Having an outdoor media center means hosting your friends for movie nights, NFL Sundays, weekday reality TV shows, and everything in between. Building a media center outside means extending your outdoor season and spending more time outside instead of retreating inside to watch TV. Here are some ways to create an outdoor media center in your backyard.

Think about the design
Thinking through how you’ll use the area is the first step to creating a functional and comfortable outdoor media area. Here are some factors to consider:

• How often will you be entertaining? This can help to determine how much your overall budget for the project should be.
• Will it be a space primarily for your household only? If it’s a smaller area where you plan on enjoying quiet movie nights, then you likely only need one TV.
• Do you plan on hosting events often? If it’s a space where you plan on hosting often, you may consider having multiple TVs, to be able to watch various sporting events simultaneously.
• Select the furniture pieces you’ll need to achieve those goals - Defining the design aesthetic and marrying the space with the outdoors will create a unified, welcoming area.

Choose the correct technology
The media components you select for your outdoor entertainment center must be made for the outdoors. Outdoor TVs will stand up to sunlight, water, and fluctuating temperatures. Outdoor speakers are also essential to stand up to the elements.

Make it comfortable
Comfort is vital in an outdoor entertainment space. Inviting outdoor sofas, chairs, and other plush seating options, plenty of side tables, sun coverage, and cushions upholstered in an outdoor fabric will create a comfortable and durable gathering space and lounge.

Have easily accessible refreshments
Every movie night and gathering needs snacks and refreshments, so ensure there’s a spot where it's easily accessible. An adjacent outdoor kitchen with a refrigerator, bar, grill, and shaded counter space will make accessing cold beverages and snacks easy. Work with a contractor to make sure anything that’s installed is done up to code.

Distribute the sound
Since the outdoors has more miscellaneous sounds, it’s important that your sound system can stand up to noise distractions such as wind, traffic, the sounds of children playing, and other outdoor sounds. Evenly distributing the outdoor speakers will make it easy for everyone to hear the TVs. These speakers can be hidden in the throughout your outdoor space so they don't become eyesores.

Light the atmosphere
Having an outdoor media center means you can extend your evening outdoors. Ensuring the area is comfortably lit means staying outside long after the sun has gone down. A blend of string lights, coach lamps, pathway lighting, and overhead lighting will create an ambient outdoor space that’s easy to navigate.

*Adapted from an article published by RISMedia

This material is meant for general illustration and/or informational purposes only. Although the information has been gathered from sources believed to be reliable, no representation is made as to its accuracy.