Entertaining at home is a trend that has been growing in popularity the past few years, in part because of economics and also in part to the ease and comfort of being in one’s own home. Closely connected to the home entertaining trend is the idea of making your outdoor space an extension of indoor living.

Inviting friends and family over for a dinner party is the most common form of at-home entertaining, while going out to dinner is also a stand-by for those who choose to leave home for a night out. Why not fuse these two concepts by transforming your backyard into a dining destination? To create your own backyard bistro, you’ll need three things: great atmosphere, the right set-up and fantastic food. Remember to keep it simple (after all, that’s the beauty of entertaining at home) and follow these suggestions:

1) A great atmosphere. Set the mood with soft lighting. Setting up outdoor candles or fire features make all the difference. When the sun goes down, keep things from getting too dark by stringing up a couple sets of patio lights, which are weather resistant and easy to install. The right lighting makes outdoor entertaining cozy and inviting.

2) The right set-up. Instead of one table, try something unexpected by arranging a few smaller tables in your backyard, which will also contribute to the bistro vibe. Check out our bistro sets and add a beautiful spot for the perfect outdoor dining atmosphere to your backyard that looks as though it came from a five-star restaurant.

The other trick to your set-up is convenience. Plan to cook food outdoors, so you don’t have to be away from your guests for a long period of time. Prepare everything you’ll need before their arrival, and then roll everything outside on a bistro cart once it’s time to cook. On a similar note, keeping beverages in a convenient cooler outside will prevent your guests from being forced to trek in and out of the house too often.

3) Fantastic food. ‘Tis the season for burgers, brats and barbeque. A space-saving portable electric grill can easily sit atop your bistro cart, giving you a one-stop location for cooking. Or a flexible pizza oven/smoker is a unique outdoor cooking feature that is also portable and gives you more cooking options than a standard grill.  Finally, when it comes to the fare, depart from traditional barbeque and go for interesting flavor combinations such as chipotle and maple, brown sugar and bourbon, sweet red chili and mango or applewood and plum.

Unique flavors and a unique take on outdoor entertaining are sure to impress your guests and keep your backyard bistro in business!