With an entertaining philosophy consisting of a fun guest list, great food, drinks, and a little flair to tie it all together, lifestyle blogger Chris Nease updated guys night out – she moved it outside! Read on and shop the For the Guys Styleboard to find outdoor entertaining essentials for a successful basement-to-backyard man-cave transition.
A Perfect Outdoor Party Space
We’re so excited to have warmer weather so we can commence to entertaining on our new patio. My husband has officially opened up the season with a guys night party he hosted last week. Being the obsessive-compulsive hostess I am, I had to make sure everything was set up for them just so. Enter my top guys night out ideas, thanks to a whole lot of help from Hayneedle.
I built the entertaining space around some base pieces I already had from Hayneedle and updated with some terrific new items that helped take it to the next level of fun! His guys night party centered around our new pizza oven, some lawn games, and drinks, of course.
Pizza & Punch: Crowd Pleasers
We got the wood-fired pizza oven and have loved every minute of having it. For guys night, my husband pre-made lots of mini pizzas so they were all set to put in and cook when each guest was ready. The whole experience was a huge hit! They washed the pizzas down with beverages from the rolling cooler cart and a special punch served in the Jacksonville beverage dispenser.
Score – Games, Drinks & a Cozy Retreat
Since it doesn’t get dark until after eight, there was plenty of time to play a few rounds of corn hole and ladder toss. We got the raw wood corn hole set and stained it a dark cherry color. I love that we had the option to paint it or stain it any color or design we wanted. You can really personalize it if you want!
Our new tilt umbrella provided much-needed shade at the end of the day since we have a west-facing yard. The transition from sunny afternoon to chilly evening was made seamless with the fire pit seating area,and the bronze patio heater. I set up a cozy lounge area with the indoor/outdoor area rug, sectional seating, and a bourbon and whiskey tray complete with cigars.
Best Seats in the Backyard
The final space for the guys was our bar table, which we updated with swivel bar stools. They add so much comfort to the bar and they match the bar perfectly! The guys could eat here and later pick up a game of poker if they wanted. I hung outdoor curtain panels to soften the wood framework and hide the glass doors. Just that small addition of fabric adds so much warmth and intimacy to the space.
Overall, I used very little color for the guys night party because I wanted it to feel masculine. Black and white graphic patterns sort of mimic the dark and light contrast of the wicker furniture and tan textiles. Some plants and other outdoor decorative items add small spots of color to the neutral space.
Everyone was thrilled with how the guys night in ideas came together and we can’t wait to host even more parties outside with all our new entertaining pieces!
– Chris Nease, Celebrations at Home
