When thinking about summertime in Italy, do you have in your mind images of long dinners under green patios, with tables laden with food, delicacies and watermelon? I must admit reality is not so different from cliché: we all love enjoying dinner outside in summer, in the garden, terrace or patio. We also love decorating outdoor spaces, to make them as much comfortable as possible.

For this reason, Italian gardens and alfresco areas can be a great source of inspiration for decorating your outdoor space too. I collected here some cool features that you can incorporate in your patio, to create a cozy and welcoming space inspired to Italian style patios, where to enjoy this last month of summer.

• Choose comfortable chairs

Be creative when furnishing your patio: while chairs are essential for dinners (even better some folding chairs that you can open just when you need more place at the table), they are not the only solution.

You can opt, for example, for some rattan chairs or a corner with upholstered sofas for the outdoor. An hammock, an hanging chair, a vintage bench: there are plenty of solution to make your space original and comfortable at the same time. You can find more ideas in our post with the latest trends for outdoor design here.

• Add some herbs

There is no Italian style patio without a corner where aromatic herbs are cultivated. Basil, rosemary, oregano, mint: you can plant them directly in the soil, by creating a small flowerbed, or plant them in some vases to be placed in a fresh corner. Opt for simple terracotta vases, which are perfect to add an Italian twist, are not expensive and perfect for the outdoor.

Herbs are of course good for cooking, but you can also use them to decorate your table: just put some twigs in small glazed vases, or use them as placeholders, or scattered on the table to perfume with their aroma.

• An extendable table

When inviting people to dinner in Italy, it often happens that your guests at the end will be more than the people you are expecting. No doubt, an extendable table is a superconvenient solution, so you can open your table at a full size just when you need it.

If you need more seats, you can also create a simple DIY table just by using a stand and a wooden plank and your additional table is easily done!

• Barbecue time

Barbecue (in Italian “grigliata”) is not just about eating grilled meat, is more about staying together when cooking it.

Remember to leave an empty space in your patio where you can place your barbecue, to be quite close to the table (but not so much), so you can cook while beng in the company with your guests.

• Gelato: yes, please!

Finally, there is no Italian dinner ending without a good ice-cream: don’t forget to add then in your table setting some small bowls, that could be in handmade ceramic, in glass, in plastic, adding a colourful touch to the setting. A small cart in your patio can be very useful too, to be used as an extra support.

When organizing summer dinners at home, we use to buy ice creams in different flavours by kilos, serving it to the guests according to their tastes. For an extra yummy touch, add some whipped cream on the top!

Cover photo credit: justenoughfocus Rooftop Bar at the Zamora via photopin (license)