Outdoor Entertaining Essentials: Must-Have Pieces for Your Patio

IKEA’s new BRÖGGAN collection is such breath of fresh air with its happy colourway of citrusy shades in dots and stripes prints. Everything from throw and floor cushions, outdoor rugs, wipeable tablecloths, a fun bar cart and more make for summer patio style that just makes us smile. Mixy-matchy, in such a great way.

Perhaps it is time to take a good hard look at your existing outdoor umbrella. They take a beating in our BC climate; between the pelting rain that can cause mildew, and the burning (and colour fading) sun rays – they can look a bit worse for wear after a few years. I love navy blue anything, it’s chic, timeless and plays nice with a ton of other colours, and The Home Depot Canada’s Hampton Bay Fringe Scallop Edge Market Patio Umbrella is a winner. This piece looks slightly retro with its stripes and fluttery fringe, like it should be placed poolside at an upscale hotel like The Parker in Palm Springs. But it’s just as much at home on your patio surrounded by lots of summery green trees and hedges. 

SEGERÖN is one of IKEA’s best outdoor sectionals that offer a variety of seating sections, so you can make it just right for your patio deck. Water repellent cushion covers help with unexpected BC rain showers, the seat fabric is fade resistant and machine washable. The creamy, neutral shade is ready to welcome pops of colour with throw cushions and accessories or leave neutral and soft as shown.

Indigo always has fun summer patio accessories on offer every year, and this tangerine Printed Cooler Bag is ideal for keeping drinks chilled and at easy access when you’re hosting guests. Why run and back inside to the fridge? This cooler bag is padded and insulated, plus the strap means you can pop it over your shoulder and stroll down to the park if the kids are getting restless. Guess what else? It has a matching picnic blanket too.

London Drugs might be a well-kept secret when it comes to home décor and patio accessories shopping, but those in the know always check here for unexpected items. Take this Gas Fire Table, especially fresh in this white and blonde wood combo, and essential to create atmosphere and wrap some warmth around your guests past sunset. Surprisingly, the flames don’t heat up the tabletop surface so you can place drinks along it (bringing the table into fire table) and your home-resort vibe is upped plenty by adding a piece like this.

Synergy S Portable Lamp with Built-in Speaker and Ice Bucket is perhaps one of the coolest patio essentials around. From Simons, this is a wireless Bluetooth speaker with rechargeable battery and LED lights in the lamp, plus, get this, is even an ice bucket. Move it around the patio deck wherever needed for music, dreamy light, and to keep a bottle of patio prosecco nice and chilled.

I love a classic Adirondack chair, and was delighted when London Drugs had this beauty in a great shade of poppy red. My Patio Laguna Folding Adirondack Chair has a cup holder too, plus it folds down for when space is needed. This chair style is possibly the most comfortable patio chair around for decades, needs no padding, is angled and tilted just right to make it a timeless winner. 

Quebec brand Simons has a super-stylish home décor department called Simons Maison, plus shopping online with shipping is just so easy. Putting out some nibbles when you entertain on your patio should be part of the fun, but not if your platter is swarmed with bugs. Wasps. I am talking to you, the ultimate party poopers. Love this clever Simons Bamboo Fruit Basket with Mosquito Net that has a mesh dome built in so you can cover that gorgeous fruit platter in between grazing.

The Home Depot Canada carries some outdoor atmosphere creating essentials too, like this Hampton Bay 14-inch H Metal Candle Holder Table Floor Lantern in Black. Any pillar candle will work here, but why not be clever and use a mosquito repelling citronella one to keep those bugs at bay around dusk?