Getting your Real Log Home Ready For Barbecue Season

With Memorial Day weekend upon us, it’s time to clean your outdoor grills, uncover your pools and make sure your outdoor furniture is ready for your family. The task of getting your Real Log Home ready for the summer season seems daunting, but if you focus on one thing at a time on your ‘To Do’ list, you’ll feel less stressed and get everything accomplished with plenty of time to relax before the party starts.

Easy Flow of Traffic

There’s a reason we call it spring cleaning! We can’t have our family and friends bumping into patio furniture or the badminton set as they navigate around the property. Set aside some time to place outdoor furniture in convenient locations – where people will have easy access to sit down but avoid tripping as they walk from your gorgeous kitchen onto your outdoor patio. When you walk around your home and yard, think of the most used paths where people will be walking. If your kitchen leads onto your deck, make sure chairs are pushed away from doors and that doors are able to fully open without bumping into people sitting down.

Cooling Off

After barbequing and playing games on the lawn, a pool is the obvious choice for a quick cool-down during your summer festivities. The patio below offers quite a view of the log home resting atop a hill surrounded by lush vegetation. Be sure to sweep extraneous leaves or dirt off the patio and vacuum your pool so it looks extra inviting.

Comfortable Seating

It’s always fun to have games set up on the lawn when friends and family come over for a summer barbeque, but it’s just as important to make sure you have plenty of comfortable seats to take a load off. From cushioned patio chairs to chaise lounges – there are a number of options that will keep family and friends happy and relaxed.

The home above uses oversized wooden patio dining to create comfort for their guests. Adjacent to the outside dining, cushioned chaise lounge chairs are sprinkled around the amazing in-ground pool. One of my favorite features happens to be the pergola over the patio dining. This creates a great shaded space to escape the afternoon sun while hosting your party. This photo leads us right to our next topic…

Shaded Spaces

Hosting a Memorial Day weekend party is usually the kick-off to your summer festivities. During your barbeque, it’s important to remember that while guests love spending quality time with you outside, it’s equally as important to shade them from the sometimes-scorching afternoon sun. Utilizing spaces that offer a respite from the heat, while still enjoying your home, offers friends and family the best of both worlds.

The Real Log Home above demonstrates how you can host guests comfortably at your home while providing shade from the heat.

The log home below incorporates my favorite summer dining furniture – a picnic table with benches! The wrap-around farmer’s porch casts constant shade throughout the summer and gives you a relaxing place to watch the birds and enjoy BBQ brisket with family.