ANCHOR YOUR SPACE FOR AN INTIMATE FEEL
Outdoor dining should be fun, playful and low-maintenance without the pressures of formal dining. After all you couldn't get away with plastic dishware and tea light candles at a formal dinner, but being outdoors sets the tone for a casual and hassle-free meal.
From a design perspective, you can create a comfortable and cozy feel by anchoring your dining space against a wall or hedges. Enclosure on at least two sides helps to create a sense of privacy with your space. If you don't have a wall or fence, you can plant a hedge of hydrangeas, boxwoods, or ficus to create a border and to also block out any distracting views.
An ideal outdoor dining area has a covered space, flat ground, is bordered for privacy, and near your kitchen. Here's a shot from a current traditional ranch project that I'm working on.
