5 Must-Haves for Outdoor Entertaining

(Family Features) Gatherings and get-togethers may commonly take place inside, but giving your guests extra space takes nothing more than a little creativity and the right outdoor appliances. Open a new door – literally – and head outside to take advantage of unused deck, patio and yard space. As a natural extension of your home, a few key pieces of lighting, heating and cooking equipment can turn your backyard into an entertaining oasis. Let your personal style shine and elevate your hosting skills with these ideas from the experts at the Propane Education & Research Council. Lighting Flame lighting may not be every homeowner’s first consideration, but more hosts are relying on it to add upscale elegance to outdoor gatherings. Custom lanterns, modern chandeliers, pendants and tabletop units offer stylish additions to modern and classic designs alike. No matter your tastes, propane flame lighting fixtures can be placed in multiple areas for aesthetic and practical purposes. While it’s hard to top the soothing effect of a starry night while calming flames reflect off your windows and add a glow to your patio, flame lighting also can ward off intruders or animals and help prevent tripping in the dark. Grills and Cooking Equipment Propane can help you bring your dream kitchen to life outdoors. First establish a budget and identify a builder then build out the features of your high-performing kitchen in the peaceful setting nature offers. Often, the centerpiece of the space are grills, which are available in a variety of sizes and styles. Some offer features like side burners for sauces and rotisseries. Because they heat up fast and provide precise temperature control, propane-powered outdoor cooking appliances are a popular choice for homeowners who want to spend less time preparing food and more time enjoying it. With instant on-off convenience just like indoor gas ranges, outdoor propane grills, pizza ovens and ovens help home chefs create perfectly cooked meals with no coals, soot or ash to clean up. The appliances can also be built in to a straight, L-shape or U-shape bar to complete your outdoor cooking paradise. Patio Heaters If chilly weather brings on the blues in your region, make the most of your outdoor space with a propane-powered patio heater that allows for entertaining nearly year-round. Propane patio heaters can raise the outdoor air temperature up to 25 F while emitting a circle of radiant heat up to 25 feet in diameter. Next time you want to get outside before patio season arrives, start up a propane patio heater to enjoy cozy warmth in a clean, safe, reliable way. Fireplaces and Fire Pits Another option for bringing warmth to outdoor entertaining can happen with the push of a button in the form of a propane fireplace or fire pit. These smokeless solutions come without the maintenance of wood-burning fires, meaning you can enjoy the heat and ambiance of flames dancing in the night sky while skipping the fuss of soot, ash and burning logs. Plus, clean-energy propane delivers heat more efficiently with a lower carbon footprint than traditional energy sources like wood, which take a toll on the environment. Pool Heaters You can maximize your fun for as much of the year as possible and combat the elements with propane pool and spa heaters. Available for in-ground and above ground pools and spas, propane heaters operate at a higher efficiency than electric systems and maintain heat better in cooler weather while also operating cleanly and taking up minimal space. To find more outdoor entertaining inspiration, visit Propane.com.   Photo courtesy of Getty Images