If you choose to get an outdoor patio, it’s important to make sure you choose one that's the right size. There are all kinds of factors that need to be considered. If you want to get a small outdoor fireplace in Port St. Lucie, for instance, your space needs are going to be very different than if you want to get enough tables to serve a 100-person party. Today, we’ll explain what you need to know.
Do You Want to Entertain People?
One of the biggest factors determining the size of your patio is how many people you want to entertain outside. If the patio is just designed for you and your family, you will likely want a more intimate space, and size will largely be determined by the furniture you would like.
For bigger groups, however, you need to take into consideration the amount of people that will be outside at one time. There are two metrics to look at here:
Standing Space
Comfort Space
Standing Space
Standing space is the amount of people who can reasonably fit onto a patio, without seating.
This is six feet per person. If you plan to host small parties with 10 people or less, then, 60 square feet would provide the necessary amount of space. Patios designed to fit at least 100 people would need 600 square feet.
Standing space is a good indication of how many people could fit into a space for a small period of time, such as if you’re giving a toast outside, or people are milling in and out of your home.
Comfort Space
However, people aren’t likely going to want to stand for hours at a time. To determine the amount of space you need for a full party, you’re going to want to use comfort space.
Comfort space is 25 feet per person. So that 10-person party would need 250 square feet of space, while the 100-person party would need 2500 square feet.
What Furniture Do You Want?
Of course, you also need to consider the furniture you’ll be putting into the space. For this, you can rely on the measurements supplied to you by the manufacturer. It’s a good idea to add three feet for any tables you purchase, since this allows space for chairs to get pulled out.
A pool can also affect size considerations, since you’ll want to leave room for people to set down their stuff before jumping in the water.
Other Considerations to Make
If you’re still worried about the size of your patio, it’s a good idea to get the furniture beforehand and put it in your outdoor space.
This gives you a detailed view of your layout, though admittedly it’s more time-consuming than speaking with design professionals who can show you what your outdoor space will look like in 3D.
Above all else, it’s important to remember – it’s better to have too much space than too little.
Looking for Outdoor Fireplaces in Port St. Lucie?
At Fischman Outdoor, we have decades of experience in the luxury construction industry. This wealth of experience has given us the insight we need to handle a variety of construction situations.
Do you have any questions about what we can do for you? Would you like to schedule a consultation with a construction expert? Please don’t hesitate to contact us today. We’re always excited to help people envision how beautiful their outdoor space could look.