Just because the sun has gone into hiding for another year doesn’t mean you have to give up on your outdoor eating space. Crisp Autumn weather is perfect for Al Fresco dining provided you make a few small tweaks to your outdoor areas.
Read our tips below to get ready to Autumn Al-Fresco – whether it’s at home, or at your commercial property.
Invest in an Awning
Keep spots of Autumn rain or gusts of breeze away from your diners by investing in an awning.
Our sturdy Weinor and Markilux awnings are tough enough to withstand seasonal winds and keep the rain away from your dining area without succumbing to mold or mildew.
You can even automate your awning for a truly flexible solution, allowing you to quickly cover your dining areas with just a tap on the app or the press of a button – no need to waste time with poles and screws for a manual extension! Some of our models even come with an inbuilt wind monitor, that retracts the awning in the instance of high winds that may cause damage.
A brightly coloured awning can also help bring a little springtime brightness to a dreary day – attracting customers if you’re a restaurant or cafe, or just injecting a little sunshine into your at-home alfresco dining.
Snuggle Up
Blankets laid over your dining chairs can offer an adorably cute autumn vibe, and also offer visitors a cosy place to snuggle up as they enjoy dinner or a seasonal hot chocolate outdoors! If you run a commercial establishment branded blankets can entice in passers-by with their warm inviting look. Outdoor rugs can also help hold in heat, and keep diners feet warm as they enjoy the autumn evening.
Adding some patio heaters to your outdoor space can help take the chill off the air on a cool autumn evening. Invest in timed heaters to add a blast of warmth to diners without boosting your heating bill or integrate heaters into your awning with our bespoke systems. Our internal awning heaters can be controlled via automated systems, so you can set them to turn on at certain times of day, or just turn up the heat with the touch of a button.
Get in the spirit of the season
A little bit of autumnal decoration can give your outside dining space a splendid seasonal feel. Use natural place settings like pine-cones, mini pumpkins or autumn leaves to create the mood,or use fall-coloured flowers like helenium, poinsettias or colourful gerberas to create a splash of vibrant reds and yellows.
Warm lanterns and tea-lights will case a yellow/orange glow over the area, putting everyone in a snugly autumn-mood – perfect for enjoying hearty soups and comfort-food dinners! If you have scented tea-lights, opt for spicy autumn flavours like cinnamon, cardamom and clove, to get your diners’ mouth’s watering long before dinner!
Keep it Bright
Ropes of fairy lights twinkling, or flickering candle lamps create an atmospheric mood for autumn diners, while offering a little extra brightness when the nights get dim. Creating an enchanting environment to call in customers, or create your own garden wonderland with a few rope lights and a little creativity.
Alternatively, our bespoke awning packages offer optional lighting extras, so your awning can twinkle and glow above you as you dine. This lighting package can work in conjunction with automated systems and heating for a truly flexible awning that allows you to enjoy Alfresco all year round!
To learn more about how our bespoke awnings can autumn-proof your dining areas view our product range.