How to Have a Great Summer Party in Your Tulsa Outdoor Living Space

Tulsa residents will have fun firing up the grill in their outdoor kitchen this summer and entertaining friends and relatives as they celebrate goodtimes. But planning a party can get stressful, so we’ve got some great tips to getting your Tulsa outdoor living space all ready for the event.

Here are some tips from Real Simple on outdoor entertaining:


Outdoor lighting is a must. A little ambient lighting is enough to keep your guests safe out the dark. Globe string lights that are elegant and give off a warm glow, the article reported, are great for outdoor dinner parties as well as hurricane lanterns and tealights along with string lights.  The landscape lighting experts at Oklahoma Landscape can also install the right accent and pathway lighting to complement your home and landscape during anytime of the year.

Make sure there are enough seats. If you anticipate running low on seating, you might think about using some of your indoor furniture or even renting folding chairs. Another option the magazine mentioned could be to spread out quilts on the ground for picnic-style seating, if it’s a very casual party.

Repel flying pests. If you don’t have a mosquito misting system already in place, you might try adding some fans to your outdoor living space. “Mosquitos are weak flyers, so even if a fan is set on low, it can create enough airflow to keep them away,” Laura Harrington, an associate professor of entomology at Cornell University told Real Simple. This works best in small areas like a deck, she said. Also she recommended emptying anything with standing water in it, and giving guests bug wipes that contain repellent picaridin in place of DEET, which could damage clothing.

Keep the kids entertained. Many Tulsa homeowners have a custom swimming pool area where kids can have fun during the party. But some other kid diversions, Real Simple suggested were blowing bubbles, a Slip ‘n Slide or sprinkler, and even some inexpensive disposable cameras to let them capture the event, “say cheese”.

Make the music memorable, not just loud. Don’t make guests have to cover their ears with blaring music. “If you’re using a boom box or an iPod dock, place it above ear level so it’s not blasting directly at guests’ heads,” Michael Antonia, owner of the Flashdance, a Los Angles production company said. “And turn it toward the side of the house – you can make it a little louder and the sound will spread out better.” For the best music setup, the article noted that using four or more speakers, spread out and set at a lower volume work best.

Remember these outdoor entertaining tips to have a fun and be safe! For more ideas on designing and building the perfect outdoor living space, contact the Tulsa landscape contractors at Oklahoma Landscape.

Tulsa Outdoor Environments - The Top Outdoor Living Trends of 2014

A great outdoor living space perfect for entertaining is in high demand in the 2014 landscape design world. Like many Tulsa homeowners, people across the nation still want “attractively designed” outdoor environments to create more space for entertaining and relaxation.

The American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA) recently published its 2014 Residential Landscape Architecture Trends Survey, which reports on the latest demands in landscape design. In rating the expected popularity of various outdoor design elements, residential landscape architects from across the country ranked the category of gardens and landscaped spaces as most popular with a 94.2 percent rating, closely followed by outdoor living spaces like kitchens and entertainment spaces with a 92 percent rating.

“Homeowners know that designed landscapes add value to their lives as well as their property values,” ASLA executive vice president and CEO Nancy Somerville said. “They’re interested in livable, open spaces that are both stylish and earth-friendly.”

According to the ASLA, having a landscape architect skillfully design your outdoor elements and landscaping is one the best investments for your home and can add as much as 15 percent to its value over comparable homes. And, the ASLA noted, the home value literally grows over time while you enjoy your outdoor living space.

What is in popular demand for 2014 among outdoor living features? Outdoor lighting was rated first by 98.3 percent of respondents, followed by seating and dining areas with 97.7 percent, fire pits and fireplaces with 95.4 percent, grills with 94.3 percent and installed seating with 89.6 percent.

What do these results tell us about Tulsa outdoor environment trends for 2014? Outdoor living spaces that are ideal for entertaining are in high demand. Many homeowners would like to spend even more time entertaining or relaxing in their outdoor environment in Tulsa, and they can with the right outdoor lighting design.

Sustainability and low maintenance landscapes were again also in high demand as popular landscape and garden elements for 2014. Native plants were high on the list of eco-friendly design elements along with fountains and ornamental water features as popular landscaping and garden elements. Many are also favoring food and vegetable gardens including orchards and vineyards.

“Decorative water elements – including waterfalls, ornamental pools, and splash pools – were predicted to be in demand for home landscapes (86.1 percent). Spas (76.4 percent) and swimming pools (73.8 percent) are also expected to be popular,” ASLA reported.

Patios, terraces, and decks are high on the list for outdoor structures as are fencing and pergolas. These additions can really become an extension of your home and living space. More and more functionality and customization are being added to these outdoor environments in Tulsa.

Elegant and practical outdoor living spaces will continue to be popular home additions. For more landscape design and outdoor living space ideas, contact the Tulsa landscape architects at Oklahoma Landscape.