In the great state of Minnesota and around the rest of the country, football game days are no joke. Vikings followers, cheese heads, and other die-hard fanatics of local and national football teams turn a simple Sunday into a boisterous and bustling tradition. Crisp fall air and the crack of an ice-cold beer are enough to make anyone’s weekend worthwhile. Inviting buddies over for the big game is always fun and exciting, but with the right outdoor deck accessories, you can take your tailgate to the next level.
Taking Advantage of Your Deck
Outdoor spaces are an excellent place to entertain guests in all seasons. Beautiful deck designs from experienced landscape architects add value to your property and allow you all the space required to host the ultimate outdoor game day extravaganza.
Wooden decks once ruled the industry, but now we know that this classic decking material makes for some time-consuming maintenance and repairs. Wood is prone to rotting, tilting, leaning, and insect infestations. Instead, landscape designs like Architectural Landscape Design in Minnesota recommend utilizing composite decking materials to make the most of your backyard space.
There are several different deck designs to suit any style or property size. Varying deck shapes and multi-level deck designs leave you with an alluring backyard that’s perfect for hosting tailgates and half-time parties. Some popular composite deck styles include:
- Circular decks
- Platform decks
- Rectangular deck designs
- Square designs
- Raised platform decks
- Multi-level overlooks
Decks are a great place to relax and unwind, but they’re also an excellent spot to gather with friends for football gamedays. Put personality into your deck design and have the perfect place to celebrate your favorite team using unique deck elements.
Game Day Deck Essentials
You may be unfamiliar with the term, but “home-gating” is the new hot trend for football-loving homeowners. Staying in this football season to enjoy the weekend’s latest games instead of heading to the stadium helps save money and means you can spend time with your family and friends in a gorgeous outdoor space. Here, we look at the deck essentials required to really nail your next home-gating party:
1. Master the Grill
Everybody knows that a great gameday get-together involves many grilled items; hot dogs, burgers, steak, sausages — you name it. Make sure there are enough good-eats to go around with a high-quality grill. You can install a large grill, gas range stovetops, and other outdoor kitchen accessories.
2. Light It Up
During football season, it starts to get dark outside earlier. For those evening games, keep your home-gate going with adequate outdoor lighting. Low-voltage LED outdoor lights are an excellent investment, as LEDs are more energy-efficient.
Installing outdoor lighting also helps ensure that all of your tailgating guests are safe while they enjoy the game. Line stairs and pathways with low-voltage lighting so there are no trips or falls to ruin the fun.
3. Show Off on the Big Screen
It’s impossible to throw the ultimate at-home tailgate party without the proper tools to actually watch the game. Luckily, these days, there are plenty of options for outdoor televisions. Install the big screen inside a custom-built outdoor TV cabinet to keep it protected from the weather.
An outdoor television will truly take your deck to the next level. If you want to be the envy of everyone on your Fantasy Football league this year, you need to install an outdoor television on your deck.
4. Keep Things Cool
Every outdoor living space needs a fridge or cooler to handle all the beverages required for the big game. Equip your outdoor kitchen with a wine cooler or a full-fledged refrigerator for beers, sodas, and that buffalo chicken dip you’re dying to snack on – but your wife says to save it for later.
Outdoor fridges and coolers come in all different sizes to fit perfectly into your deck’s design. Incorporate one into an existing outdoor kitchen or leave it as a standalone item next to your seating area. Either way, outdoor coolers give you easy access to all of your beverage needs on game day.
5. Save a Seat
Last but not least on our list of gameday deck essentials is, of course, the seating areas. You and your guests need somewhere to kick back and catch all the craziest plays on the outdoor TV. There are several unique deck seating styles available to fit any size deck:
- Benches
- Suspended swings
- Outdoor couches
- Sunken seating
- Positionable patio furniture
The great thing about outdoor seating is that there is so much versatility in what’s available. Patio furniture is found in materials ranging from wicker and teak to wrought iron and modern plastics. There are also options for custom outdoor furniture made from materials like stone to set your deck’s seating area apart from the rest.
Custom composite deck designs from an architectural landscape design company can cater to the needs of any family of football fans. Outfit your deck with all the right outdoor elements to create the ultimate entertaining space for at-home tailgating events all season long. Towards the end of the season, don’t forget to turn on your outdoor fireplace to enjoy the game even when it gets cold.
Outdoor Entertaining for Every Season
For many families, football season is a tradition that brings everyone together on the weekends to enjoy the big game. People with decks can take advantage of the new trend, home-gating, and have their own tailgate parties right in the backyard. To celebrate the game day traditions, your deck needs to withstand weathering year in and year out.
Expert landscape architects like Architectural Landscape Design are big proponents of composite decks in Minnesota. Composite materials are built to last and are incredibly budget-friendly. In contrast, wood will likely cost you in repairs and be plagued with problems in just a few years. Installing a composite deck ensures that you, your family, and all of your football-loving friends can enjoy your outdoor space for many seasons to come.