to drive the industry to $9.1 billion by 2019. Now, more than ever, consumers can do online research to ensure they’re buying the best outdoor furniture. Additionally, people are spending more disposable income to create these outdoor living spaces.

Reports show millennials are the fastest-growing segment; this growth is encouraged because this age group is beginning to build families and homes. In 2014, millennials accounted for 37% of outdoor furniture sales. They are redefining how they relate to the space around them, both indoors and outdoors.

Millennial Minimalism – Less is More

This generation has a fond affinity for minimalist designs and aesthetics. They are asking for their homes to be comfortable, visual, and functional. Consumers aim for the most decorative bang in their minimalist-decorated dwellings, looking for statement pieces that can virtually stand on their own. Maybe Marie Kondo is to blame for encouraging us to transform our lives by tidying up our spaces. 

Perhaps we grew up watching futuristic cartoons that made technology and minimalism seem very appealing and progressive. Whoever is to blame, we know that minimalist designs are popular amongst millennials and that home decor purchases match this trend. With new ideas about how people relate to their space and emphasizing the room’s architectural elements, minimalist decor and furniture have seen a surge in popularity in the United States and worldwide. 

Merchants who supply modern minimalist designs show a higher sell-through rate than merchants who carry more traditional or antique style decor. The benefit is that most modern minimalist decor is relatively inexpensive and easy to produce en masse. These stylistic preferences hold for indoor spaces as well as outdoor patios and backyards. Sleek, functional, and minimally designed furniture and appliances are all the rage in outdoor home decor.

Multi-functional Furniture and Appliances

Not only is the millennial generation a fan of the minimalist mentality, but they are also all about practicality in their products. Millennials are more likely to invest in products that serve more than one purpose; the classic “bang for you buck” mentality. This logic seems doubly right for outdoor furniture and decor, which resulted from people stuck at home because of the pandemic and have exploded in sales over the last year.

When looking for outdoor furniture and appliances that serve several purposes, the bar for what constitutes “multi-functional” is relatively low. This tech-savvy generation is not looking for a refrigerator that can tweet and play Skyrim. They are looking for something more along the lines of a barbecue that is also a smoker, or a fire table, which is a fancy way of saying a “coffee table with a built-in fireplace.” Fire pits are also a great multi-functional accessory, as they provide a place to gather, a source for heat, the perfect setting for a ghost story, and the best way to cook a s’more. 

Environmentally Friendly Furniture

Millennials as a group are more conscious of the planet and the current climate crisis. Millennial consumers factor their carbon footprint into the decision-making process when buying outdoor furniture, and they love a product marketed as being friendly to the environment. They consider how the piece is made and what will become of the work once discarded. According to a recent Furniture Today survey, 70% of people said they would be willing to spend more on outdoor furniture if environmentally friendly materials and processes the manufacturer uses.

When looking for your next environmentally friendly piece of outdoor furniture, focus on the materials and processes used in manufacturing. Responsibly sourced woods and metals are what you are looking for. Woods such as bamboo, oak, mahogany, maple, and pine are l incredibly sustainable and affordable. Avoid purchasing wood furniture made of teak, wenge, Merbau, or ebony, as these are all rare, expensive, and endangered. Bonus points if you can find a piece made of reclaimed or recycled wood materials from lumber yards and salvage. Metal furniture made from steel or aluminum is ideal for its weather-resistance and because it is affordable and recyclable. You can also find some companies that offer outdoor decor and accessories made from recycled fabrics. 

Grilling Gadgets, Gear, and Gizmos

One trend that seems to transcend generations is the love of the grill and grilling products. However, with millennials, the passion for good food and fine dining at home is taken to a whole other level. This generation of people who grew up watching cooking competition shows like significant sporting events. With chefs becoming celebrities, affordable kitchen gadgets, and the explosion of Instagram food pictures, it’s no wonder we have a generation of talented home chefs and bakers. 

Buying trends over the last few years indicate an increase in popularity in the grill and barbecue space and for smokers, pizza ovens or stones, fire pits, flat-top grills, re-circulators (for sous-vide), and Mongolian BBQ grills. All of these can be installed in your backyard or outdoor kitchen to improve your outdoor cooking game. That said, not all millennials are food-fanatics. A large part of the generation will be more than satisfied with a more straightforward all-in-one barbecue grill and all that it can do. You get bonus points for getting a mobile unit and has wheels so you can transport it as you see fit. 

