How to throw the best backyard BBQ

Summertime in the Northern Hemisphere is just about here. Near the equator, certain areas see great weather all year round. Because of that, the time is always right for a backyard BBQ. Barbecues are a great way to gather with friends, cook great food and entertain yourselves for hours. Here’s how to make your home the go-to home for barbecues this summer.

Have an amazing area to play

If you don’t already, make your garden a great place to entertain friends. If your garden is currently a wide open space, hire patio builders to create a space for you. Depending on the layout of your property and your home, you could build a deck, lay pavers and have a seating area with an outdoor fireplace, bar and you could build an overhang or palapa with a ceiling fan and outdoor TV.

If your budget allows for it, install a swimming pool as well. Nothing rounds out a backyard space like a pool where people can soak, swim and play water games while you mix drinks in the blender at the bar and make delicious food on the grill. It will be like everyone’s on holiday!

Cook delicious recipes

Summer recipes are some of the best recipes you can cook and find. A lot of them are simple to make and people will eat them fast. Summer recipes are light, tasty and can be made in large quantities in order to feed a lot of people. There’s more to put on the menu than just hamburgers and hot dogs.

Summer salads like pasta salads, potato salads and fruit salads are cheap to make and you can make them in bulk. Kebabs and sewers are great to make with shrimp, beef or chicken. Cut up some vegetables and add them to the skewer and you’ll have a hit on your hands. Download a delicious marinade recipe for the meat and your guests will rave at your cooking.

Break out the garden games

In the digital age, it’s good to get everyone off of their phones and interacting with each other in real life and in real time. The best way to do this is to have a set of games for everyone to play and enjoy. Playing games outside gets kids to interact with adults and everyone gets exercise. Aside from swim races in the pool, there are a bunch of activities you can offer.

Water volleyball is a great game that kids can play in the pool as well as bean bag toss into floating targets. On the grass you could set up volleyball, badminton, ping pong, Kan Jam and any variety of racing games for everyone to enjoy. If you have the space, you could host your own backyard Olympics.

Conclusion

With a few adjustments, some space and some clever ideas on what to cook and what to play, you’ve all the ingredients necessary for the perfect backyard BBQ location this summer. Get everyone to chip in and keep the place stocked.

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Auction Alert: Antiques & Collectors Sale

Founded in 1993, the auction house, Mellors & Kirk is based in Nottingham. Their Antiques & Collectors Sale, including The Heath House, Staffordshire is being held in about a week’s time. The 3-day sale dates are as follows:

12^th Apr 2022, 10am (lots 1 to 431)
13^th Apr 2022, 10am (lots 501 to 1039)
14^th Apr 2022, 10am (lots 1040 to 1364)

We do not post fragile items, such as ceramics and glassware, or large items, however we may be able to assist with the packing and postage of small items of jewellery, watches, medals, small pieces of silver, etc. Please contact us for a quotation.

Commission on the hammer price realised for the lot in question is payable to Mellors & Kirk by the buyer at a flat rate of 24% plus VAT, subject to a minimum of £6 per lot plus VAT.

The online bidding fee is an additional charge of 4.95% plus VAT levied on lot(s) bought via the online bidding facility at the-saleroom.com or an additional charge of 3% plus VAT levied on lot(s) bought via the online bidding facility at EasyLiveAuction.com unless the flat fee was selected.

Lot 1072: A Napoleonic prisoner of war polychrome bone games box
c1800, retaining dominoes dice, two sliding covers and underside painted (the covers recto and verso) with heads or full lengths portraits, including one of “Buonaparte”, 7cm l, 3cm wide; lid 9cm l. Slight wear mainly on upper surface of top most cover, but an exceptionally pleasing example in good preservation
Estimate: £100 – £150

Lot 1095: Dinky Toys 533 Leyland cement wagon
Yellow, boxed, paint chipped on cab, box rubbed and Dinky Supertoys 514 Guy Van, Spratts, red and cream, tiny paint chips and scratches (2)
Estimate: £80 – £100

Lot 1152: Two Napoleonic prisoner of war work bone domino boxes
With sliding lid, early 19th c, the cover of one pierced for cribbage, the other inset with two naive paintings of a young woman and urn, 14 and 15.5cm l. Some damage and much dirt
Estimate: £50 – £70

Lot 1222: Advertising. Two shop posters – “Bovril” and “Darkaline Stain”
Both first half 20th c, slightly creased and stained, 47 x 36cm and circa, both framed
Estimate: £50 – £70

Lot 1317: An Ercol beech settee and pair of armchairs
Settee 133cm w. Good condition with a few minor marks, consistent with age
Estimate: £200 – £300

Lot 1318: An Ercol armchair and four dining chairs
An Ercol armchair and four dining chairs. All with handling wear and scratches/dirt, more extensive on two than the others; One dining chair has small split to top of back rest.
Estimate: £100 – £150

Lot 1325: An Edwardian wingback armchair
c1905, the serpentine back, wings and stuffed over seat upholstered in olive green leather with brass close studded detail, on square tapered mahogany fore legs fitted metal castors. Front left leg badly cracked, front right leg cracked, extensive wear faults and staining to leather, scuffing, etc
Estimate: £100 – £200

Lot 1355: A rosewood sideboard
c1970, fitted with drawer and cutlery tray, enclosed by plain or louvred doors, all in richly figured veneers, on square legs, 77cm h; 46 x 213cm
Estimate: £300 – £500

Keeping cool in a heatwave from morning to night

As soon as spring rolls around in the Northern Hemisphere, you’re never far – these days – from a potential heatwave. People’s reactions to a rise in the mercury vary wildly from person to person, but with each hot day, more and more people will agree that the novelty eventually wears off. There’s certainly such a thing as being too hot, and while we don’t all reach that point at the same time, we all get there eventually. So it’s a good idea to have a plan for keeping cool in a heatwave, and all the better if it’s one that keeps you cool from sundown to sun-up.

