3 Patio Ideas For Fall Flair in Hinsdale and Naperville, IL Areas

Fall is all about warm colors and warm interactions with people. But, that doesn’t mean hunkering down indoors! Here are 3 patio ideas for fall flair in Hinsdale and Naperville, IL, areas. These tips will let you enjoy the coziness of crisp fall days while you admire nature’s splendor.

Fall is often considered the most beautiful season in Illinois. It’s the tantalizing beginning of the holiday season yet still retains the warmth of summer. Even though nature is getting ready to take a break, you can still make great memories with family and friends on your patio. Here’s what you need to spruce up your patio this season.

Fire

What’s more special than gathering around a fire pit or outdoor fireplace with people you love, wrapping yourself in a cozy blanket and sipping a mug of hot cocoa? Fall days are often still quite warm but evenings bring an unmistakable chill. Don’t send everyone scurrying indoors when the sun dips below the horizon. Invite them to sit together by the fire!

A fire pit will give your patio a relaxed campfire feel that’s about as casual as it gets. Fire pits allow everyone to share in the warmth and can be either wood fired for authentic campfire ambience, or gas- or propane-fueled for convenience and safety. You can, if you’re careful, still roast marshmallows over a gas fire pit - just be sure to choose fire pit materials that are easy to clean (pebbles instead of lava rock, for example).

A fireplace is a more formal addition to your patio. This is a fire feature that can easily be decorated for every season and can be wood-, propane-, or gas-fueled.

A fire table brings a level of sophistication to your patio. Fire tables are meant to do double duty as a coffee, dining, or bar-height table where people share food and drinks so they are gas- or propane-fueled. Add red, orange, and yellow colored decorative glass to bring a festive atmosphere to your fire table.

While you can always use portable fire features to warm up your patio, permanent fire features are more stylish and durable. Combined with a new seat wall, masonry fire features will totally transform your patio into the “hot spot” to spend your time.

A Colorful Trellis and Arbor

If your patio feels too exposed, consider adding a trellis on one or more sides. This will block ugly views (or nosy neighbors), provide a wind break from chilly fall breezes, and it’s an opportunity to showcase fall colors. Climbing vines like Virginia Creeper, roses, or hops create a gorgeous living wall all season and their vibrant fall reds, oranges, and purples make for a stunning backdrop to outdoor living.

An arbor between two trellises is another opportunity to grow colorful climbing vines and to lean a few corn husks to honor the season’s bounty.

Seat Wall

Another way to make your patio “the” place to be in fall is to add a seat wall. This is a great way to add seating without clutter (in the colder months, be sure to provide colorful blankets or cushions to sit on), and what better place to showcase the family’s pumpkin carvings! Seat walls can also be decorated with colorful containers filled with hardy ornamental grasses, evergreens, or creeping ground covers.

A seat wall can curve around a fire pit, or it can serve as a patio boundary. Using a seat wall to enclose your patio gives you a wonderful sense of cozy enclosure without blocking views. It also gives your patio vertical interest and timeless charm.