As soon as Labor Day passes, most people take that as their cue to pack up their patios and backyards, marking that as the end of the outdoor season. By the time the calendar switches to Autumn, it's all about pumpkins and tablescaping... and while I will NEVER turn down the latter, I still have a lil more outdoor left here at the hygge ranch.

Truth is, even though this summer I did spend more time outside, stretching and cooking and even having our family meetings outside, it was hot as all get out this summer. Between the sun sun'ing and the bugs bugging, there was only but so much time I would spend out there before also feeling like I need to run back inside. Personally, Autumn is my favorite outdoor season! Even when I lived in NYC. I went on more Autumn walks around Manhattan than I did in the Summer. The same goes for here in the PNW. The cooler, yet still bearable, temps are much more conducive to more time outside. In my book, Summer is for beaches Autumn is for backyards.

Now this is gonna look and feel very different for everyone, depending on where you live, however, I like to think I'm in a 4 season region which means I have easily another 4-6 weeks to enjoy my outdoor spaces before Old Man Winter tells me it's time to hunker down inside.

Here are 4 ways I'm planning on extending my patio season…

Covering

While getting covering is important for the Summer, to shade us from the sun, we're excited to be finally doing some serious pergola shopping. Shade may not seem as important during the Fall months, however, at the time of writing this, September is nearly over & we're still have 70º days. Late morning through mid day the temps are still relatively high and the sun is still very hot. New covering - and I don't mean an umbrella - introduces a shaded area that we can make use of while the seasons battle it out. Pergola covering also allows us to start creating zones, especially on our deck space, which is a massive 24' square. Delineating dining from living from lounging is very apropos as we start to pivot into more the dining & living activities. It's an opportunity for us to bring the indoors outside the way I've been daydreaming about for years.

Dining

Three words: al fresco dining! And when I say dining, I don't just mean dinner - I'm talking about breakfast, brunch, lunch, snack, dinner... all outside under the sky. With the cooler temps, it means I don't have to worry very much about bugs pestering us and getting all in our food & drink; because even with our citronella candles burning, they were still very much out there being annoying. Whether you have a full dining table, benches, and chairs setup, or a more intimate cozy cafe table set up, eating & drinking outside is a very diff vibe and a great way to extend your outdoor season.

Heat

Now I would be remiss if I didn't acknowledge the fact that the temperature does drop in Autumn. I know over here, the calendar flipped to 09-22-22 and Summer immediately clocked outta work, not a second of overtime. This isn't to say it suddenly got cold, however, the early mornings and evenings began to get cooler & we def started to adjust our indoor heating & c rolling accordingly. The same goes for outside - patio heaters, fire tables, fire pits, outdoor place... even a good blanket will go a long way to make the slightly chillier season one that you can still enjoy in your yard. We have 2 patio heaters that are in need of an upgrade + we're thinking about adding a fire table to the mix. Even in their current state, our current heaters have been clutch for staying outside well past sunset and I love that for us.

Lighting

Lighting is a vibe in every season, however, especially in the Autumn months as the days get shorter. For me, it's also a way to bring a impactful hygge element outside. From string lighting to landscape lighting to to post caps to pendant lighting - perfect for a new pergola by the way! - introducing lighting outside doesn't have to be reserved for your holiday lights. Just like with your interior lighting transition for the season, it's all about choosing the right lighting temperature to evoke the warmth of the season.

Depending on your region, other ways you can extend your patio season lifestyle is through planting a Fall garden, doing some winter grilling, enjoying hot beverages under the night's sky, and introducing cozy weather textures as part of your outdoor living setup. These serve as more than just visual cues of the season - they're lifestyle cues. Set the scene of cuddling on your outdoor sofa, wrapped in your favorite blanket, with the warmth of the patio heater & hot chocolate to keep you company; or going out mid day and harvesting your Fall vegetables for farm to table al fresco dinners with the family. I know that's my plan

Are you looking forward to spending more time outside the next couple of weeks before going full on holiday season or have you already packed up the patio? Lemme know here + get a peak at what I'm shopping for the hygge ranch.