Chase the sun (but not like that)

Direct sunlight pouring into your home causes the space to get warmer, quicker. If you have a cat, you’ll notice that they enjoy lying on the window sill when it’s particularly sunny – because a cat will always seek out the warm spots. But this greenhouse effect warms your whole home, and even one degree more can quickly become intolerable. So when you can see the sun soaking in through your windows, lower the blind and/or close the curtains; it’s best if you have blackout blinds and curtains for this specific purpose. During the day, the sun will cross over to the other side, so make sure to follow it and draw the blinds there, too.

Use fans in a smart way

Running a fan in your home or workspace can be reassuring in the hotter weather, but for many people it soon becomes clear that you’re basically moving hot air around and getting little relief from the heat. The smart move here is to place a bowl of ice or a frozen water bottle in front of the fan, and as the ice melts the fan will blow cooled water particles in your direction. This is the same principle by which air conditioning works, and it’s highly effective.

Speaking of air conditioning…

Running the air conditioning in your home cools the air, but when should you run it? Leaving it on all day is surely going to be too expensive, so should you ration it to make sure you’re getting the most bang for your buck? Well, no, not really. In fact, leaving the air con running may work out cheaper – it’s all about the temperature at which you set it. Find a temperature where you feel comfortable: let’s say between 20ºC and 24ºC. Set your evaporative cooling service to keep things at that level, and it will only run when it needs to, before returning to idling the rest of the time. This will use less energy than letting the temperature climb into the 30s or above and then running the air con, so it makes financial sense.

Windows: open at night, closed during the day

There’ll be a temptation to open your windows when your home is warm and it’s sunny outside, but this isn’t an efficient thing to do. If it’s hotter outside than it is in your home (and it invariably is in the morning), then you’re just letting in cool air, so keep them closed. Overnight, the temperature drops by several degrees, so keep the windows open a crack when you go to bed; you’ll sleep more soundly and wake up to a fresher, cooler house.

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Secret gardens: 7 small backyard design ideas

Do you want to turn your outdoor space into an urban oasis where you can relax and unwind?

The outdoor furniture market was over $15.7 billion in 2020, and it continues to grow. The growth is down to the number of people turning their backyards into something unique. Many people still think you need a large area and a lot of money. But today, this post will show you small backyard design ideas on a budget! All you have to do is keep reading until the end!

1. Build a bar

It wasn’t so long ago when people believed that home bars were only for the rich and famous. These days, with the aid of the internet, erecting a DIY bar has never been easier. You can buy cheap or second-hand bars. But if you build a bar from scratch, you can design it to the style and vibe you want in your little paradise. Not to mention, you can save on your hard-earned cash!

2. Tables and chairs

If you want to enjoy a drink from your bar, you need a place to sit and relax. If you have the space, think about adding an outdoor sofa, they add a lot of value and comfort to your area. Don’t worry if you have a small or narrow backyard. There’s furniture designed for compact spaces, and they usually fold up when not in use.

3. Grow plants, fruit and vegetables

The best small backyard landscaping idea is to grow plants and crops. If you’re unable to undertake the work yourself, you can hire a contractor such as landscape services Alpharetta GA. The plants’ vibrant colours will brighten up your outdoor space – especially during the spring and summer months. Growing fruit and veg can save you money and is a fun activity. You can even try turning fruit into some home-made wine or cider. You should start using Holmes Lawn & Pest control to keep the nasty pests away from plants and flowers!

4. Build a storage shed

How many times have you been meaning to get move your tools, but you have nowhere to put them. Well, now you do! The best part is you have a place to store items you want to keep away from kids.

5. Cook outdoors

A BBQ is one of the best small backyard ideas for entertaining guests. And when word gets out about how delicious your grilling is, you can expect much more visitors. Nobody wants to be stuck cooking inside when the weather is nice. So enjoy the weather with a drink in one hand and a spatula in the other.

6. Set your backyard alight

That’s right, set your backyard alight… with lights! The lighting can determine your vibe and atmosphere. If you want a fairy-tale setting, get some very bright white lights, and line them along the walls. If you want a hipster vibe, go for multi-coloured mix match bulbs. Just make sure to get ones that fit your setting.

7. A fire pit

A blazing fire pit puts a spark into your small backyard! When the sun does down, the cold night starts to creep into your backyard. But you can cosy up around the fire pit and fend it off. You can even start making s’mores!

Use these small backyard design ideas

Everyone deserves a slice of heaven. And by using these small backyard design ideas, you can turn that dream into a reality! You know what to do, so now it’s time to clear your backyard and start getting to work. And if want more small design ideas for the rest of your home, continue reading our blog for free!

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