Bringing the Indoors Outside

Arguably the most popular new trend in outdoor decor is the concept of bringing the full feel of an indoor room to your outdoor space. This aim can be accomplished by assembling a collection of outdoor furniture such as chairs and couches alongside durable outdoor rugs, tables, and comfortable throw pillows and blankets. Ceramic lamps are often used for their durability to bring light to an outdoor room so that you and your family can enjoy the outside into the night.

A variation of this popular trend from 2020 that is carrying into 2021 is the outdoor kitchen. Millennials are building kitchens outdoors to really up their outdoor cooking game. These outdoor kitchens can be simple builds that feature a grill and a stove, while others can be as loaded or more so than the indoor kitchen. Refrigerators, beer taps, pizza ovens, smokers, microwaves, dishwashing machines, and more can be installed in an outdoor kitchen. Don’t forget to install and fully stock the bar, and you are set for any party or gathering.

No outdoor kitchen, bar, or space is complete without a television. Televisions specifically built for outdoor exposure are available for the discerning customer. The millennial generation is famous for binge-watching television shows, and I don’t think being outdoors will stop that. Speakers, audio systems, smart speakers, and other gadgets can be installed on your patio for the ultimate in outdoor comfort.

People want the green look, feel, and texture of plants without the hassle and maintenance worries. Artificial plants give it to them. The Millennials are massive travelers and don’t want to worry about watering them or having space without great lighting. Artificial plants always look perfect and have that feel of foliage.

The Season of Change

Spring is the time of year where the most considerable portion of customers chooses to refresh their living spaces. Maybe it’s the “spring-cleaning” bug that does it, but nearly one-fourth of people do upgrades during this time of year. Millennials are no exception. If you are a patio furniture retailer trying to capitalize on this generation and its trends, you still have some time to get up to speed with your product offerings. 

Whether you are in a hotter climate or a classic winter, you can find ways to make your outdoor patio space feel just as festive as the indoors.

As Thanksgiving approaches, our thoughts turn to the upcoming holiday season — and immediately after Turkey Day the world shifts from warm-toned, orange hues to the classic reds, greens, and sparkle that indicates the Christmas season is upon us. Most Christmas decor is focused on the indoors; staircases, mantlepieces, etc. 

Why not spruce up your outdoors with a little spruce tree, create an outdoor patio as cozy as a living room with a roaring fireplace, and decked out a Christmas tree? We’ve compiled a list of design ideas to help get you started on your journey to a winter wonderland regardless of the weather!

Stick to a Traditional Christmas Color Scheme

When piecing together the plan for your great outdoors, stick to the traditional color scheme of red, green, and white. Add in your favored metallic (gold or silver) in accents to complete the look. It might be time to retire your summer accessories and get fresh cushions for your chairs, lounge furniture, and sofas, and swap out those throw pillows. 

Do not be afraid to go bold. It is the holidays, after all! Go for a red couch cushion and compliment the couch with a textured white pillow that is reminiscent of snowflakes and the magic of the season. Throw in a couple of green checkered or woven pillows to tie in the traditional look of the season. Grab an outdoor rug that helps make the colors pop, add a plaid throw blanket into the mix, and suddenly your outdoor seating is as cozy as the couch inside in front of the roaring fireplace.

Don’t Forget the Twinkle Lights

A staple in Christmas decor is the classic twinkle light. Not to be confused with the colorful Christmas lights put up on the front of houses, the twinkle light is more delicate, evoking the magic of a starry night in the dead of winter. Here at All American Outdoor Living, we can’t get enough of festive twinkle lights.

Get creative with where to hang the lights — wrap them around the base of your umbrella stand, for starters. But don’t stop there. Any support beams or columns on your patio are primed for twinkle lights. If you have an awning, line the edge of the awning with the lights. Hang them across the entire outdoor space, back and forth, creating a veritable night sky specific to your own backyard. (Think bistro lights but much smaller and much prettier.) Do the same underneath your umbrella and have a delightful mini sky. You could also take the twinkle lights one step further and add them to your garden. 

Decorate Your Garden

Add twinkle lights throughout your garden, lining trees with them, weaving them through bushes and hedges, even laying them in the flower beds to create a sense of wonderment. And do not stop at just the lights — turn your garden, whether planted or potted, into replicas of your Christmas tree. Deck the garden with ornaments, tinsel, and tree toppers. If you have a lawn, find some Christmas gnomes and elves that can be sprinkled throughout the space.

If you live in a warmer climate and want to replicate the feeling of a white Christmas, go ahead and use a biodegradable flocking on your bushes and hedges. Treat your entire garden as if it is a Christmas tree. Whatever you put on your Christmas tree inside, try it outside in your new Christmas garden.

