Creating the Ultimate Outdoor Entertainment Space in Auckland Central: Tips and Ideas

Everyone loves an outdoor entertaining area. That’s nothing new. But for Central Aucklanders, they’ve become somewhat of a landscaping staple, especially considering they were a form of salvation during the pandemic. 

If you’re ready to trade in your folding chairs and plastic table for a more elevated, permanent place to entertain, we’ve put together some helpful tips to help you get started. 

Outdoor entertainment must-haves

Every design is different, but there are some essentials you need for a functional and comfortable entertaining space such as seating, lighting, and plants. Let’s dive into the details.

Decking

First things first, where is everything going to go? Arranging your outdoor furniture directly on the lawn is a perfectly suitable solution, but if your landscape is uneven or rocky, you’ll need a proper foundation for your entertaining area. Pavers and brick make great pathways or flat patios. Decking, however, is a better option for raised or tiered spaces. It’s also durable and highly customisable. 

Outdoor Seating

The right outdoor furniture sets the tone for any space. If you regularly host dinner and drinks, a casual alfresco dining set or high-top bar table is perfect for gathering guests. Or, if chill time is more your speed, you can create a chic garden retreat by centering the design around modern loungers and a comfortable outdoor sofa.

Regardless of your style, creating defined, intentional seating areas help make an entertaining space look purposeful. Check out these two Auckland designs:

• This Remuera landscaping project has two seating areas; one lounge space, presumably for adults, and another zone on the lawn where kids can hang out. 
• As you can see here in this St. John’s outdoor living area which has three unique seating spaces; an outdoor dining area, a covered lounge, and an elevated spa pool, louvres are a great tool to create definition in a compact space. 

Outdoor lighting

Outdoor lighting can be as functional or aesthetic as you want, but it’s essential if you plan to use your outdoor space at night. Different products will yield different effects; spotlights and deck lighting are better to illuminate larger areas, while string, rope, and pendant lights help curate a particular ambiance. We recommend combining a number of lighting types to create a truly bespoke landscape. 

Planting and gardens

Beyond looking beautiful, plants and gardens have functional purposes too, whether it’s to create privacy, prevent your yard from becoming a muddy mess, or provide a bounty of fruits and vegetables. 

Every outdoor living area needs some sort of plant life. But if you’re opposed to the permanency and commitment of cultivating a thriving garden, planter boxes are a great alternative. They’re also ideal for inner Auckland CBD living or compact properties that don’t have an abundance of outdoor space. By working with a landscape design expert, you can have a fantastic garden anywhere that suits your lifestyle. 

Many Auckland homeowners are rapt with the idea of low-maintenance landscaping, also known as xeriscaping, a technique that requires little to no irrigation. Due to its unique nature, a lot of thoughtful planning goes into creating a successful xeriscape. But when done correctly, the benefits can be reaped for years to come with very little time investment.  

Ways to elevate your outdoor entertainment area

So you’ve got the basics down, now it’s time to take your outdoor living space to the next level. Here are a few ways you can elevate an area to make it feel more complete. 

Spas, pools, and outdoor shelter

With hot summers and rainy winters, every outdoor living area in Auckland needs some sort of shelter to be used year-round. Pergolas and louvres are the most popular solutions for shade and shelter, as they can stand up to inclement weather while also allowing for those beautiful breezes to sweep through on a nice day. Not to mention, they’re the perfect complement to a poolside lounge area or spa pool which are, of course, the ultimate luxury. 

How you integrate a spa or pool is just as important as the pool itself. Whether it’s concrete, tile, or decking, something needs to segue the pool into the main entertainment area or else you run the risk of a segmented landscape without flow. Pool builds are a significant investment of both time and money, but our experienced team of landscaping professionals will guide you through the process and make it easy-breezy.

Outdoor cooking & outdoor heating

There’s a certain freedom, excitement, and feeling of luxury that comes with preparing a meal outdoors. It’s a more significant investment if you want to create a completely bespoke outdoor kitchen area equipped with pieces such as a built-in pizza oven or custom barbecue, but outdoor cooking can be cost-effective as well. 

Outdoor fire pits or braziers can easily be outfitted with cooking grates for a rustic cooking experience. These options also serve double duty as highly-effective heating for your outdoor entertainment area. However, we understand that open flames may not be ideal, especially if you have small children or energetic pets. As the name suggests, flameless dry heaters use infrared technology to emit radiant heat and are both energy-efficient and cost-effective. 

Building an ultimate outdoor entertaining area with Zones

We’ve discussed all the essentials and upgrades for the ultimate outdoor entertaining area, but how do you put it all together? Without professional guidance, it can be overwhelming. That’s why Zones was established; to provide homeowners with a well-organised, streamlined approach to the landscape design and building process. 

An experienced Landscaping Consultant will take the lead and guide you through our 5-step process which includes an in-depth consultation, concept designs, cost estimates, on-site project management, and final delivery. Through each stage, they’ll remain your single point of contact. We’ve found this approach mitigates miscommunication and confusion and helps ensure your project runs smoothly from start to finish. 

Want somewhere to host guests other than your kitchen?

Let’s build a new outdoor entertainment space together. Our process starts with a free, no-obligation consultation. To arrange yours, get in touch with a local Auckland Central Landscaping Consultant who will visit your property and chat with you about what you want to achieve.