We’re now into the second month of autumn, which means temperatures should see a clear drop between now and into winter.

Even if it’s not necessarily its coldest just yet, planning for the cooler months is an important thing to do. While it can be relatively easy to control temperatures when inside the home (be it through increasing sunlight, reducing the flow through of air or even using a heater), it’s a bit of a different story when it comes to the outdoor living area.

In today’s article, we’re going to offer some ideas on what you can do to make your outdoor space nice and warm when the weather isn’t.

Insulation

While the idea of having an insulated outdoor roof may seem redundant given the open air around you, insulation does make a difference. Different patio types may come with roof insulation, which help suppress the heat during the summer and the cooler temperatures during autumn and winter. It’s a small part of what you can do with your outdoor living area to keep temperatures a little more consistent, but it certainly helps - even if by minor margins.

Reduce the amount of shade

Colder months and shade are not the best of friends. As we’ve mentioned in the past, the cooler and less humid conditions mean that shade is far more influential in making things feel cold. Towards the backend of autumn and throughout winter, being caught in the shade can become somewhat unbearable, even in the milder Brisbane climate.

So if possible, consider trimming back trees and plants and removing any collapsable shading you may have erected during summer. The more sun you get, the warmer you’ll be. Just remember to be careful when trimming back trees and plants. Cut them back too far or take too much off in general, and they may struggle to stay alive.

Create outdoor barriers for really windy days

When you’ve been to a café or a restaurant that has seating that goes out onto the street or a deck/verandah, no doubt you’ve seen them use plastic sheets when it’s raining or an overly cool wind is blowing. This is something you can easily adapt for your own outdoor living area provided you have somewhere to hang these sheets from. If not plastic, you can consider outdoor curtains or outdoor blinds. Anything that can help block out cold breezes or even help create temporary walling to your outdoor space that can keep the heat in.

That said, it’s always important to have some fresh air, so having at least a couple of gaps where fresh air can come in without making things too cold is a simple compromise.

Outdoor heater