Easy and Practical Outdoor Holiday Entertaining – Florida Style

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We like to entertain outdoors weather permitting here in Florida and the weather is at it’s peak of lovely over the next few months! Ahhh, but to have a few open windows, a slightly lower electric bill and most of all…not to feel like a cooped up bird in a gilded cage. So this HOLIDAY SEASON I’m sharing a few easy and practical tips…
and thrilled to partner up with ORCHARD SUPPLY HARDWARE who carries not only hardware and things to fix your home up but the items that you might need for OUTDOOR LIVING as well.

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I recently had the pleasure of visiting one of the NEW STORES that just opened up in the area and was pleasantly surprised to find some of the LIFESTYLE ESSENTIALS for OUTDOOR ENTERTAINING.

On our patio we call this area “the chill zone” and chill is what we do here. The kids named it and here is where you’ll find us when we want some shade and comfy places to sit, both day and night. It’s one of those kit gazebos and my husband installed a ceiling fan with a light. We have plenty of lanterns in here and normally fill them with candles, but it’s the holiday season and I have them filled with SHATTERPROOF ORNAMENTS. You can find oodles of ornaments and other seasonal CHRISTMAS decor at ORCHARD SUPPLY and don’t even get me started about the assortment of LANTERNS at great prices.

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The first and foremost in any room, whether indoors or outdoors should be comfort. A patio sofa, a couple of chairs and a coffee table should do it. We have had many family dinners out here around the coffee table and it’s the same sort of all weather wicker as seen on the patio selection designed by The Property Brothers available at OSH. Don’t forget plenty of pillows that are covered in indoor/outdoor fabric…especially if you have a pool or just a harsh environment as we do in Florida.

Easy and Practical Outdoor Holiday Entertaining - Florida Style

Plants for an outdoor entertaining area just warm up the space and we have mostly succulents that are not just on trend, but so easy to care for. Win/win here for the FLORIDA LIFESTYLE. And lanterns…you just can’t have too many of them!

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Shaded by the gazebo…one day I’d love to build something a little more permanent, but for now this structure works for us. I’m so happy to be able to look forward to several more months of OUTDOOR LIVING and entertaining to come under here! We have a grill that is off to the side and not in view, and my husband is in charge of the grilling. This winter I have an OUTDOOR FIREPIT on my Christmas wish list, so we plan on heading up to Orchard Supply Hardware to pick one up soon. They carry so much for outdoors and I spotted grills in the store as well. I’m embedding a video at the end of this post so that you can see what I saw and be surprised at how much they have.

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We make our meals easy and light out here, generally starting out with wine and cheese followed by something from the grill. Heavy meals just don’t feel quite right outside!
Easy and Practical Outdoor Holiday Entertaining - Florida Style

Hanging plants and windchimes are another layer to make an outdoor room right. In the morning I’ll often come out here with my coffee and listen to the breezes blowing the chimes.

lanterns filled with christmas ornaments

 

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Just like the inside of our home, the outside has been carefully restored, revamped and replanted over time. Finding plants that we love and that are in synch with the Florida climate have helped to create a peaceful paradise that we enjoy living and entertaining in. Hello WINTER fun!
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Although the items on this patio are my own, you can find a large selection of similar pieces and plants at ORCHARD SUPPLY HARDWARE and I thank them for sponsoring this post!
Check out my YouTube video above

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