Our Australian lifestyle is synonymous with BBQ’s and entertaining in the great outdoors. Our homes are now being designed with seamless integration of our interior and exterior living spaces and alfresco areas are becoming the centre of at-home entertaining. The Best Alfresco is one that can be used all year round and below we take a look at the elements you need to consider to create the ULTIMATE ALFRESCO…

Enclosed or Open

Firstly, is your alfresco going to be enclosed or open? This needs to be considered for a number of reasons but most importantly so that relevant government and industry safety codes are met. We are seeing more and more alfresco areas being designed so that they can be fully enclosed thanks to bi-folding doors or café blinds which make the area much more functional all year round.

Entertaining Style

How do you entertain? Do you cater for lavish formal functions or comfortable gatherings of close friends and family? This will help you factor in the size and how you can best utilise available space along with what facilities your alfresco may need.

Design

Contemporary or rustic in style, consider a design that seamlessly integrates your alfresco area with interior living spaces. Your alfresco can then become an extension of interior entertaining space which will increase its usability. If this is not an option then you want to ensure your alfresco is inviting as well as functional.  Also consider in the design process how and where you will place furniture and furnishings, this  is just as important outside as it is indoors.

Heating / Cooling

Again if you want to make the most of your outdoor living space, then you need to consider how comfortable it will be on hot summer days or cool nights. An overhead fan is a simple addition that can make all the difference when it’s warm. Integrated heating, whether it be overhead electric heaters, a gas fireplace or perhaps a built in fire-pit is also a sensible inclusion that will make entertaining outdoors a lot more pleasurable when the weather isn’t cooperating as you’d like.

Entertainment

Will your alfresco area be a place of quiet retreat in the warm summer breeze with a novel? Or a space for all weekend long pool-side parties? Integrated sound systems and speakers take the argument our of who’s going inside to change the music and you may even like to take it a step further with an outdoor television or cinema set up for watching the football, cricket or late night movie.

Facilities

What facilities will you have in your alfresco?  We are seeing more alfresco areas being completely self-contained with fully integrated kitchens containing BBQ, pot burners, pizza ovens, fridges, sinks and taps. The options of appliances are endless and there are lots of considerations when selecting these products and designing these kitchens, especially if your area is enclosed like whether the appliances will withstand weather and an outdoor environment

Professional Advice

Lastly, get professional advice from a reputable company who specialises in designing and installing alfresco areas. Ferguson Alfresco Lifestyle is Perth’s market leader and is unrivalled in terms of design, innovation and workmanship. A West Australian company, operating for more than 40 years, Ferguson Alfresco Lifestyle specialise in creating ultimate outdoor BBQ’s, pizza ovens and simply stunning alfresco kitchens in Perth and throughout Australia.

Ferguson Alfresco Lifestyle is located at:

2 Chamberlain Street   O’Connor, W.A 6163
Phone: (08) 9314 6888
www.fergusoncorp.com.au