Have fun with turning your garden into a Christmas wonderland. If all you have are cacti to work with, treat them like a tree! Wrap lights around them, hang ornaments off of the needles and toss some tinsel over everything.

Bring All the Christmas Plants Outside

After turning your garden into a flatter, wider Christmas tree, go ahead and get some potted Christmas trees to accent your patio space. You can treat them the way you would any Christmas tree and decorate them until they are overflowing with Christmas spirit, or you can just leave them to be beautiful and bare, creating a verdant Christmas forest in your garden. 

And you cannot forget to include the other Christmas classics! Poinsettia makes a beautiful, bright red, cheery accent to any space that adds that holiday pizazz. Little bushes of holly here and there add that extra ambiance and detail that makes space feel cohesively like Christmas. For an extra fun touch of romance, hang mistletoe any place that you can think of. Under the umbrella, any awnings or overhangs, and above any tucked away alcoves found in the garden. Make sure to include lighting so that no one misses their chance!

Add More Warmth with Lanterns and Candles

Get moody with your use of candles outside to increase holiday cheer and atmosphere. Grab some lanterns of varying sizes and fill them with electric wax candles. Some of the candles available today have realistic-looking wicks and timer settings so that they automatically turn on at the same time every evening. Set them up on all the tables and counters, as well as on the ground around the patio. 

Mix and match the lanterns around the space, using odd numbers in each cluster to create balance. You can never have too many lights, so do not be afraid of overdoing it. Allow for the lanterns to create enough warm light that your outdoor space is filled without turning the outdoor lights on. With the candles in lanterns and twinkle lights hung throughout your patio and garden, space will take on an otherworldly Christmas charm akin to what you see in films.

Create a Christmas Tablescape to Rival Your Dining Room

Do not hesitate to outdo your indoor dining room here. Imagine a deep, dark wooden table such as the Farmhouse Dining Table, with garlands of deep green fir offset by red berries and candles flickering. Or even mixing in the twinkle lights through the garland. Golden or silver charger plates can simultaneously blend into the scenery and help a festive red or green plate pop against the dark wood. Allow your imagination to run away with you. The safe-for-outdoors melamine dinner and drinkware available today has reached new decorative heights; to the point that you are guaranteed to find something that meets your tastes and sophistication. 

Have Christmas Themed Treats Ready to Go

Not all Christmas treats are equal! At All American Outdoor Living, we can’t get enough of treats with a holiday twist. As the outdoor and patio experts, we brought you our favorite outdoor treats with a Halloween twist and now we are bringing you our top convenient outdoor treats made for the perfect holiday season. And having them prepped for popping out at a moment’s notice can be as easy as one, two, three.

The easiest and most reminiscent of Christmas is the chestnut. Grab some chestnuts from the store to have on hand, and whenever you feel like living the classic song, throw some in a cast iron pan and pop it onto your grill or fire pit (if you are extremely bold!). About ten minutes later and you have delicious, buttery, roasted chestnuts.

An outdoor staple in the world of treats is the S’more, which also happens to have the longest shelf-life; ideal when you want something easy to pull out of the pantry and throw together. But here we add in something slightly different — peppermint bark. Instead of the traditional Hershey’s bar, we take a chunk of dark chocolate or white chocolate peppermint bark and complete our peppermint s’ more in true Christmas fashion.

Another quick and jolly option is the hot chocolate ball. Coming in flavors rich in holiday spirits such as caramel and peppermint, there can be a variety on hand to satisfy everyone’s desires. Just throw a kettle on with milk, pour it over the ball in a mug, and watch the mini marshmallows appear in the perfect cup of hot chocolate. Fun, fast, and effortless! Our favorite variation on the hot chocolate ball is to heat eggnog instead of regular milk, amplifying the cozy Christmas factor.

The Pièce De Résistance for the Perfect Outdoor Christmas: The Fire Pit 

Add an outdoor fire pit to your seating area to take your patio to the next and final level for the perfect outdoor Christmas. With your upgraded and holiday focused cushions and seating, the fire pit takes the place of the indoor fireplace, elevating your newly decorated wonderland garden and patio into the new living room. It becomes the gathering point for family and friends, to warm themselves while enjoying each other’s company.

There is nothing cozier than a night spent enjoying your outdoor furniture, under the twinkly lights, and surrounded by warm candlelight, with a peppermint hot chocolate in hand, the smell of freshly roasted chestnuts hovering in the air, chatting with loved ones around an open fire.